Microsoft Ohio: $1B+ AI Data Centers in Heath & Hebron
Status: Under Construction (Groundbroken Feb 2024) | Location: Heath & Hebron (Licking County)
Project Overview
The Microsoft Licking County AI Hub is a multi-site hyperscale development that marks Microsoft’s first major implementation of its "Community-First AI Infrastructure" initiative. On February 24, 2026, Microsoft broke ground simultaneously on two of the three planned sites in Central Ohio: a facility off Thornwood Drive in Heath and a northern site in the village of Hebron. This expansion follows a strategic pause in 2025 as the company realigns the projects with its new sustainability and ratepayer protection protocols.
The Licking County hub is designed to be a "Good Neighbor" project. Under a landmark agreement, Microsoft will pay its property taxes in full, eschewing traditional tax abatements to directly fund the Lakewood Local School District. The infrastructure includes significant off-site improvements to the Thornwood Drive corridor, including road upgrades and utility hardening that benefit the broader community. These facilities are specifically architected for Microsoft’s AI Cloud, supporting the compute-heavy requirements of the Azure OpenAI service while utilizing advanced cooling techniques to minimize local water draw.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Microsoft Ohio: $1B+ AI Data Centers in Heath & Hebron |
| Location | Heath & Hebron (Licking County) |
| Status | Under Construction (Groundbroken Feb 2024) |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 (Core Shell): November 2026 |
| Total IT Load | ~250 MW (Combined Phase 1) |
| Total Capacity | $1 Billion Investment across 3 local sites |
| Tier Level | Tier III+ (AI-Optimized) |
| Project Type | Hyperscale / Community-First AI Infrastructure |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Hermantown |
| Population | 13,000 (estimated, check local census data for accuracy) |
| Urban Agglomeration | 0,000 (approx.) |
| City GDP | $1.3 billion |
| Per Capita Income | $28,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 3 (based on population size and economic factors) |
| Key Strengths | Strong local manufacturing and retail sectors |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Microsoft |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | City of Heath / Village of Hebron |
| Construction Contractor | Ames Construction (General Contractor) |
| MEP Engineering | GBA (Glumac / Tetra Tech JV) |
| Network Connectivity | GBA (Glumac / Tetra Tech JV) |
| Power Infrastructure | AEP Ohio (American Electric Power) |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | ~250 MW (Combined initial sites) |
| UPS Redundancy | $N+1$ with Lithium-ion BESS integration |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop adiabatic cooling (Zero-liquid-discharge target) |
| Connectivity | High-capacity terrestrial fiber link to the New Albany tech hub |
| PUE Target | 1.15 |
| Energy Mix | Carbon-negative goal by 2030; matching via local wind/solar |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | Late 2024 (Re-confirmed Jan 2026) |
| Construction Start | February 24, 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | August 2026 |
| Full Buildout | November 2026 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | $1 Billion (Initial 3-site commitment) |
| Funding | Microsoft Corporate CapEx |