Stafford County Poised for Major Data Center Expansion with Peterson’s 16-Building Campus

Massive Data Center Project Proposed Along Rappahannock River

Virginia’s Stafford County could soon become home to one of the region’s most significant data center developments as Peterson Companies files for permits to construct a 16-building campus. Dubbed Project Sisson, the proposed facility would span 3.8 million square feet and require four electrical substations to power what would become a substantial addition to Northern Virginia’s already dense data center ecosystem.

Massive Data Center Project Proposed Along Rappahannock River
Strategic Location and Infrastructure Advantages
Environmental Considerations and Alternative Sites
Stafford County’s Emerging Data Center Landscape
Broader Context and Industry Trends

Strategic Location and Infrastructure Advantages

The proposed site off Kings Highway near Albion Lane was specifically selected for its proximity to critical infrastructure and the Northern Virginia data center network, which handles approximately 70 percent of global Internet traffic. According to permit documents, the location offers “the robust infrastructure available to the applicant with the capabilities needed to support their needs.”, as as previously reported

Cooling water for the massive campus will be sourced from the Little Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant, located less than two miles from the development site. This approach represents a sustainable water management strategy for the energy-intensive facilities.

Environmental Considerations and Alternative Sites

The development would impact approximately four acres of wetlands and/or open water, prompting the need for a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers. The application, filed through Timmons Group on behalf of Peterson-linked affiliate Real Estate Pursuits 2 LC, addresses impacts to waters near the Rappahannock River.

Documents reveal that two alternative sites were considered but rejected. A ‘Ren Fair’ site north of King’s Highway could have supported 13 buildings and three substations but would have impacted more wetlands. Similarly, a Blaisdell Site could accommodate 14 buildings with four substations but would affect more streams, sit farther from the treatment plant, and border residential areas., according to recent research

Stafford County’s Emerging Data Center Landscape

While not traditionally known as a data center hub, Stafford County has been positioning itself to attract such developments through tax incentives and infrastructure improvements. The county lies south of Prince William County and southeast of Fauquier County, offering potential for expansion beyond Northern Virginia’s established data center corridors.

Adam Cook, Peterson’s managing director for development, previously noted that Stafford County appealed to the company due to existing land holdings and the “right mix of utility and technology infrastructure.” This project follows Peterson’s earlier work on the 1GW Stafford Technology Campus, which has since been taken over by Stack Infrastructure.

Broader Context and Industry Trends

Peterson Companies, a privately-owned developer founded in 1965, has been expanding its data center portfolio despite being better known for office, retail, and residential properties. The company has previously partnered with Stack Infrastructure in Manassas and is planning additional sites in Virginia’s Culpeper and Loudoun counties.

The Forest Lane Data Center project, for which Real Estate Pursuits 2 LC filed to rezone 850 acres from agricultural and light industrial to heavy industrial over the summer, appears connected to this latest development. Amazon’s planned campus in Stafford County further signals the area’s growing appeal for hyperscale computing facilities.

As demand for data processing and cloud services continues to surge, developments like Project Sisson represent the ongoing expansion of Virginia’s data center industry beyond its traditional hubs into communities with available land, power infrastructure, and favorable regulatory environments.

For those interested in reviewing the official documentation, the US Army Corps of Engineers public notice provides detailed information about the permit application and environmental considerations.