Lehigh County · South Whitehall Township · #2026-06-project-atlas-data-center-campus-2493-n
Project Atlas data center campus, 2493 N Cedar Crest Blvd
2493 North Cedar Crest Boulevard, south of Orefield Road, between Mauch Chunk Road and North Cedar Crest Boulevard, South Whitehall Township, PA · 1,556,702 sq ft non-residential, data center · 410.0 acres
About this project
A 410-acre agricultural site would be developed as a data center campus with three buildings totaling 1,476,855 sq ft, plus a 40,680 sq ft admin building, a 39,167 sq ft warehouse, and an electric substation. The project adds a new road from Cedar Crest Boulevard to Mauch Chunk Road and a 10-foot public shared-use path through the site. The land is currently farmed and sits near Parkland High School, with heavy industry to the south.
County recommendation: Supports, with comments
Issues raised: Loss of farmland and outward development pattern, Noise, including low-frequency vibration, Karst geology, groundwater, and septic disposal, Backup generator emissions and testing schedule, Construction traffic on congested Cedar Crest corridor
- Applicant
- CDE Acquisitions LLC
- Engineer / designer
- Kimley-Horn
- Plan type
- Land use of regional significance (revised plans)
- Land use
- data-center
- Zoning
- Industrial Zoning District with Planned Innovation, Research and Technology Overlay District
Filing history
- 2026-06-23 · #2026-06-project-atlas-data-center-campus-2493-n · Land use of regional significance (revised plans) · 1,556,702 sq ft
Map pin is approximate.
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
A developer, CDE Acquisitions LLC, wants to turn a 410-acre farm field on North Cedar Crest Boulevard into a data center campus. A data center is a large building full of computer servers. The revised plan has three data center buildings totaling about 1.48 million square feet. It also has an admin building, a warehouse and an electric substation. A new road would link Cedar Crest Boulevard to Mauch Chunk Road, and a 10-foot public path would cross the site.
The site is across from Parkland High School. Heavy industry is to the south and homes are to the north. News coverage says the first version was much bigger, with six buildings and about 5 million square feet. The developer then scaled it back.
News reports describe strong resident opposition. The township's zoning officer recommended against the latest version, citing missing information. The regional planning commission said the revised plan addressed many of its comments but left several issues open. No report names who would occupy the campus.
What it could mean nearby
- Traffic: the regional planning commission cited about 1,154 weekday trips and said the new road may need a signal because of its closeness to the high school.
- Noise, lighting, air quality and views: the planning commission flagged these as concerns for nearby neighbors and the school.
- Utilities: the planning commission asked that power and other utility needs not harm existing users.
- Open space and access: farmland would be lost, but a 10-foot public shared-use path would be added.
Where it stands
The plan is still in township review. The township's zoning officer recommended against it, and the regional planning commission reviewed it in June 2026. No final decision was found. Next, the township's boards would typically review it and then vote on the plan, and the developer would need to resolve the open comments.
- Sep 9, 2026 The township listed special meetings on Project Atlas for this date; no outcome was found.
- Jun 25, 2026 News reported that the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission reviewed the revised plan and said several issues remained.
- Jun 23, 2026 Latest county filing for the revised plan.
- Jun 2026 A planning commission review was postponed at the developer's request, according to news coverage.
- Feb 12, 2026 A planning commission review scheduled for this date was canceled, according to news coverage.
Want to weigh in? South Whitehall Township's boards decide the plan, and residents can comment at their public meetings, which are listed on the township website.
Who's behind it
CDE Acquisitions LLC · News reports describe CDE Acquisitions as the applicant and an affiliate of the data center developer Edged.
Around the web
- LVPC reviews revamped South Whitehall Project Atlas data center planWFMZ · Jun 25, 2026The regional planning commission said the revised plan fixed many issues but left concerns about traffic, noise and utilities, and the zoning officer had recommended against it.
- Atlas industrial data center could be built across from Parkland High SchoolLehigh Valley NewsDescribes the original, larger proposal across from the high school.
- Hyperscale data center back on the agenda in South Whitehall TownshipLehigh Valley Public MediaReports that the proposal returned to the township's agenda.
- Edged eyes 725MW data center campus in PennsylvaniaDatacenterDynamics · Jul 8, 2026Trade coverage linking the campus to the developer Edged.
Planning terms explained
- Preliminary plan
- An early-stage subdivision or land development plan that the township reviews before granting final approval.
- Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
- A regional advisory body that reviews local development plans and gives comments, but does not make the final decision.
- Zoning officer
- A township staff member who checks whether a proposal meets the local zoning rules.
- Shared-use path
- A paved trail that people can use for walking and biking.
- Substation
- A facility that adjusts electricity voltage so large users can connect to the power grid.
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: $1.1B
- ~7,783 roofing squares (assumes 2 stories)
- ~3,891 tons of cooling (rule of thumb 400 sq ft/ton)
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