An energy company is looking to bring data center infrastructure to South Bend. NextNRG says it plans to buy a 33-acre property from Envision South Bend for $22 million. It plans to develop the site as the Lone Wolf Energy Center.
A “specialized partner" would develop the AI computer infrastructure, while NextNRG would support it with power generation, battery storage and other energy infrastructure. The company sees it as an “alternative to traditional hyperscale data center campuses.”
An existing 50,000-square-foot building on the property would be leased to a pharmaceutical company, for manufacturing, laboratory, warehousing and office space. NextNRG’s press release doesn’t specifically say where the development would be located, but property records show Envision South Bend owns industrially-zoned land around Lonewolf Drive, southwest of the Indiana Toll Road/U.S. 31 interchange.
The project is already raising concerns from the community. Black Lives Matter South Bend has asked NextNRG to hold a public meeting, to discuss its potential environmental, economic and infrastructure impacts.
