QTS and construction partners Layton Construction and The Weitz Company marked the topping out of the first three buildings at the company’s Cedar Rapids data center campus Tuesday, Oct. 21, signaling completion of each building’s structural framework.
The ceremony at the Big Cedar Industrial Center construction site drew Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, Sen. Charlie McClintock, state Reps. Jeff Cooling and Elizabeth Wilson, and Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell. Wind conditions prevented the traditional beam-raising that typically accompanies topping out ceremonies.
The project represents a planned $10 billion investment, which QTS describes as the largest economic development project in Cedar Rapids and Iowa history.
The campus will feature seven data center buildings on 612 acres, with individual buildings ranging from 400,000 to 1.2 million square feet. The facility will use water-free cooling technology.
Construction is planned in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2026 and the second phase in 2027.
The project is expected to support more than 2,000 construction and permanent jobs.
QTS operates data centers across North America and Europe. The company is a Blackstone portfolio company.
