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Meta to expand New Albany data center by 1 mn sq feet

Facebook is expanding its data center operations in New Albany — again.

Facebook parent Meta said Thursday that the company is adding two more buildings totaling about 1 million square feet to the site. The addition will boost Meta’s investment in New Albany by $500 million to $1.5 billion.

The expansion is needed to house the servers to handle the billions of users who post photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp.

“Our mission at Meta is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together and the data centers are the backbone of being able to do that,” said Katie Comer, Meta’s manager of community development team in North America.

“So whether you’re sharing photos, video or reels on Facebook or Instagram, the New Albany data center has a huge impact in bringing the world closer together.’’

Meta’s initial $750 million investment in New Albany was announced in 2017. When the first two buildings were up and running, Meta then announced an expansion in 2020.

Meta said one of the new buildings will be completed in 2026; the second in 2028.

With the expansion, the number of construction workers on site will go from 1,200 to 1,800, and when the new buildings are finished the campus will have 300 workers, up from 200 currently.

Meta has 740 acres on the east side of Beech Road north of Morse Road in New Albany International Business Park.

The expansion marks another business investment in New Albany, which has seen Intel, Amgen and other companies commit to the city.

In addition to demand, Comer credited the expansion to the infrastructure available at the site, the community partnerships and access to renewable energy. Meta says the data center runs on renewable energy.

“We’ve certainly found a home in New Albany and Ohio,’’ she said.

Community leaders welcomed the announcement.

“It’s gratifying as mayor when a company expands after their initial investment because it reinforces their excitement about being here,” New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding said in a statement.

“Meta has been a fantastic partner since they announced their New Albany data center in 2017, their continued growth is wonderful for our region, and their grant programs show their commitment to making a difference throughout the central Ohio community.” yahoo!

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