Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Server Farm No More: The DFW's a Data Center!

A few days ago, Stream Data Centers announced it was in the process of building out a 20,000-square foot server farm in Richardson, in the Telecom Corridor -- not necessarily the sexiest press release in the world. (Though there is the part about the building's being able to "withstand 125...

By Robert Wilonsky

April 12, 2010

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A few days ago, Stream Data Centers announced it was in the process of building out a 20,000-square foot server farm in Richardson, in the Telecom Corridor -- not necessarily the sexiest press release in the world. (Though there is the part about the building's being able to "withstand 125 mph winds" and featuring such security measures as "man traps.") But when you add Stream Data Centers's press releases to the growing pile, as GlobeSt.com does this morning, you realize that rather suddenly, Dallas-Fort Worth is "has cemented its position as one of the fastest growing data center markets in the nation."

According to Grubb & Ellis Inc., since 'round '07 data centers have sucked up 1.5 million square feet of space -- some of that going to companies like San Francisco-based Digital Realty Trust, which is building out an enormous DataCenter Park at Alma Road and Collins Boulevard; some of it, to such companies as Texas Instruments and Cisco. The reasons: "Conditions in Texas make for a very favorable data center environment: corporate taxes are low; power is robust and relatively cheap; and telecommunications infrastructure is new and powerful. In addition to these benefits, North Texas also boasts inexpensive real estate, a low cost of living, and a deep and skilled labor pool."

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