Microsoft's Van Meter data center signals expansion beyond West Des Moines

Microsoft Corp. has paid nearly $40 million for land that could be the company's seventh data center in central Iowa and its first in Van Meter.

There's limited public information available about the project. But it is clear that the facility would be Microsoft's first data center outside of West Des Moines, where the company has five operating and a sixth one planned.

Dallas County property records show Microsoft in January bought more than 221 acres southeast of the intersection of 360th Street and Richland Road on the southeastern edge of Van Meter. Records show the company purchased another 193 acres immediately south of 365th Street.

The northern majority of the land is across from a residential neighborhood.

"The city recognizes the close proximity to those residents," Liz Faust, Van Meter's city administrator, told the Des Moines Register. "We will keep the best interest of them and the rest of our citizens in mind when we reach that phase of planning."

The city does not have much more information, she said, except that Microsoft's planning process will start in the coming weeks and months. The company has said it will have a community engagement team during the process, she said.

"Once we receive plans to review, we will know better how the data center might impact the residential area," Faust added.

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While the data center would be Microsoft's first in Van Meter, it already has two others in Dallas County, as well as two in Polk County and another in Warren County. Microsoft in December also spent more than $15 million to buy land in Madison County for a new data center there.

All six are within West Des Moines city limits.

Microsoft and other tech companies like to build in central Iowa because of the relatively low cost of land and utilities. They also are expanding research into advanced artificial intelligence systems that requires a lot of computing power — and so a lot of space for equipment and water to keep it cool.

Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas.Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Microsoft Corp. plans for a data center in Van Meter, its first there