Cogent St. Louis Data Center: Tier 1 IP Transit & Colocation Hub 900 Walnut MO

Status: Fully Operational Carrier Node & Enterprise Colocation Facility | Location: 900 Walnut Street, St. Louis, MO 63101, Missouri, United States

Project Overview

Cogent's St. Louis Data Center is strategically located within the 900 Walnut Street carrier hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, one of the Midwest's most significant telecommunications and network interconnection facilities. Serving as a major Tier 1 optical network routing node within Cogent Communications' global backbone infrastructure, the facility plays a vital role in delivering high-performance connectivity, enterprise colocation, IP transit, and cloud networking services to businesses, telecommunications providers, internet service providers, financial institutions, content delivery networks, and government organizations. Positioned within the highly carrier-dense environment of 900 Walnut, the data center benefits from direct access to numerous domestic and international network operators, enabling customers to establish low-latency, carrier-neutral interconnections with exceptional network diversity and resilience. The facility provides enterprise-grade colocation services, high-bandwidth IP transit, wavelength services, and low-latency dark fiber connectivity, supporting mission-critical applications, hybrid cloud deployments, disaster recovery solutions, and high-performance enterprise workloads. Engineered for maximum reliability, the data center incorporates redundant utility power feeds, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, backup generator infrastructure, advanced cooling technologies, intelligent environmental monitoring, and comprehensive fire detection and suppression systems to ensure continuous operational availability. Multi-layer physical security, including controlled access systems, continuous surveillance, and 24/7 operational support, safeguards customer infrastructure and sensitive data. Through Cogent's extensive optical backbone, the facility provides direct fiber connectivity linking St. Louis with major metropolitan markets including Chicago, Kansas City, and other key North American internet exchange points, enabling fast, reliable, and scalable communications across regional and international networks. Its strategic location at the crossroads of major fiber corridors makes the facility an ideal platform for latency-sensitive applications, cloud connectivity, financial services, content distribution, and enterprise digital transformation. By combining resilient infrastructure, Tier 1 global network connectivity, carrier-neutral interconnection, and high-capacity optical transport services, Cogent's St. Louis Data Center serves as a critical digital infrastructure asset supporting the expanding connectivity and data processing needs of organizations across the Midwestern United States and beyond.

Quick Facts

Field	Value
Project Name	Cogent St. Louis Data Center: Tier 1 IP Transit & Colocation Hub 900 Walnut MO
Location	900 Walnut Street, St. Louis, MO 63101, Missouri, United States
Status	Fully Operational Carrier Node & Enterprise Colocation Facility
Commissioning	Operational
Total IT Load	~2.0 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation (Cogent Footprint)
Total Capacity	Dedicated Point of Presence (PoP) & Colocation Whitespace within ~10,200 m² (~110,000 sq ft) facility
Tier Level	Tier III Equivalent Concurrently Maintainable Architecture / SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI-DSS Certified
Project Type	Carrier Point of Presence (PoP), Tier 1 Optical Backbone Routing Hub & Enterprise Colocation

City Profile

Header	Details
City Name	St. Louis
Population	~280,000
Urban Agglomeration	Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area (~2.8 million)
City GDP	USD 210+ billion
Per Capita Income	~USD 63,000 (metro estimate)
City Tier	Tier 1 – Transportation, Technology & Digital Infrastructure Hub
Key Strengths	Centrally located in the U.S.; major transportation and logistics hub; robust fiber-optic and carrier network infrastructure; home to multiple carrier hotels and interconnection facilities; strong healthcare, financial services, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors; reliable utility infrastructure; expanding hyperscale and enterprise data center market; highly skilled workforce and competitive operating costs.

Companies Involved

Header	Details
Developer / Operator	Cogent Communications
Strategic Infrastructure Partner	Ameren Missouri (Utility Grid Provider) & City of St. Louis
Construction Contractor	Specialized U.S. Mission-Critical EPC & Telecom Contractors
MEP Engineering	Specialized U.S. Mission-Critical EPC & Telecom Contractors
Network Connectivity	Tier 1 Cogent Global IP Network backbone, dual path-diverse subterranean fiber entrance vaults, access to 900 Walnut Meet-Me-Room (MMR), direct cross-connects to 43+ carrier networks, and STX / STL-IX local internet exchanges.
Power Infrastructure	Dual independent high-voltage utility grid feeds, static 2N / N+1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated switchgear (ATS), and multi-megawatt N+1 standby emergency diesel generator arrays with extensive on-site fuel reserve autonomy.

Technical Specifications

Header	Details
Power Capacity	Integrated Primary Utility Grid Supply via 900 Walnut Infrastructure
UPS Redundancy	2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture
Cooling System	High-efficiency CRAC/CRAH HVAC units with N+1 system redundancy, cold aisle containment, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness for high-density compute, and real-time BMS environmental controls.
Connectivity	Ultra-low latency optical dark fiber backbones connecting St. Louis to primary U.S. internet exchanges, cloud zones, and transatlantic/transpacific subsea cable gateways.
PUE Target	< 1.35 Annualized Operational Design PUE
Energy Mix	High-efficiency operational design aligned with Ameren Missouri clean power supply options.

Milestones

Header	Details
Announcement	Operational
Construction Start	Operational
Phase 1 Go-Live	Operational
Full Buildout	Fully Operational Active Facility

Investment Details

Header	Details
Total Investment	Integrated Corporate Capital Expenditure
Funding	Corporate Capital Expenditure (Cogent Communications)