U. of Michigan Plans $50M Data Center

The University of Michigan is planning to build a $50 million data center in Ann Arbor to support its hospital and campus health centers. The university Board of Regents is expected to authorize the construction project in a vote today, according to local media.

The plan includes a new 47,000 square foot building on the university's north campus that will house an 11,000 square foot data center, as well as 7,500 square feet provided for infrastructure support and 28,500 square feet for HVAC equipment. Engineering firm X-nth Inc. will design the facility and produce a timetable for the construction process.

"Basically the current primary data center has been outgrown," Bruce Spiher, a U-M spokesman, told the Ann Arbor News. "The power, cooling and space requirements for data needs has exceeded what's possible there."

Last year the Michigan regents approved a $15 million investment to upgrade the infrastructure for one of the university's leased data centers, which needed additional power and cooling capacity. The facility provides computing power for university researchers conducting simulations in engineering, life sciences and astrophysics.