Artificial intelligence is driving a new wave of industrial development statewide. We mapped the data centers that are proposed, approved, and already under construction.
This directory was updated on April 10, 2026.
MICHIGAN—In city and township halls across Michigan, a new kind of industrial project keeps appearing on meeting agendas: massive data centers built to power artificial intelligence.
Backed by global tech companies and lesser-known developers alike, these projects have promised to bring in new jobs and investment—while simultaneously raising significant concerns about energy use, land development, noise, and other long-term community impacts.
Together, they represent one of the fastest-growing forms of development in Michigan, with more than 25 AI-related projects surfacing across more than a dozen counties since 2024.
To better understand the scope of this expansion, The ‘Gander compiled and organized every known project currently proposed, approved, under construction, or operating in the state.
Under construction
“Stargate” in Saline Township: South of Ann Arbor, the most ambitious AI data center in Michigan is now under active construction. The $7 billion campus—a partnership between OpenAI, Oracle, and developer Related Digital—spans 250 acres and has been approved to consume up to 1.4 gigawatts of electricity annually, roughly the equivalent to the electricity used by 1 million homes. Related Digital is reportedly closing in on a roughly $16 billion financing package for the project. Some environmental permits from EGLE—covering backup generators and construction near the Saline River—have yet to be approved. Opposition remains active and Michigan State Police have been spending more time near the site in recent weeks.
Approved and moving forward
“Project Flex” in Lyon Township: In Oakland County, a 172-acre data center campus developed by Verrus has received conditional site plan approval from township officials. Final permits are being reviewed but construction is “all but inevitable,” reports Crain’s Detroit Business. The project calls for at least six buildings totaling 1.8 million square feet. The electrical capacity is unknown. In the meantime, township officials have enacted a 180-day moratorium on all other large-scale data center developments within the township.
“Project Cannoli” in Van Buren Township: Google publicly confirmed in March that it is the company behind this proposed 1-gigawatt data center on roughly 282 acres of vacant land north of I-94 near Haggerty Road in Wayne County, developed by Panattoni Development Co. The township granted preliminary approval in February, but final local review is still pending. Google has also struck a deal with DTE for 2.7 gigawatts of new grid resources for the project. The project is also set to go through a full contested-case review at the Michigan Public Service Commission, which will allow independent experts and the public to vet the plans in more detail.
Metrobloks data center in Southfield: LA-based developer Metrobloks LLC has received site plan approval from the Southfield City Council for a 100-megawatt, roughly 218,000-square-foot data center on 13 acres of vacant land near Inkster Road between 11 Mile and I-696. The $1.5 billion project is much smaller than hyperscale proposals elsewhere in Michigan. City officials voted last year to approve the site plan, though the vote was divided amid ongoing community concerns. Southfield Mayor Ken Siver has acknowledged the developer does not yet have all the financing secured and faces additional permitting steps. Construction timing is still unclear.
University of Michigan/Los Alamos Computing Facility in Ypsilanti Township: The University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory are pursuing a proposed $1.3 billion high-performance computing and AI research facility in Washtenaw County’s Ypsilanti Township. University officials describe the project as a research center—not a commercial data center—but critics argue the scale and energy demands are comparable to other hyperscale projects. The project took a big step forward in March after the University of Michigan closed on 124 acres off Textile road, even as officials insist the final site selection process is ongoing. The project has faced strong resistance from township leaders and state lawmakers, but because U-M is a public university, it does not currently need local zoning approval to move forward.
Proposed and under review
Microsoft data center in Gaines Township: Microsoft is continuing to expand its footprint south of Grand Rapids as it advances plans for a major data center campus. The company has already assembled about 356 acres near the intersection of Patterson Avenue and 76th Street and is now working to acquire roughly 58 additional acres from Steelcase’s former wood plant property. The Gaines Township Planning Commission is scheduled to consider a revised rezoning request tied to the expanded proposal on April 15— though even a favorable recommendation would still need to clear a final vote before the full Township Board before the project could advance. Meanwhile, the project has drawn significant pushback locally and township officials say any eventual approval would need to come with clear conditions related to noise limits, wastewater management, air quality, and energy infrastructure upgrades.
