Overview
- DC BLOX filed permits to demolish two buildings for a proposed 69,000-square-foot data center adjacent to the Grassmere site and the Nashville Zoo, and the zoo filed a zoning appeal on Monday seeking to overturn those approved permits.
- Zoo officials say the project would sit roughly 50 yards from some enclosures and that light and mechanical noise could harm about 3,000 animals, with staff warning clouded leopards are especially vulnerable and that noise could disrupt breeding.
- A public petition opposing the project has drawn national attention and hundreds of thousands of signatures, and high-profile supporters including Brad Paisley have urged the community to oppose construction.
- DC BLOX says it will limit impacts by using closed-loop or waterless cooling, paying for required power and infrastructure, and testing to keep noise at measurable, acceptable levels.
- Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office has the city legal team reviewing options and the Metro Council is debating new rules that would limit large data centers and set distance buffers from homes, schools and zoos as part of a broader push to manage data-center growth.