Raeden Proposes State’s Largest Data Center at Former Intel Plant in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is positioning itself as a tech hub with the proposal of “Project Taurus,” a massive data center planned for the northwest side of the city. California-based real estate and technology firm Raeden intends to transform a former Intel microchip manufacturing plant on Garden of the Gods Road into what promises to be the largest data center in the state.
- The Site: A 450,000-square-foot former Intel plant on Garden of the Gods Road.
- Sustainability: The facility will use an air-cooled closed-loop system to minimize water consumption.
- Power: The 50-megawatt facility will use half the power the site was originally rated for as a chip plant.
- Community Tension: Neighbors in the Chelsea Glen area have voiced concerns over potential noise pollution.
Transforming an Industrial Legacy
Raeden, a Bay Area firm, has been collaborating with city officials for over a year to revitalize the unused Intel facility. The plan involves utilizing the primary 450,000-square-foot plant and demolishing three smaller buildings located at 1565 High Tech Way to make room for essential chiller units and generators.
This development comes at a strategic time for the region. Whereas neighboring Denver officials have discussed a moratorium on new data centers due to acute water use concerns, Colorado Springs is moving forward by addressing those exact issues head-on.
Solving the Water and Energy Puzzle
One of the primary hurdles for modern data centers is their environmental footprint, specifically regarding water and electricity. Raeden founder Jason Green states that the Garden of the Gods facility will employ an “air-cooled closed-loop system.” Unlike traditional data centers that rely on evaporating water for cooling, this system requires “minimal” water. According to Green, the system is designed so that it doesn’t use the community’s water supply.
Energy efficiency is also a core component of the proposal. The facility is rated at 50 megawatts, which is only half of the power the building was designed to draw during its time as a microchip manufacturing plant. To support this, Colorado Springs Utilities has clarified that “large-load customers” like Raeden are responsible for paying for the infrastructure their specific operations require.
Community Concerns: The Shadow of Past Noise
Despite the economic and environmental promises, the project isn’t without opposition. Residents of the Chelsea Glen neighborhood have expressed significant anxiety regarding noise pollution. Their concerns are rooted in a previous experience with the site; from 2018 to 2022, a crypto-mining business called “3G Venture” occupied the Intel building.
Long-time residents, including Ron Graham-Becker, described the noise from the 3G Venture operation as “outrageous” and constant, running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While the previous tenant attempted to mitigate the sound using shipping storage containers, neighbors report that the issues persisted for years, leading to current skepticism about the impact of a new data center.
Frequently Asked Questions
The project is being led by Raeden, a real estate and technology firm based in Oakland, California.
It is located at a former Intel microchip plant on Garden of the Gods Road in northwest Colorado Springs, with additional work planned at 1565 High Tech Way.
Most data centers use evaporating water for cooling, but Raeden is implementing an air-cooled closed-loop system to avoid depleting local water resources.
Looking Ahead
As Project Taurus moves through the approval process, the city must balance the drive for technological growth and economic investment with the quality of life for nearby residents. If approved, the facility will stand as a significant pivot for the Pikes Peak region, turning a dormant industrial site into a cornerstone of the state’s digital infrastructure.
Worth a look