Wired Wisconsin: New Milwaukee data center advances job creation, technical computing opportunities in Milwaukee

Contact: Thad Nation, 414.412.7814

$36-million Data Holdings LLC project a first for southeastern Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE — A new data center project being launched by the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation will break ground on Monday, helping establish the foundation for Milwaukee as an emerging data center hub.

“These are exactly the types of developments that we need to encourage in Wisconsin,” says Thad Nation, executive director of Wired Wisconsin. “We are confident that the success of this project will pave the way for new interest and investment in additional developments, including the enhancement of Milwaukee’s existing technical computing capabilities.”

The Data Holdings LLC project, a two-story, 45,000-square foot complex on Milwaukee’s near west side, is being developed as a wholesale, Tier III enhanced, carrier neutral data center.

According to the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation, the first identified tenant slated to move into the complex is The Milwaukee Institute, a non-profit technology organization that provides technical computing capacity, a service utilized by entities that require massive data analysis. Additional potential tenants have also signed letters of intent.

“We applaud the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation for recognizing the potential in this industry,” says Nation. “The growth in new technologies and cloud computing demands is very real, and we need to be encouraging developments such as the Data Holdings project throughout the state.”

The project site includes redundant power and access to diverse power sources, providing the necessary integrity and security needed in a typical data center. Additional future tenants are likely to use this site as a primary data center, secondary disaster recovery data site or as an offsite information storage area for entities that may not have room in existing facilities.

Completion of the Data Holdings project is anticipated in 2013 with tenant occupancy targeted for second quarter 2013.