(COLORADO SPRINGS) — City officials heard an appeal regarding Project Primestone, a proposed microchip testing campus on the southeast side of Colorado Springs. The development plan for the site, also known as Vineyards Research Park near Janitell Road, was administratively approved by City Planning in September without a Planning Commission hearing, prompting local residents to challenge the decision.
The proposed development on an undeveloped field calls for two large buildings, 84 industrial chillers, and four diesel generators. It carries an initial projected power requirement of 100 megawatts — enough energy to power roughly 100,000 homes — with plans to potentially double that capacity. Residents raised concerns regarding power, water usage, noise levels, and proximity to a local school, though project representatives stated energy usage will not impact nearby residents because the site will not rely on Colorado Springs Utilities.
Emergent, the company slated to test microchips at the facility, stated the operation differs from a traditional data center because it will not require constant power. Company representatives noted the campus will serve revolving customers whose individual projects require retrofitting equipment between testing cycles…