Flexential Chicago AI Data Center Campus (Franklin Park & Elk Grove Village Hubs)
Status: Active Expansion / Phased Development | Location: O’Hare Industrial Corridor, Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area, Illinois, USA
Project Overview
Flexential’s Chicago Data Center Campus is an advanced AI-ready digital infrastructure facility serving the Greater Chicago O’Hare data center market, one of North America’s most important connectivity and technology hubs. Designed to support the evolving requirements of enterprises, cloud providers, and high-performance computing environments, the campus is engineered for next-generation workloads including generative artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data analytics, and enterprise hybrid cloud applications. The facility features high-density infrastructure with liquid-cooling readiness, enabling support for demanding compute deployments ranging from 50+ kW to more than 100 kW per rack. This capability allows organizations to deploy GPU-intensive systems and advanced AI platforms while maintaining efficient thermal management and operational reliability. A key advantage of the campus is its integration with Flexential’s 100Gbps+ private FlexAnywhere® network backbone, providing secure, high-performance connectivity between customer environments, major carrier hotels, cloud ecosystems, and global network providers. Strategically located near Chicago O’Hare, the facility benefits from access to one of the largest business and telecommunications markets in the United States, offering low-latency connectivity for mission-critical applications. With scalable power infrastructure, advanced cooling capabilities, robust interconnection options, and AI-focused design principles, Flexential’s Chicago Data Center Campus provides a future-ready platform for organizations seeking reliable digital infrastructure to support cloud growth, artificial intelligence innovation, and high-performance computing requirements.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Flexential Chicago AI Data Center Campus (Franklin Park & Elk Grove Village Hubs) |
| Location | O’Hare Industrial Corridor, Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area, Illinois, USA |
| Status | Active Expansion / Phased Development |
| Commissioning | Phased Rollout & High-Density AI Upgrades (2024–2026+) |
| Total IT Load | ~36 MW – 50 MW Critical IT Power Capacity |
| Total Capacity | ~50 MW Total Utility Power Allocation across 250,000+ sq ft campus footprint |
| Tier Level | Tier III Certified Architecture / ISO 27001, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, NIST 800-53 Certified |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Hyperscale, AI-Ready Liquid-Cooled Colocation & Enterprise Cloud Campus |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Chicago |
| Population | ~2.7 million |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~9.4 million (Chicago Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | ~USD 900+ billion (Chicago metropolitan economy) |
| Per Capita Income | ~USD 75,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 – Global Business, Financial & Technology Hub |
| Key Strengths | Third-largest city in the United States; major financial and commercial center; strong technology ecosystem; leading transportation and logistics hub; extensive fiber connectivity; major internet exchange location; growing data center market; strong cloud infrastructure presence; diverse economy across finance, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and technology; strategic central U.S. location. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Flexential |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | ComEd (Commonwealth Edison Utility) & Local Fiber Infrastructure Partners |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized US Mission-Critical Engineering & EPC Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Flexential In-House Global Infrastructure & Thermal Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral platform with dual underground fiber entrance vaults; redundant Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs); direct low-latency connection to 350 E Cermak (Chicago Carrier Hotel) and direct express on-ramps to AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud via FlexAnywhere®. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual 34.5kV high-voltage utility feeds supplied by ComEd, distributed redundant static 2N / N+1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units, automated transfer switchgear, and standby diesel generator plants with multi-day on-site fuel autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | ~50 MW Total Utility Power Capacity Allocation |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N / N+1 Distributed Redundant Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | High-efficiency closed-loop chilled water systems, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), air-side economization, and zero-water-evaporation cooling solutions. |
| Connectivity | Carrier-neutral access with direct low-latency cloud express on-ramps and cross-connect options across North American networks via FlexAnywhere®. |
| PUE Target | < 1.25 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% Green Renewable Energy contractually matched via local clean power purchase programs. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | Regional High-Density & AI Platform Expansion |
| Construction Start | Completed / Ongoing Active Expansions |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational |
| Full Buildout | Operational Active Expansion |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Estimated $300,000,000 USD to $500,000,000 USD |
| Funding | Corporate Capital Expenditure & Infrastructure Financing by Flexential / Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners |