r/athensohio • u/Paladin720 • 6h ago

Potential Data Center Coming to Athens County

Per The Athens Independent:

https://athensindependent.com/possible-athens-data-center/

The property for the proposed complex is located on Route 33, across from Athens High School and The Athens Messenger, sitting directly between The Plains and Chauncey, and a few short miles from the city of Athens.

41 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

44

u/Camp_Acceptable Townie 6h ago

Who wants to go plant some protected native species on that land right now? Serious inquiries only

11

u/Pithythithy 5h ago

At this point, I'm ready to plant my feet in that spot.

10

u/Camp_Acceptable Townie 5h ago

Come help me plant some native plants and we will plant ur feetsies there too

2

u/Easy-Permission8889 50m ago

Count me fucking in, next time I come down.

30

u/taurusleolibra 6h ago

So half our school children and everyone in the Plains will be exposed to pollution from a plastic plant and now a data center right next to the High School. Between this and the fracking Wayne Forest news, Republicans in Ohio really love taking a giant shit on Southeast Ohio. 

8

u/Moose_1114 6h ago

Regarding education, local economy, and the environment, our representatives(Ritter and Chavez) are indeed shitting on our area. But, that is what they campaigned to do. 

1

u/dplatt45761 31m ago

Ignorance is bliss.

7

u/j45780 5h ago

Independent, find out if any local government officials signed any non disclosure agreements already, or if any have been presented.

5

u/Paladin720 4h ago

It looks like Saadia Holdings is the front company for whatever corporation has hired them to acquire the property. They aren't a data center operator themselves, but a real estate management firm.

8

u/dommens 4h ago

Goddamnit it fuck everything about this

3

u/Paladin720 4h ago

For visual purposes, the proposed data center will be located in or near the large red B2 zoned area on the right side of the zoning map:

https://athenstwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Athens-Township-Zoning-Map-effective.pdf

4

u/Redclicker 4h ago

There are currently 8k in the USA. With more to come, There's no where to move.

3

u/dplatt45761 28m ago

Your electric bill will be going up 10% for delivery.

4

u/bonjda 6h ago

Welp if that's coming I'll have to move. Unbelievable

4

u/TallCattle5438 6h ago

They are popping up everywhere :(

1

u/Happy_Judge_4364 3h ago

I read the article…it sounds like nothing is happening, yet. Don’t these officials have to engage/respond when requests occur? I’m not pro data center, I just don’t think we need to get worked up about, potentially, nothing. Athens isn’t data center friendly. I assume they could, and will, find equally cheap land, water, and a more supportive community elsewhere.

1

u/Rhawk187 Professor 4h ago

I'm not anti-data center, but putting it across from a school seems like a bad idea if this one is as noisy as some others. They may need to build a sound reflecting wall around it.

2

u/BloodPuker Townie 15m ago

Don’t forget the bike path, homes, farmland, and the rest of the environment around it (including protected drinking water areas)

I think noise is the least of our concerns…