TRENTON, Ohio — A California-based real estate company has purchased 141 acres of land in the city of Trenton for a proposed 1 million-square-foot data center.
The sale closed the week of Oct. 13, according to Mattie Sorrentino, vice president of communications at real estate company Prologis.
The land was previously owned by the city. The total 141 acres lies within the Trenton Industrial Park near Kennel and Woodsdale Roads, just east of Molson Coors Beverage Company and south of Trenton’s downtown.
Though Sorrentino did not disclose the sale price, the price at the time of the purchase agreement in April 2024 between Prologis and the city was listed at $55,000 per acre — approximately $7.7 million for a total of 141 acres.
Sorrentino also did not confirm plans for a data center, offering this statement: “It is early days, but what I can say is: from our perspective, Ohio continues to do a great job attracting and supporting smart business growth, and our experience working with the city of Trenton has been positive and collaborative.”
She also said Prologis has a "strong presence across Ohio," including teams in the Cincinnati and Columbus areas.
“This property is located within a manufacturing corridor and has great benefits in its proximity to power. We are always evaluating opportunities that support our customers and strengthen our portfolio," Sorrentino said.
While data center plans were not confirmed, the purchase agreement details Prologis will develop, construct and operate an “approximately 1 million-square-foot data center” on the property.
The company Prologis is building the data center for has not been released.
In March 2025, the city’s planning commission also approved updating three zoning code ordinances to allow data centers, according to city public documents. The update was requested by a Prologis representative.
Because site plans have yet to be submitted through the city’s planning commission, there is no groundbreaking date, according to Trenton City Manager Marcos Nichols.
Nearby in Hamilton, a two-story data center with a 160,000-square-foot footprint was proposed. Residents in Hamilton have expressed concerns over potential noise and light pollution and environmental concerns.
In Trenton, Nichols said community members have expressed some similar concerns regarding the environmental impact and increased costs due to water — which is provided by the city — and electricity — provided by Duke Energy.
Approximately 100-150 full-time jobs will be created at the completion of the data center, and temporary construction jobs will be created during the buildout, according to Nichols.
There are more than 4,000 data centers across the country, and 191 are in Ohio, according to DataCenterMap.com. There are pros and cons of data centers, according to New York-based McKinsey and Company, a strategy and management consulting firm.
Nationally, companies will invest nearly $7 trillion on data center infrastructure by 2030. However, there are tradeoffs, according to McKinsey and Company, such as high-power demands and water usage for cooling.
Nichols said projects of this nature “allow for job creation and workforce development with the construction of the facility and, once operational, will support skilled positions in IT, maintenance and facility management; economic growth by adding value to the city revenue stream; and strengthen our reputation as a forward-looking city and help attract additional technology-driven investment and innovation.”
Prologis is headquartered in San Francisco and is one of the largest industrial real estate companies in the world. It owns over 1.3 billion square feet of real estate across 20 countries, according to its website. In 2024, the company reported $8.2 billion in revenue.
Journal-News writer Michael D. Pitman contributed to this report.
