Cogent Data Center - Washington, DC 2
Status: Operational | Location: 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Project Overview
The Cogent Data Center – Washington, DC 2 is a purpose-built urban edge colocation and telecommunications facility strategically located at 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C. Offering approximately 16,763 square feet of secure colocation space, the facility is designed to meet the requirements of government agencies, financial institutions, cloud providers, enterprises, and network service providers that demand reliable, low-latency connectivity. Customers can deploy infrastructure in 42U APC AR3100 cabinets, private cages, and secure colocation environments supported by 24/7/365 monitoring, biometric access controls, CCTV surveillance, and multiple layers of physical security. As a core node on Cogent's global Tier 1 optical IP backbone, the facility provides direct access to high-capacity domestic and international connectivity, supporting Ethernet port speeds of up to 100GE, wavelength services, IP transit, and private network interconnections. Its strategic location enables fast, resilient connectivity to major business districts, federal agencies, and regional data center ecosystems throughout the Washington metropolitan area. Critical infrastructure includes Liebert uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, Eltek modular DC rectifiers, precision environmental controls, and a 500 kW Caterpillar standby diesel generator supported by a 20,000-gallon on-site fuel reserve, ensuring continuous operations during utility disruptions. The combination of carrier-grade connectivity, resilient power infrastructure, and secure colocation services makes the facility well suited for enterprise applications, disaster recovery, cloud connectivity, content delivery, financial trading platforms, and other mission-critical workloads requiring high availability and network performance.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Cogent Data Center - Washington, DC 2 |
| Location | 1050 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA |
| Status | Operational |
| Commissioning | Operational |
| Total IT Load | 1.5 MW |
| Total Capacity | 2.0 MW (16,763 sq ft data center facility) |
| Tier Level | Tier III Compliant Design Standards |
| Project Type | Urban Edge & Telecom Interconnection Colocation Facility |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | washington dc |
| Population | ~678,000 (2024 est.) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~6.4 million (Washington metropolitan area) |
| City GDP | ~USD 650+ billion (metro area GDP) |
| Per Capita Income | ~USD 85,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 (Global Capital / Alpha City) |
| Key Strengths | Federal government hub, policy and regulatory center, strong data center corridor (Northern Virginia), advanced infrastructure, global institutions presence, high-income economy |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
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| Developer / Operator | Cogent Communications, Inc. |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | PEPCO (Potomac Electric Power Company) |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized Commercial Mission-Critical Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Cogent Global Facilities & Technical Engineering Division |
| Network Connectivity | Cogent Tier 1 IP Backbone (port speeds up to 100GE) alongside local carrier interconnects including CenturyLink/Level 3, Zayo, ICC, and FiberLight. |
| Power Infrastructure | Utility feed backed by Liebert 150kVA UPS systems, Eltek modular rectifiers, and a 500kW Caterpillar emergency diesel generator. |
Technical Specifications
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| Power Capacity | 2.0 MW facility capacity |
| UPS Redundancy | N+1 concurrently maintainable UPS topology backed by DEKA AVR Unigy II battery arrays and emergency diesel generation. |
| Cooling System | N+1 precision Liebert HVAC air-cooling units with automated climate and humidity monitoring. |
| Connectivity | Carrier-neutral facility featuring direct fiber entry points, 100GE wave-enabled ports, and low-latency transit. |
| PUE Target | 1.35 |
| Energy Mix | Integrated with PEPCO regional transmission power grid with clean energy supply commitments. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | Completed |
| Construction Start | Operational |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational |
| Full Buildout | Operational (16,763 sq ft active whitespace) |
Investment Details
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| Total Investment | $20,000,000+ USD |
| Funding | Direct corporate capital expenditure via Cogent Communications, Inc. balance sheet reserves |