Microsoft data center in Lowell Township: Microsoft is also exploring plans for a large data center campus at Covenant Business Park in Lowell Township, where the company has been conducting community outreach but has not yet finalized a land purchase. The proposed project would sit on roughly 237 acres near Alden Nash Avenue. Preliminary concept plans were shared with residents during open house meetings held in March but the company has not yet determined whether the facility would primarily support AI or cloud computing operations.
Prologis “Technical Campus” in Washington Township: San Francisco-based real estate giant Prologis is pursuing a rezoning of 312 acres of agricultural and industrial land near 32 Mile Road and M-53 in Macomb County. The company is calling it the “32 Mile Road Technical Campus” and has confirmed a data center is among the possibilities. Residents have organized protests against the project, citing concerns over rural community character, grid and water impacts, and its proximity to schools. After multiple meetings were postponed over public opposition, the future of the project now hinges on a June 11 Planning Commission meeting.
“Project Cherry Blossom” in Frenchtown Township: Houston-based developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure is considering a roughly 200-acre data center project on a former golf course near I-75 and North Dixie Highway in Monroe County’s Frenchtown Township. The proposal, known as Project Cherry Blossom, is in early stages but has already faced significant pushback from the local community. Cloverleaf held an informational meeting—with a slideshow presentation—about the project last year, but has not announced a formal construction timeline. In the meantime, township officials are considering a full moratorium on data center projects.
Data campus expansions in Cass County: Las Vegas-based Hyperscale Data is pursuing a major expansion to its data center campus in Dowagiac. The company announced in late March that it had entered into a purchase agreement to acquire 49 acres of additional land, which would more than double its footprint to approximately 83 acres. City officials say they were blindsided by the announcement, learning of it from the press release rather than from the company directly. Mayor Patrick Bakeman has since released an open letter demanding Hyperscale Data identify the property it claims to be purchasing and submit formal development plans within 45 days. Meanwhile, residents have been calling for a moratorium on expanded data center development, but the City Council declined to take up such a petition in January.
Data campus expansions in Kent County: Microsoft is also reportedly looking to purchase more land for data center development in Gaines Township—the same township where Las Vegas-based Switch is reportedly looking to expand capacity at its Pyramid data center campus.
Data center in Allen Park: Solstice Data is reportedly proposing a 26-megawatt, roughly 45,000-square-foot data center on Enterprise Drive south of I-94. The proposal has drawn local opposition over noise, infrastructure strain, and health concerns. In response, the Planning Commission has postponed a vote on the project in an effort to seek more information.
Data center in Solon Township: An unnamed tech company is looking to build a data center in Solon Township. Community opposition has been organized under the “Stop Solon Township Data Center” group, raising concerns about environmental impacts, water and electricity use, and tax exemptions. The township reportedly adopted a six-month moratorium on data center projects in February and is now working on a zoning ordinance specifically addressing them.
Data center in Jackson County: Developers have reportedly been “kicking tires” and looking for land for a potential data center in Jackson County and officials there have been working with Consumers Energy to identify suitable locations. No formal proposals have been filed. Individual townships reportedly handle all of the zoning decisions in Jackson County—leaving the County Board of Commissioners powerless to halt data center development, Fox 47 News reports.
Paused, stalled, or withdrawn
Deep Green data center in Lansing: UK-based company Deep Green withdrew its application for a smaller-scale, 24-megawatt data center in downtown Lansing on April 6, hours before the City Council was set to vote on—and likely reject—the project. Council members are actively working on a local ordinance that would put clear guardrails on future data center proposals.
Microsoft data center site in Dorr Township: Microsoft quietly purchased land near US-131 in Dorr Township as part of its broader push to develop data center campuses across West Michigan. Township officials say the company initially approached local leaders in 2024 to determine whether the site could be supported with adequate roads, water, sewer, and electricity infrastructure before completing the purchase shortly afterward. Few public details about the proposed development have been released. In response to growing concerns, Dorr Township officials have enacted a temporary moratorium on new data center development.
Data center in York Township: In Washtenaw County, Sansone Group is exploring the potential purchase of roughly 412 acres off Platt Road—currently owned by Toyota—for a possible data center. But York Township has since enacted a full moratorium on all data center applications while local officials continue to study whether and how to regulate them locally.
