ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A packed crowd filled Allentown City Council chambers Thursday night as the planning commission held a special meeting to review a controversial data center proposal.
Neighbors turned out in droves to voice intense skepticism, while developers argued the project is a multi-million dollar necessity for the modern digital age.
The proposal by Quantm Group, LLC calls for converting a vacant 224,000-square-foot warehouse at 2401 West Emaus Avenue into an 80-megawatt data center, complete with a 23,000-square-foot addition.
Representatives for the applicant argued the site is vital to meeting the region’s growing critical infrastructure needs, providing the computing backbone for everyday activities like online banking, streaming, and e-commerce.
“It’s not a question of whether data centers are needed or not,” said Anthony Maras, an attorney representing Quantm. “It’s a question of how you develop them responsibly.”
Maras sought to alleviate community concern by detailing the project’s features, noting it will utilize 42 rooftop chillers alongside a closed-loop, recycled water cooling system rather than city sewer water.
He added that the developer would construct 35-foot-high soundwalls to strictly comply with the city’s noise ordinance, which caps sounds at 57 decibels during the day and 52 at night. Furthermore, Maras claimed the center would generate an estimated $4 million in annual tax revenue, a financial “net benefit” he said would be up to elected officials to manage properly.
“This commission’s obligation is to uphold the law, take community feedback, and give it to us,” Maras told planners. “Let us do what we committed to do, which is be a responsible developer.”
Despite those technical assurances, planning officials noted lingering concerns regarding electrical infrastructure, water usage, noise, and the site’s proximity directly across the street from residential homes.
Dozens of residents stepped up to the microphone during public comment to express severe anxiety over the physical infrastructure of the AI boom. While some speakers conceptually linked data centers to environmental degradation and health issues, others focused on the immediate neighborhood impact.
“This data center will only harm our community,” one resident testified.
Allentown resident Alexx Knight told 69 News that she and her husband moved to the area specifically to start a family, and she remains highly skeptical of the warehouse conversion.
“I am very concerned about our community. I want to be somewhere where we can live and thrive,” Knight said. “The fact that something like this is going up is shameful.”
While the city is currently advancing amendments to tighten zoning regulations on future data centers—such as expanding residential setbacks from 200 feet to 500 feet—officials note this specific application is not impacted by those pending changes. Because it was submitted last year, it remains subject to Allentown’s prior zoning code.
The Allentown Planning Commission took no action and held no vote on Thursday night.
Planning Commission Chairman Christian Brown said officials are eagerly awaiting a formal resubmission from Quantm Group, which will adjust the plans based on the commission’s feedback and face further review at a future meeting.