Switch, Inc., a Las Vegas, Nev.-based data center provider, announced this week it will be building 1.5 million square feet in Round Rock next to the Dell’s global headquarters. The project will require a rezoning of 36.76 acres from Commercial to Planned Unit Development (PUD) east of South Mays Street and north of Dell Way. 

The City’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing and make a recommendation vote at its June 16 meeting. The PUD will include standards to ensure compatibility with the abutting neighborhood and to provide an attractive wall/landscaping along the Mays Street frontage. 

From the company’s media announcement:

Switch, Inc., the exascale technology infrastructure corporation, announced June 1 the primary location of its Fifth Prime data center campus in Round Rock. A land purchase agreement with Dell Technologies will allow Switch to construct over 1.5 million square feet of its highly resilient Tier 5^® data center space next to Dell’s global headquarters. The Fifth Prime campus will be called “The Rock.”

Switch recently announced the acquisition of Data Foundry, with properties capable of delivering over 500,000 square feet and 60 megawatts in Austin and Houston. With the addition of this new land, Switch’s Texas technology campus ecosystem will be architected to provide over 2 million square feet and 185 megawatts of power upon completion. Switch expects to begin site preparation and permitting at The Rock Campus in the summer of 2021. Switch will continue its industry-leading commitment to sustainability by powering these facilities with 100 percent renewable energy.

“This is another transformative milestone in the growth of our company to further expand our geographic diversity to the central region of the U.S.,” said Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy. “To be strategically located alongside the Dell Technologies global headquarters is an opportunity to continue broadening our offerings of the world’s most advanced data center infrastructure to current and future Switch clients.”

“Since Dell was founded in 1984, we’ve seen Central Texas grow into a technology and innovation hub to the benefit of the entire community,” said Dell Technologies Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell. “With this agreement, we welcome Switch to a wonderful neighborhood and at the same time continue to expand our relationships with leading data center service providers.”