Project Washington North Campus data centers

The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026

The county filing asks to rezone about 342 acres along River Road, near New Castle, from suburban to industrial. It would also allow four data center buildings of 500,000 to 750,000 square feet, about 2.5 million square feet in all. A data center is a large building that houses computer servers and the equipment that powers and cools them.

News coverage ties this to "Project Washington," a proposed 11-building, roughly 6-million-square-foot campus. It would be split into a north and a south campus on either side of Red Lion Creek, with the developer reported as Starwood Digital Ventures. The coverage describes the land as vacant. It reports a power demand of about 1.2 gigawatts for the whole project. Coverage also reported strong constituent opposition.

In February 2026, Delaware's environmental agency ruled that the project is prohibited under the state Coastal Zone Act. Reports say the developer planned to appeal. No coverage was found that names a tenant. Coverage never mentions the 342-acre figure, so the match between the county filing and the north campus is likely but not confirmed.

What it could mean nearby

• Power: coverage describes about 1.2 gigawatts of demand for the full campus, and county council members asked for state review of whether Delaware has enough energy.
• Noise and nearby homes: council members proposed rules on noise, light and distance from residential areas, and these could apply to the north campus.
• Environment: the site is in the state Coastal Zone, and the state's ruling centered on diesel backup generators and fuel storage.
• Traffic, jobs, schools and open space: no source gave figures, so the impact is unknown.

Where it stands

The rezoning is still needed for the north campus, and the state ruled in February 2026 that the wider project is prohibited. Listing sites disagree on whether the project is planned or withdrawn, so the current status is unclear. If an appeal succeeds, the county rezoning and site plan reviews would usually come next.

• Feb 4, 2026 The state environmental agency ruled that Project Washington is prohibited under the Coastal Zone Act, and the developer had 14 days to appeal.
• Feb 1, 2026 Latest county filing for the North Campus rezoning and data center buildings.
• Aug 19, 2025 Coverage reported that the north campus needs a county rezoning from suburban zoning, and that council members raised concerns.
• Aug 2025 An exploratory plan was submitted to the county for the first phase, the south campus.

Want to weigh in? The New Castle County Council decides on rezonings after land use review, and residents can comment at public hearings or by contacting the council. Check the county's land use pages for hearing dates.

Who's behind it

New Castle Campus Development LLC · This is the company named on the county filing. News coverage links Project Washington to Starwood Digital Ventures, but no official project page was found.

Around the web

• Delaware data center halted: Project WashingtonTechnical.ly · Feb 4, 2026The state ruled the Starwood campus prohibited under the Coastal Zone Act, and the project is halted unless an appeal succeeds.
• Mega Delaware City data center awaits state-level approval; county officials still have concernsDelaware Public Media · Aug 19, 2025The north campus needs a county rezoning from suburban zoning, and council members raised concerns about noise, energy and distance from homes.
• Applicant appeals data center rejection in DelawareDatacenterDynamicsThe headline reports that the applicant appealed the state's rejection of the project.
• Coastal Zone Act status decision public noticeDelaware DNRECThis is the state's public notice for the Coastal Zone Act status request covering the campus.

Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.