Microsoft Corp. has submitted plans to prepare a roughly 356-acre site in Kent County for a data center, roughly a year after the tech giant acquired property for a potential project.
Gaines Township planning documents show Microsoft needs 40.5 acres rezoned to accommodate the project. Township planning officials have recommended approving the change, noting that it would not have an adverse effect on adjacent properties, property values and nearby wetlands.
Microsoft previously acquired 316 acres from Steelcase Inc. for $45.3 million in August 2024. The company subsequently acquired about 40.5 acres just to the north in November 2024 for $9.7 million from Republic National Distributing Co., according to property records. RNDC had acquired the property from Steelcase in 2022…