Plans were announced Wednesday for what officials call a state-of-the-art regional data center that will enhance digital business across the Southeast and lead to a $200 million investment in Greenville County.
A company called DC Blox will build the data center on a six-acre site in the Global Business Park off of Interstate 85, less than two miles from the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. The facility will be the first of its kind in South Carolina.
DC BLOX “will be a tremendous addition to our technology and economy ecosystem,” said Mark Farris, president and CEO of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, during a video call Wednesday morning. Farris said the company’s data center represents “one of our largest capital investment announcements in several years in Greenville County.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes two years after DC BLOX began to explore the area, according to Greenville Mayor Knox White.
Construction will start in a few months and should finish next year. The center will provide its customers with connectivity and online storage capabilities that previously were available only in major metropolitan areas, officials said. The center will include five distinct data halls totaling 45,000 square feet and 10,000 square feet of tenant space with conference rooms and work stations.
The project will bring five high-paying new positions initially to the community, along with an expected investment of over $200 million combined between DC BLOX and their tenant customers over the next few years, according to a written statement from the Greenville Area Development Corporation.
The data center in Greenville will be linked to DC BLOX’s existing sites in Atlanta, Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to the company, these data centers provide businesses with an array of services that are secure, reliable and cost-efficient.
“We have long been attracted to this booming region,” said Jeff Uphues, CEO of DC BLOX. “We are excited to be able to serve South Carolina businesses and the greater Greenville and Upstate community.”
Gov. Henry McMaster issued a statement welcoming the company to the state.
“It’s exciting to see another company recognize the benefits of doing business here in South Carolina,” he said. “We celebrate DC BLOX’s decision to locate in Greenville County, and we look forward to seeing them grow here in the Palmetto State.”
Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven said the company and its customers “will help Greenville County accelerate economic growth and build on our reputation as a world-class technology community.”
Kirk Brown covers government and politics. Follow him on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM.
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