ILION, N.Y. — Dozens of people stood in front of the building, protesting a rumored 250,000-square-foot data center that could span about 7.8 acres.
They raised concerns about increased electricity and water use, which they believe could lead to higher costs for local residents.
Protesters also said noise pollution could affect the surrounding area.
The property is now owned by Turin Management, which is considering several options for the site but has not announced any specific plans.
“Remington is such a historical building, and they want to build an AI data center,” said Mohawk resident Tori Peters.
“I just feel it’s very inhumane,” she continued, “for them to build these AI data centers without any research. It’s not fair to the people who pay taxes here, who’ve lived here for many years. So, I feel that building an AI data center is going to be very detrimental to the Ilion, and the New York area as well,” said Mohawk resident Tori Peters.
Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order that created the nation’s first moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, temporarily pausing State environmental permits for up to one year.