Chester County · East Vincent Township · #CU-03-26-18866
Pennhurst Data Centers
East Vincent Township, PA · 1,889,300 sq ft non-residential, data center · 124.6 acres
About this project
Conditional use request for a data center campus in East Vincent Township with three buildings, two guard stations, parking, and power generation and battery storage on about 125 acres, totaling roughly 1.89 million sq ft.
Official description: Proposed data center consisting of 3 buildings, 2 guard stations, parking and power generation/battery storage.
- Plan type
- Conditional use
- Land use
- Unique
- Status
- Reviewed
Filing history
- 2026-03-24 · #CU-03-26-18866 · Conditional use · 1,889,300 sq ft
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
Pennhurst Data Centers proposed a data center campus on about 125 acres in East Vincent Township, Chester County. The county filing describes three buildings, two guard stations, parking, and on-site power generation and battery storage, about 1.89 million square feet in all. The site is the former Pennhurst State School and Hospital, which closed in 1987. Reports say the old structures have been cleared. News coverage describes it as zoned industrial mixed-use, with data centers allowed only by conditional use.
Earlier concept plans showed five buildings, an office building and a substation. The revised plan was submitted in March 2026. Local opposition was strong. The planning commission recommended rejection, and in late May 2026 the township supervisors unanimously denied the conditional use request. The developer's attorney said the company is ready to challenge the denial in court. No tenant has been named in the sources found.
What it could mean nearby
- The developer has claimed large annual tax revenue for schools, about $40 million. This is the developer's own estimate and has not been independently verified.
- Jobs are described only as 'high' by the developer, with no number given.
- Residents raised concerns about the scale of the project, which lies along W. Schuylkill Road. The sources reviewed give no traffic study figures.
- Power would come from an on-site substation plus generation and battery storage, per the records and interview coverage.
Where it stands
The East Vincent supervisors denied the conditional use request in May 2026. The developer has said it plans to appeal, and the usual next step is a written decision followed by a court appeal. No appeal filing or court date was found.
- May 2026 Township supervisors unanimously denied the conditional use application; developer said it would seek court review
- Apr 2026 Conditional use hearings were under way (they began in late April after a March session was postponed by weather)
- Mar 24, 2026 Latest county filing for the revised plan
- Dec 17, 2025 Supervisors shelved a proposed data center ordinance, so the application proceeded under existing zoning
Want to weigh in? The East Vincent Township Board of Supervisors made the decision. Any appeal would now go to the county court, where the public generally cannot comment unless they are formally parties.
Who's behind it
Pennhurst Holdings DE LLC (also reported as Penn Hurst Holdings DE LLC) · An entity set up for this site. One interview described this as its first data center project.
Around the web
- East Vincent rejects Pennhurst data center proposal; developer plans to take fight to courtWFMZ · May 26, 2026Reports the rejection and the developer's plan to seek judicial review.
- East Vincent, PA Supervisors Unanimously Reject Data Center ProposalFood & Water Watch · May 22, 2026An advocacy group's account that the supervisors denied the application unanimously.
- Data center developers outline plans for multi-billion-dollar campus at historic Pennhurst Asylum site in PANew Project MediaGives the developer's description of the site, zoning, concept plan and tax claims.
- East Vincent Township shelves proposed data center ordinance after community concerns6abc · Dec 2025Covers the shelving of the township's data center ordinance.
- Data Center Planned At Defunct Philly-Area Hospital Faces PushbackBisnowDescribes resident pushback to the proposal.
Planning terms explained
- Conditional use
- A use the zoning code allows only if the applicant meets set conditions and the governing body approves it after a hearing.
- Quasi-judicial hearing
- A hearing where the supervisors act like judges, taking testimony and evidence before deciding.
- Brownfield
- Previously developed land that may need cleanup before it is reused.
- Planning commission
- An advisory board that reviews plans and gives non-binding recommendations to the supervisors.
- Moratorium
- A temporary legal pause on certain kinds of development.
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: $1.3B
- ~9,446 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~4,723 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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