Google withdraws data center proposal in southside Indianapolis

It appears Google will be searching for a new location for a data center.

Facing opposition among Indianapolis southsiders and a majority of City-County Council members, Google withdrew a proposal that would have rezoned 468 acres of farmland in Franklin Township.

Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican who had opposed the development in his district, announced the decision to residents inside an overflow room outside of a council meeting on Monday, Sept. 28.

“I was given notice by our council attorney that Google is withdrawing their petition,” Hart told the attendees, who erupted into applause.

Southsiders had organized into a group called Protect Franklin Township to oppose the data center. They spent months advocating against the development out of a fear it would drain or contaminate local water and increase the cost of electric bills. Google, meanwhile, could have received millions in local and state tax incentives.

It’s unclear what will happen next, but this may not be the last data center proposal on the south side.

Republican councilors Josh Bain and Derek Cahill told Mirror Indy last week that they would consider a data center in their districts.

“At the end of the day, if a data center was wanting to come to my community, it’s a conversation that we’d have with them,” Bain told Mirror Indy the week before the council vote. “I’m not anti-data center or anything like that. It’s just about, you know, are we making sure that we’re taking care of our community and those that we were elected to represent.”

As of now, it’s unclear if Google will resubmit a similar proposal in Franklin Township or any other area. Joseph Calderon, a lawyer representing Google, declined Mirror Indy’s request for comment about the tech giant’s next steps.

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on Facebook at Elizabeth Gabriel, Southside Reporter and on X at @_elizabethgabs.

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