Involta Plans 20,000 SF Iowa Data Center

In another sign that the data center boom extends well beyond major markets, Involta LLC will said this week that it will spend $6.8 million to build a 20,000 square foot data center in Marion, Iowa. Construction on the facility at at 5700 REC Drive will begin in October, and the facility is projected to be operating in August 2008, according to local media reports. The data center will offer 10,000 square feet of raised floor space, with Cedar Rapids cable/telecom company ImOn Communications LLC occupying 3,000 square feet and providing the fiber optic infrastructure.

Involta is the successor to CoVault, a Cedar Rapids company that launched last year to offer colocation services from two former Global Crossing facilities in the area. The company is currently finalizing a merger with the Technology Resources Company, a data center operator also based in Cedar Rapids. The companies have offices in Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Muscatine and Des Moines and employ 41 people.

The Marion project is receiving funding from the City of Marion, the the Iowa Department of Economic Development, and the Iowa Industrialized New Jobs Training Program, which is administered locally through Kirkwood Community College.

"The Involta Data Center will fill a gap in Marion's digital infrastructure," said Lon Pluckhahn, Marion City Manager. "For the facility to be built, a fiber loop will be developed in an area that is currently underserved with Internet access."

"The data center will mean more network connectivity and more technology infrastructure in this market," said Steve Gray, executive chairman of ImOn. "Construction of this data center represents a win for the cities of Marion and Cedar Rapids, a win for local business and a win for consumers of telecommunications and technology services in our community."