As development spreads west, areas such as Haymarket and Gainesville are starting to see a transforming landscape to what was once considered rural areas. Residential development has been happening for years but the big change these once rolling fields and farmland areas are now seeing bring them into the world of rezoning for industrial use, mainly data centers.
By Lynn Norusis
There are nearly 300 data centers in Northern Virginia, dubbed Data Center Alley, with the concentration of them being in Loudoun and Prince William counties, along with Fairfax. The draw to the area is the fiber-optic network, proximity to Washington, D.C. and relatively low energy costs. But residents are starting to put up a fight for where these data centers are located and their effect on residential life and real estate.
Specifically in Prince William County, residents have been protesting a proposed 2,100-acre site called Digital Gateway that abuts Manassas National Battlefield Park. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors has been debating whether to delay the vote on this site; however, it looks as though a vote may go forward in November. If plans are approved and the data center is built according to plans, this would move Prince William county into the lead as the largest data center hub in the nation. Currently, there are 33 data centers in Prince William county and 13 more that are under construction. The growth of these centers in the concentrated area were built into the county’s “Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District,” which was established in 2016.
OTHER DEVELOPMENT
Independent Hill Village
- rezone 69 acres between Dumfries and Bristow roads from agricultural to planned mixed residential for construction of 197 residential units with 219,000 square feet of commercial and office development
- this project falls within the Independent Hill Small Area Plan, which was adopted in 2021.
The Preserve at Long Branch
- 99 homes on 340 acres, approved in 2021
- 167 acres developed with 170 acres being donated to the county as parkland with a public access point to the Occoquan River south of Lake Jackson
Pathway to 2040
- In Dec. 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved the Pathway to 2040 plan, which updates the long-range land use plan and allows for what could be 36,000 new homes and more commercial and data center development in the county
For more information on development happening around Northern Virginia, check out our development updates page. We focus on a different area in Northern Virginia each month.
If you have any questions about Northern Virginia real estate, reach out as we are happy to help.
