SAN JOSE — The city gave final approval Tuesday for data center operations inside a research and office building used by Nvidia in North San Jose.

Despite a labor-orchestrated effort to appeal and delay the project, the San Jose City Council voted 8-0 to uphold a prior planning staff approval for the proposed use. The vote also rejected an appeal of the prior decision.

At 300 Holger Way, Nvidia conducts tests of different technologies inside the 97,800-square-foot building owned by an affiliate of Bay Area real estate firm Menlo Equities.

“About two years ago, we leased 300 Holger to Nvidia for 10 years,” said Jane Vaughan, a Menlo Equities executive who leads the company’s data center endeavors. “Nvidia has spent over $100 million remodeling this building for the purpose of testing and research on their computer systems.”

The Nvidia work in the building is focused on the company’s advanced chips, said Erik Schoennauer, a land-use consultant who is advising Menlo Equities on the project.

“Part of the testing process requires data computation,” Schoennauer said. “That’s what this building does. This is like dozens, if not hundreds, of buildings around the city.”

Citizens for Responsible Industry claimed city planners failed to properly “analyze” the project’s environmental impacts, Kelilah Federman, an attorney at Adams Broadwell Joseph & Cardozo, which represents the citizens group, said during Tuesday’s meeting.

“Instead of analyzing the project as a whole, the city is piecemealing project approvals,” Federman said.

Federman claimed the “planning director abused his discretion” by approving the project on July 8.

Despite concerns, the City Council approved the project without dissent Tuesday.

“I’m frustrated about this conversation because we’re actually talking about a building that is not a data center,” Councilmember David Cohen said. “But we have a very strange definition of data center in our city code.”

Three members of the council did not vote on the matter, including Vice Mayor Pam Foley.

“I have a financial interest in the tenant,” Foley said, referring to Nvidia.

San Jose has proposed overarching rules for data center projects. Final decisions by city policymakers, including the council, are slated to take place by year’s end.

Meanwhile, Santa Clara-based Nvidia has begun to scout in San Jose for additional elbow room beyond the 300 Holger site.

“This is Nvidia’s first entry into San Jose, and I hear they are looking at additional expansion space in San Jose,” Vaughan said.