Springdale residents remain skeptical of data center plan

Many Springdale residents aren’t sold on a massive proposed data center in their borough.

Dozens showed up for a standing-room-only planning commission meeting Wednesday to probe developers and express concerns about the project.

By the end of the night, the commission decided to delay its decision on whether Springdale Council should approve the project.

The commission will reconvene at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8.

Wednesday’s meeting was the third public event to discuss the data center. Residents got their first glimpse of the project in early August at a planning commission meeting, and neighboring Cheswick residents chimed in with their thoughts at an informational event this month in that borough.

Few of the details shared by developers Wednesday were new.

Brian Regli, who has presented most details of the proposed site, was joined by an entourage of engineers, architects and lawyers.

Regli is a consultant for land development firm Allegheny DC Property Co., which is a holding company of Davidson-Kempner, a large New York-based hedge fund.

The developers fielded rapid-fire questions from residents throughout the evening regarding concerns about energy use, noise, public health, light and security.

But, by the end of the night, it seemed few hearts were changed.

Kyle Gower was the first Springdale resident to speak at the more than two-hour meeting. After the discussion ended, he said he still didn’t feel satisfied with the project.

Pointing to the less-than-welcome reception other data centers have received in communities throughout the country, Gower said he was concerned about health issues arising from the constant noise that would be emitted by the center.

Despite developers’ efforts to emphasize the improved technology in the proposal, he said it felt like they had “disregarded” issues at other data centers.

He said he doesn’t buy the promise that this center won’t be like the others.

Debbie Sigmund, the borough’s tax collector, also said she is unmoved.

Though she doesn’t oppose the project outright, Sigmund said many of her questions — especially about potential financial benefits for the borough — remain unresolved.

Still living in the wake of the bungled smokestack implosion at the site of the former Cheswick Generating Station and the legal ordeal that has followed, the community clearly is nervous about the proposal, she said.

But until her concerns are addressed, Sigmund said, her support for the project is “teetering.”

A few, like Lisa Bosman, walked out of the meeting an ardent supporter of the project.

The Springdale resident initially questioned developers about power restoration and noise levels, even playing a lengthy recording of a 70-decibel hum for the crowd.

But she said she came back to a refrain frequently presented by Regli — “If not this, then what?”— referring to other potential industrial uses at the site.

Bosman said developers addressed all of her concerns, and she felt the project could be a good thing for the community.

Planning commissioners lacked that same confidence, delaying their decision pending further review.

Commissioner David Prevost said he didn’t feel comfortable advancing the project without reviewing the information more.

“It was a little more than I wanted to move tonight,” he said.

After the commission offers its recommendation Oct. 8, Springdale Council will host a public hearing Oct. 16. There, council could vote to conditionally approve the project or reject it.