Data Centers in Columbus, OH
Columbus, Ohio has emerged as the fastest-growing data center market in the US, driven by massive hyperscale investment from Amazon Web Services, Microsoft (Project Nitro), and Meta — attracted by Ohio's data center sales tax exemption, abundant fiber connectivity, low land costs, and central US geographic position. The New Albany Technology Campus northeast of Columbus has become one of the highest-concentration hyperscale data center corridors in the world, with 500MW+ of planned capacity.
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Local market drivers
- Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Meta have each committed billions of dollars to Columbus-area hyperscale data center campuses
- Ohio's data center sales tax exemption (SB 2, passed 2015) eliminates sales tax on qualifying data center equipment, dramatically reducing capex
- Columbus's central US geography provides low-latency connectivity to 70% of the US population within a 500-mile radius
- American Electric Power (AEP) headquartered in Columbus has developed a streamlined large-load utility interconnection process tailored to hyperscale data center customers
Permitting & jurisdiction
New Albany and Licking County building departments review hyperscale campus permits; AEP's dedicated data center team manages utility interconnection for large-scale power feeds. Ohio Department of Taxation administers the data center equipment exemption.
FAQs
What makes Columbus the fastest-growing US data center market?
Columbus's rapid data center growth results from the convergence of several factors: Ohio's data center sales tax exemption reduces equipment costs by 5.75–8% (state + local rate); AEP has built a large-load team specifically for data center utility interconnection; New Albany has pre-entitled large parcels for data center use, with pre-approved utility infrastructure; and Columbus's central US position provides inherently good network latency to the entire US. AWS alone has invested $7.8 billion in Ohio, with Microsoft announcing $1 billion in Columbus-area data center investment. The scale of hyperscale demand in Columbus has made it a marquee market for every tier of the data center supply chain.
How does Torch approach MEP engineering for hyperscale data center campuses in Columbus?
Hyperscale data center campuses in Columbus — some exceeding 100MW of IT load across multiple buildings — require MEP engineering at a scale and pace unlike standard commercial work. Torch approaches Columbus hyperscale projects with a campus infrastructure-first design strategy: utility substations, medium-voltage distribution, chilled water and cooling tower plants, and site stormwater infrastructure are engineered at the campus level, with individual data halls sized to draw from shared campus infrastructure. This approach enables phased delivery — individual buildings can be delivered on 9–12 month schedules — while the campus infrastructure is built ahead of the individual buildings. Structural engineering for Columbus data centers also must address Ohio's seismic risk (Zone 1) and the specific loading requirements of raised floors, dense battery systems, and rooftop mechanical equipment.