Overview
- The proposal from MetroBloks calls for a two‑story, 109,000‑square‑foot facility on a 12.9‑acre site on Inkster Road near I‑696.
- MetroBloks was not present at Monday’s meeting after presenting plans the prior week and did not respond to media requests.
- Residents raised concerns about potential noise, grid strain, water use, electricity costs, and property values, with calls to table the project for studies.
- The developer says the project is far smaller than hyperscale sites at roughly 100 megawatts, with closed‑loop cooling, emergency‑only generators, acoustic modeling to meet a 55‑decibel limit, and company‑funded utility upgrades.
- City leaders noted Southfield already hosts multiple data centers, and the Michigan Public Service Commission has begun implementing rules to shield customer rates from data‑center‑related costs.