Charlotte’s University area looks like it is lining up for another big data center boom, with land deals, rezoning moves and quiet plays by national developers clustering in and around University Research Park.
As reported by The Charlotte Observer, H5 Data Centers has asked the city for a zoning verification letter to confirm that two University-area parcels can be used for telecommunications and data-storage operations. Records and local coverage show H5 bought the David Taylor corporate campus in 2014 for about $19.5 million and controls nearby parcels around an existing Flexential facility. H5 Data Centers pitches Charlotte as a sweet spot between the big East Coast hubs and plays up the area’s fiber routes and Duke Energy power as key selling points.
Rezoning Filings Target Multiple Sites
City of Charlotte records show Rezoning Petition 2025-082 would rezone roughly 78.5 acres north and east of Galloway Road and would allow up to 1.3 million square feet of data-center or residential uses at 1102 Galloway Road. Public-hearing dates are listed as pending, and the filing, which names Tribute Companies Inc. as the petitioner, is still under staff review.
PowerHouse Buys 122 Acres For Hyperscale Campus
Industry reporting shows a joint venture tied to PowerHouse Data Centers and Town Lane spent about $45.5 million for roughly 122 acres at 10800 University City Boulevard and is planning a multi-building campus on the site. The Real Deal and data-center listings describe the acquisition and outline plans to deliver a hyperscale-ready campus over the next several years.
Rezoning Map Signals Massive Buildout Potential
City rezoning documents for the University City Boulevard property (Rezoning Petition 2023-030) show the site at about 123.8 acres and allow up to 2.5 million square feet of data-center gross floor area under the proposed I-2(CD) zoning. The petition’s development standards call for transportation upgrades and buffering improvements and identify an electric sub-station as an accessory part of the plan, according to the city’s public filings.
What’s Already On The Ground
The University area is not starting from scratch. Flexential already operates a data center at 10105 David Taylor Drive, and H5 owns property around that campus, according to facility directories and company materials. Flexential listings flag the David Taylor Drive site, while H5’s Charlotte pages describe its adjacent campus and room for expansion.
Why Utilities And Timing Matter
Developers’ build schedules are closely tied to power capacity and grid upgrades. Utility and industry reporting note that Duke Energy has expanded its five-year capital plan to keep up with fast-rising demand, a shift the company has said is needed to support growth that includes data-center load. Coverage of Duke’s earnings calls and investor materials documents the utility’s updated $103 billion, five-year capital plan and links that spending to planned generation and grid work to serve large new users.
What Comes Next
Public hearings, staff reviews and permitting are the next formal steps for the rezoning petitions, with timelines that vary by case and several filings listing hearings and committee work sessions as pending. In industry listings and local coverage, developers have floated site work and early delivery milestones in the 2026 to 2027 window for portions of the University City Boulevard campus, although final approvals and utility coordination still have to fall into place first.
