Digital Realty ORD14 Chicago: 20MW Franklin Park Interconnect Hub
Status: Operational (April 2026) | Location: Franklin Park, IL 60131
Project Overview
As of April 2026, ORD14 continues to serve as a critical pillar within Digital Realty’s expansive Chicago data center ecosystem, strategically located just five miles from O’Hare International Airport. Purpose-built for performance and resilience, the two-story facility delivers approximately 20 megawatts of utility power capacity, making it well-suited for enterprise, cloud, and hyperscale deployments. Its infrastructure is engineered around high-availability principles, incorporating an N+1 uninterruptible power supply redundancy configuration alongside a chilled water cooling system to maintain optimal thermal conditions for dense IT loads. What truly differentiates ORD14 is its role as a connectivity bridge between suburban capacity and downtown network density. Through low-latency fiber routes, it provides seamless cross-connectivity to key carrier hotels such as 350 Cermak and 600 South Federal, effectively extending Chicago’s core interconnection fabric outward. This positioning enables customers to access a rich ecosystem of carriers, cloud on-ramps, and internet exchanges without the constraints of downtown space or cost. Additionally, the facility’s LEED Silver certification highlights a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable operations, aligning with broader industry goals for greener digital infrastructure while still supporting the rapid scaling demands of modern cloud and AI workloads.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Digital Realty ORD14 Chicago: 20MW Franklin Park Interconnect Hub |
| Location | Franklin Park, IL 60131 |
| Status | Operational (April 2026) |
| Commissioning | Part of the 40-acre Digital Franklin Park masterplan |
| Total IT Load | 12.8 MW (UPS Capacity) |
| Total Capacity | 179,100 sq. ft. (16,630 m²) |
| Tier Level | Tier III (Enterprise & Cloud Optimized) |
| Project Type | Retail & Wholesale Colocation / Interconnection Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Franklin Park |
| Population | ~18,000 (approx., based on recent estimates) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Part of the Chicago metropolitan area (~9.5 million) |
| City GDP | Not separately reported; part of Chicago metro GDP (~$800+ billion) |
| Per Capita Income | ~$25,000–$30,000 (estimated local range) |
| City Tier | Small suburb (Tier 3 / suburban satellite of a Tier 1 metro) |
| Key Strengths | Proximity to Chicago |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Digital Realty |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Digital Franklin Park Campus / PlatformDIGITAL®. |
| Construction Contractor | Digital Realty GDC / Tier 1 Chicago EPCs. |
| MEP Engineering | $N+1$ UPS Redundancy; $N+1$ Mechanical Redundancy. |
| Network Connectivity | PlatformDIGITAL®; 90+ Network Providers; Service Exchange. |
| Power Infrastructure | 20 MW Utility Capacity; 3.6 kW per cabinet standard density. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 20.0 MW (Utility) |
| UPS Redundancy | $N+1$ |
| Cooling System | Chilled Water with CRAH units (N+1). |
| Connectivity | Major strategic edge and interconnection node for the Midwest. |
| PUE Target | < 1.40 |
| Energy Mix | 100% Renewable Matching (Digital Realty Portfolio). |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | N/A (Established Asset) |
| Construction Start | NA |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational |
| Full Buildout | Operational |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Undisclosed (Campus-wide development value). |
| Funding | Digital Realty Corporate Capital. |