Penzance Breaks Ground on 45MW Next-Generation Hyperscale Data Center in Northern Virginia
Penzance, a prominent real estate investment and development firm headquartered in the Mid-Atlantic region, has officially broken ground on a cutting-edge hyperscale data center in Chantilly, Virginia. The start of construction marks a major milestone for Penzance as it advances deeper into the high-demand digital infrastructure sector. It also reinforces Northern Virginia’s global dominance as the premier data corridor, home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers and at the center of global cloud services, AI development, and digital connectivity.
Designed to meet rapidly growing hyperscale cloud and artificial intelligence processing needs, the new facility represents Penzance’s most ambitious digital infrastructure project to date, setting new benchmarks for environmental performance, energy efficiency, community integration, and long-term scalability. The 45-megawatt, 240,000-square-foot data center is being constructed at 4151 Autopark Circle, where its strategic placement ensures exceptional regional connectivity and access to core network routes.
Construction is currently underway, with completion expected in the first half of 2027. Penzance has executed a long-term lease agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will operate the data center and provide full staffing once the facility goes live.
Advanced Design Centered on Efficiency and Resilience
The next-generation facility will incorporate a range of high-efficiency systems, including advanced air-cooled technologies, rooftop HVAC units, and acoustically enclosed diesel generators engineered to significantly reduce operational noise and vibration. These design elements reflect a holistic approach to minimizing environmental and community impacts while ensuring performance reliability during high-capacity computing operations.
Built with scalability in mind, the site will support extensive digital expansion over time, providing resilient infrastructure capable of serving the fast-evolving needs of cloud, AI modeling, and edge computing ecosystems. The data center’s power capability, redundancy features, and operating systems meet hyperscale requirements essential for supporting mission-critical workloads.
“This is a high-impact, future-ready facility—and it’s built for what comes next in AI, cloud, and edge computing,” said John Kusturiss, Partner at Penzance. “Chantilly offers unmatched connectivity, and this site is designed to deliver for today’s infrastructure needs while anticipating tomorrow’s technologies.”
A Landmark Project for Sustainability and Community Benefit
Penzance and AWS have committed to exceeding industry sustainability standards by incorporating environmental responsibility and community partnership into core project planning. The site plan includes the preservation and enhancement of more than 67 acres of publicly accessible green space, featuring recreational walking trails, restored Resource Protection Areas (RPAs), invasive plant removal programs, and new tree plantings. The campus will also feature EV charging stations, bird-friendly building design elements, and enhanced architectural frontage along public roadways.
The data center aims to maintain sound levels at approximately 40 dBA during full operations—equivalent to a quiet outdoor suburban environment or a low-level indoor office setting—ensuring minimal noise impact to surrounding neighborhoods.
In addition, the facility will deploy specialized next-generation diesel generators engineered to reduce particulate matter and toxic emissions by 90%. These systems ensure operational continuity during the rare instances when municipal power is interrupted, especially for hospitals, emergency response networks, schools, and government services that rely on AWS infrastructure to maintain essential connectivity.
Low-impact development (LID) stormwater solutions will be integrated to reduce impacts on environmentally sensitive RPAs by 85%, incorporating oil-water separators and spill containment systems to protect waterways. The project is targeting LEED-Data Center Silver certification, one of the industry’s most rigorous sustainability standards.
“We’re continually innovating to ensure our data centers fit responsibly into the communities we call home,” said Josh Weissman, Director of Data Center Delivery at AWS. “This site will operate quietly, efficiently, and with low environmental impact. It will use minimal water and rely only on outside air for cooling 95% of the year. Our backup generators ensure continuity for emergency services and critical systems while meeting strict environmental standards. We’ll keep raising the bar on sustainability, safety, and community partnership so these investments strengthen local economies and quality of life.”
Economic Impact for Fairfax County and Northern Virginia
The project is expected to generate substantial economic benefits, including more than 1,000 construction jobs during the buildout phase and millions in projected local tax revenue. Once operational, the facility will support up to 50 full-time, high-paying data center jobs. The broader data center industry currently supports an estimated 74,000 jobs across Virginia, contributing billions to regional GDP.
“This project represents the kind of future-forward infrastructure investment that keeps Fairfax County at the forefront of a rapidly changing global economy,” said Jeffrey C. McKay, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “As AI, quantum computing, and advanced technologies accelerate, the regions that modernize their digital backbone will shape the future. This project strengthens both economic competitiveness and local quality of life by adding more than 60 acres of public green space and reinforcing our commitment to responsible innovation.”
Kathy Smith, Fairfax County Board Vice Chair and Sully District Supervisor, added, “Next-generation digital infrastructure is now fundamental to economic opportunity, and this project positions Fairfax County to lead in the technologies that will define the next decade—from AI to national security innovation.”
Project Partners and Broader Vision
Penzance has selected Penney Design Group as architect, Kimley-Horn as civil engineer, and Whiting-Turner as general contractor. The facility represents the next phase in Penzance’s more than 25-year track record of delivering high-performing commercial, multifamily, and industrial investments. The move into mission-critical digital infrastructure underscores the firm’s commitment to long-term growth sectors driven by global demand for secure, scalable computing capacity.
This groundbreaking marks the beginning of a transformative development that will strengthen Northern Virginia’s position as the global epicenter of digital infrastructure while prioritizing environmental stewardship, community collaboration, and future-focused technology innovation.
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