Montgomery County · Upper Merion · MCPC #26-0060-001
Renaissance Blvd. - Data Center
Renaissance Blvd, Upper Merion, PA · 1,971,766 sq ft non-residential, data center · 57.61 acres
About this project
Five 2-story data center buildings totaling 1.97 million square feet are proposed for a 57.61-acre site on Renaissance Boulevard in Upper Merion, replacing existing office buildings and capped quarries. The project includes backup power generation, utility systems, and 693 parking spaces to support the secure data processing facility.
County planning commission: Raises serious concerns
Issues raised: Encroachment on steep slopes and riparian corridors, Within 75 feet of residential zoning with 2M SF magnitude, Undetermined energy generation and operational impacts, Special exception required for data center use, Will serve letters for water/wastewater not provided, Landscape plan missing from application
- Applicant
- MLP Ventures
- Engineer / rep.
- Kevin Kyle
- Zoning
- SM-1, LI
- Tax parcel
- 58-00-15956-01-5, 58-00-15956-00-6
- Cross street
- Renaissance Blvd & Horizon Driv
- Approvals needed
- special exception, conditional use, landscape plan
- Utilities
- public water, public sewer
- Demolition
- 3 office buildings
Filing history
- 2026-03-11 · MCPC #26-0060-001 · Land Dev Plan, Prelim Plan · 1,971,766 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The developer, MLP Ventures, proposed five 2-story data center buildings, about 1.97 million square feet in total, on a 57.61-acre site on Renaissance Boulevard in Upper Merion (King of Prussia). The site now holds office buildings and capped quarries. The plan also includes backup power generation, utility systems and 693 parking spaces. It is one of five sites in a larger MLP Ventures data center campus of more than 4.5 million square feet.
The proposal drew strong opposition. Reports describe petitions with thousands of signatures and packed township meetings, with concerns about energy use, noise and pollution. On August 13, 2026, the township supervisors denied extension requests and preliminary land development plans for all five sites. The township cited missing information, including traffic details and architectural plans. The developer sued, said it would appeal, and said it would not resubmit. No tenant has been named.
What it could mean nearby
- Traffic: the township cited missing traffic-impact information, so the effects are not yet established.
- Utilities and environment: residents raised concerns about electricity use, noise and pollution, and the plan includes backup power generation.
- Land use: the plan would replace existing office buildings and capped quarries.
- Jobs and tax effects were not detailed in the sources found.
Where it stands
The Upper Merion supervisors denied the plans on August 13, 2026, and the developer has sued and said it will appeal. The dispute will likely continue in court, and any new proposal would face the township's 2026 data center ordinance.
- Aug 13, 2026 Township supervisors denied the extensions and preliminary land development plans for all five sites; an injunction against the vote was lifted the same day.
- Aug 12, 2026 The developer sued the township to obtain an extension.
- May 27, 2026 The township agenda listed the 1,971,766 sq ft data center at 2201–2901 Renaissance Blvd.
- Mar 11, 2026 Latest county filing for the project.
- Mar 2026 The township adopted a stricter data center ordinance.
Want to weigh in? The Upper Merion Board of Supervisors made the local decision, and the matter is now before the courts. Residents can comment at township meetings on any future proposal.
Who's behind it
MLP Ventures · A Pennsylvania real estate firm that owns office and life-science buildings in the Renaissance Corporate Center in King of Prussia.
Around the web
- Developer vows to push forward with data center after plans denied in Upper Merion board vote6abc · Aug 13, 2026Reports the denial, the reasons given, the lifted injunction and the developer's plan to appeal.
- Upper Merion Board of Supervisors denies all 5 data center sites by MLP VenturesFOX 29 · Aug 13, 2026Confirms the supervisors denied all five MLP Ventures data center sites.
- Developer Sues Upper Merion Township to Clear Path for Massive Data Center ComplexNortheast Times · Aug 13, 2026Covers the developer's lawsuit against the township.
- Upper Merion township agenda, May 27, 2026Upper Merion Township · May 27, 2026Lists the 1,971,766 sq ft data center on Renaissance Blvd in the SM-1 district.
- Packed Upper Merion meeting highlights divide over proposed data center campusWHYYDescribes the divided public meeting over the proposed campus.
Planning terms explained
- Preliminary land development plan
- An early detailed site plan that a township reviews before giving final approval to build.
- Extension
- More time for a township to review an application, which an applicant often must request.
- Board of Supervisors
- The elected body that governs a Pennsylvania township and decides land development plans.
- SM-1 zoning district
- The Suburban Metropolitan 1 zone in Upper Merion, where the site is located.
- Injunction
- A court order that temporarily stops an action, such as a vote.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $1.4B
- ~9,858 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~4,929 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
- ~57.6 acres of site work (grading, stormwater, landscaping)
- Five data center buildings with data hall spaces
- Primary and backup generator systems
- Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems
- Utility pad and infrastructure
- 693 parking spaces
- Access drives and site improvements
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