Just before Indianapolis City-County Councilors were expected to vote on a rezoning case regarding Google’s $1 billion data center, the tech giant announced it would withdraw its request.
The city’s legislative body stepped in after the Metropolitan Development Commission approved Google’s rezoning request for the 468-acre project on Aug. 20. Councilors opted to hold a public hearing on the project in part over neighbors’ concerns about the development’s potential environmental impact and utility use.
On Monday night, when given the opportunity to speak on Google’s behalf, Indianapolis-based attorney Joe Calderon approached the podium and said: “I’d like to announce our intention to withdraw this proposal.” He did not comment further on the decision.
A Google spokesperson told IBJ: “We have withdrawn the re-zoning application for the proposed data center development in Franklin (Township). While we are disappointed that this project is not moving forward, we look forward to continued opportunities for growth in the state.”
Mayor Joe Hogsett, who had largely remained quiet on the proposed development, said in a written statement after Monday’s meeting that he respected Google’s decision.
“Indianapolis is a city where many come to grow, to innovate, and to thrive. With billions of dollars in ongoing development, significant investment in our economy, and our position as one of LinkedIn’s ‘cities on the rise’, it is no wonder Google was interested in calling Indianapolis home,” Hogsett said.
He continued: “The city remains committed to working alongside business leaders and neighbors to continue attracting new investments that create quality jobs, increase opportunities for construction trade workers, further our economy’s growth and uplift our neighborhoods.”
The district’s councilor, Michael-Paul Hart, told attendees of Monday’s meeting that the council would postpone the public hearing until Oct. 6. In the event Google doesn’t go to the Metropolitan Development Commission and withdraw the petition, it would be considered by the council then.
Project faced widespread pushback
A video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening shows Hart announcing the news to an overflow crowd sitting in a room away from council chambers: “I was given notice by our council attorney that Google is withdrawing their petition.” The room erupted in applause.
Months ago, neighbors concerned about the development’s potential environmental impact and utility use formed a group called “Protect Franklin Township.” That group created a petition opposed to the project that netted more than 8,000 signatures and recently invested in digital billboard ads across Marion County.
In the weeks ahead of Monday’s public hearing, it appeared that the odds were not in the company’s favor.
Fifteen members of the council needed to vote against the rezoning request to overturn the Metropolitan Development Commission’s approval. In the weeks leading up to the meeting, at least 17 councilors had publicly said they would vote against the proposal. Only one, Democrat Ron Gibson, had spoken in support of the project.
Hart and members of Protect Franklin Township raised questions last week when Franklin Township Community School Corp. announced it would endorse the project, just weeks after the district wrote a letter to the development commission saying it would not support the development.
Google’s withdrawal was a win for Protect Franklin Township, but possibly just a temporary one. Organizer Andrew Filler said it has to stay vigilant since the Metropolitan Development Commission’s rules allow Google to refile the rezoning request after three months.
Brittany York, also with the group, told IBJ that it felt good to have the council chamber, two overflow rooms and the hallway dominated by people opposed to the data center.
“We’ll catch our breath, and then I’m sure they’re going to try to come back,” she said.
Filler, on the other hand, thinks the company won’t try again.
“We’ve got a big steam train running, and if they do we’re here,” Filler said. “We know what to do. We know how to band together.”
Even if it isn’t Google, York said the 460-plus-acres in the area will continue to attract companies, and the community will continue to push for a say in the property’s future.