Meta-linked data center in Howell Township: A proposal for a $1 billion, 1,077-acre hyperscale data center in Livingston County’s Howell Township drew intense community opposition before the plan was paused. Both the township planning commission and Livingston County Planning Commission recommended rezoning for the project be denied. The Howell Township Board also unanimously enacted a six-month moratorium on data center approvals, prompting developers to formally withdraw their application. Township officials are still drafting a local data center ordinance and the plans could still resurface when the moratorium expires.
Data center in Augusta Township: In Washtenaw County, another major data center campus has been proposed on agricultural land, requiring rezoning from local officials. The project has triggered resident petitions, legal maneuvering, and broader debates about whether rural communities should bear the infrastructure burden of AI development. As of publication, the proposal remains entangled in local political and legal processes, with its fate now largely hinging on a vote as the question of rezoning makes its way to the August 2026 ballot. Recall efforts have also been launched against the township board over the pending project.
“Project Ironwood” in Dundee Township: Cloverleaf has also been examining a 350-acre site in Monroe County’s Dundee Township for a potential data center known as Project Ironwood. Before the proposal could advance, however, township officials approved a temporary moratorium on data centers. Meanwhile, developers appear to be in a holding pattern.
Franklin Partners in Pavilion Township: Illinois-based real estate firm Franklin Partners recently explored building a data center on 265 acres in Kalamazoo County’s Pavilion Township. But after community backlash, the company withdrew its rezoning request. Franklin Partners has since been associated with the Microsoft data center proposal in Lowell Township.
Pitches from Concord Infrastructure Partners: Concord Infrastructure Partners has reportedly pitched data center proposals to multiple Michigan communities with an aggressive timeline for approval. As of publication, none have formally advanced a project with Concord.
Data center in Kalkaska County: Traverse City-based carbon-capture company Rocklocker floated plans for a potential data center in Kalkaska County late last year. The proposal faced pushback from residents and Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials indicated that public land would not be made available. Rocklocker has since dropped the idea entirely.
Data center proposal in Gibraltar: A proposed 100-megawatt data center at the former McLouth Steel site in Gibraltar has been paused after city officials approved a one-year moratorium on all data center development. The project—led by developer Raeden—would repurpose an industrial building along West Jefferson Avenue and could reportedly draw as much electricity as roughly 80,000 homes. City leaders say the moratorium is intended to give officials time to establish regulations before moving forward. The proposal has already sparked community pushback, with residents raising concerns about energy costs, air quality, and potential environmental impacts. While the citywide moratorium applies broadly, it includes a waiver provision—meaning the project could still advance depending on future city action.
Data center in Detroit: Detroit leaders are weighing whether to temporarily block all data center development—including one proposed project on a small slice of city-owned land near the Stellantis Jeep plant on Detroit’s east side. In March, the Detroit City Council approved a resolution asking Mayor Mary Sheffield to pause new data center permits for two years while the city studies the potential economic and environmental impacts of large-scale facilities. Sheffield’s office said the mayor will review the request and decide whether to implement the pause. If adopted, Detroit would join a growing list of Michigan communities considering restrictions on data centers as the industry rapidly expands across the state.
Data centers in Vevay Township and Mason: An unnamed developer is eyeing property in Ingham County for a potential hyperscale data center, with a Bloomfield Hills attorney reportedly reaching out to both Vevay Township and the neighboring city of Mason to explore sites and potential utility agreements. Vevay Township has since approved a moratorium on data center projects while it updates its zoning rules. In Mason, two City Council members are also facing a recall effort over their votes on how to handle a proposed data center zoning ordinance.
Proactive moratoriums: A growing number of Michigan communities have enacted temporary bans on data center development even before any developer has approached them with a formal proposal. Communities that have passed proactive moratoriums with no specific project on the table include Eagle Township, Oneida Township, Leoni Township, and Portage. The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians also voted unanimously in April to adopt an indefinite moratorium on data center development on tribal lands following a transparency dispute over whether tribal leadership had been in early discussions with a data center developer.
Did we miss a project in your neighborhood? Email us and we’ll add it to the list. And check back for news; we’ll keep this directory updated with fresh developments on a weekly basis.
READ MORE: Lawmaker wants Michiganders to ask hard questions about data centers
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