The planned data center tower at 10th and Central (934 Central) has been submitted to the City for review, kicking off the review process.

As I shared back in March, the proposed data center will stand 20-stories and 384ft in height, becoming the tallest building constructed in decades in the Kansas City region. It’ll also feature a coffee shop (or restaurant) on the first floor in a roughly 4400sf space, which is different from other Downtown data centers (see the Bryant Building on Grand and the old KC Star Printing Press on Oak).

The development plan submittal to the City has a bit more detail than the plans shown during a Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting earlier this year. In particular, the plans show only two floors will house IT racks while the other floors will be for power generation (fuel cells), cooling towers, generators, electrical substations, and so on. As discussed in March, the fuel cells will generate all the power necessary for the building, keeping it off of Evergy’s network. The water system will also be “closed loop”.

There is some internal debate going on in my circle of contacts as to whether this project will actually be approved or not. Controversy surrounding the recent uptick in data centers, and the concerns brought on by power and water usage plus operational sounds/hums has led to many data center developments in the United States to face steep opposition. The 10th and Central one likely faces opposition, but whether or not it changes the projects outcome remains to be seen. Per Downtown zoning regulations, this usage is permitted by-right and the building’s floor-to-area ratio (FAR) does not exceed the maximum set by the regulations. One thing my circle generally agrees on though: this is likely a way to make urban data centers a bit more “friendly” moving forward, especially if demand remains high for them.

Additionally, the developer’s presentation from March stated that thanks to sound dampening technologies, and placing the components that produce the most heat and noise above the City, low frequency hums shouldn’t be heard. The building will produce , as stated by architect Geoff Bird in March, “some heat and water vapor”.

Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) of Chicago is the project’s architect. Revitalization Unlimited of Miami is the developer. Per developer Steve Austin in March, the project will not seek a tax incentive.

The City Planning Commission will review the project on August 5th. If approved and advanced, the project will involve demolishing an existing building.

The gallery below features additional renderings, elevations, floor plans, and a picture of the building that’s currently on site.