Amazon trades Loudoun data centers for homes and public land

Loudoun County, Virginia, has long served as a hub for digital infrastructure, hosting the largest concentration of data centers in the world. This week, that identity faced a test when Amazon agreed to abandon plans for four new server facilities on a 122-acre site just outside Washington, D.C.

The former George Washington University campus will instead become a mixed-use and residential development. Amazon will also donate 25 acres to the county for a community arts center and a recreational facility. The company will contribute $5 million to the local housing fund.

The shift follows a proposal Amazon filed in July. In September, the company met with Phyllis J. Randall, chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Randall suggested the company consider a different use for the land, citing local resistance to the noise and high electricity consumption associated with data centers.

Josh Weissman, Amazon's vice president for data center development, acknowledged the local concerns. He noted that while the company viewed the legal development potential differently than the county, they chose to avoid costly litigation. "We concluded that the best outcome for all is to come together on a shared vision for this campus," Weissman said.

The decision arrives amid a national debate over the environmental and financial impact of AI infrastructure. President Donald Trump recently called on data center builders to pay a dividend to local communities and generate their own electricity. He stated that facilities should give or sell surplus energy back to their neighbors.

Randall described the final agreement as a result of cooperative dialogue. She stated that the deal provides new spaces for residents to gather and create. "Most importantly to me, we will provide more attainable homes for working families," Randall said.