Up to 70 percent of the world’s internet traffic flows through Loudoun County’s nearly six million sq. ft. of data centers each day, dubbing the Northern Virginia region “Data Center Alley.”

Since 1999, DPR has been part of the growing data center presence in Virginia and is continuing its role in the economic development of the county with its newest project, the Equinix Ashburn North campus, which broke ground October 15th.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Maurice Jones, and Buddy Rizer from Loudoun County’s Department of Economic Development were among the nearly 100 attendees at the jobsite’s groundbreaking ceremony.

Comstock applauded Equinix and DPR for contributing to the growth of Loudoun County, noting that projects like Ashburn North help to bring more jobs to the area, contributing to the fact that Loudoun County is one of the best places to live in Virginia.

The 45-acre Equinix Ashburn North campus will add 1.2 million sq. ft. of new data center space, contained within five new data centers, adding to Equinix’s existing stock of 10 data centers in the North Ashburn area. Major components of the early phases of the project include the mass earthwork, wet and dry utilities, paving and landscaping – set to be completed in early 2016.

Here is some media coverage from the ceremony and the project:

• Equinix breaks ground on data center campus in Ashburn - Loudoun Times-Mirror
• Equinix Doubles Down in One of Internet's Most Important Locations - Data Center Knowledge
• Equinix Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Data Center Facility in Ashburn, VA - CloudWedge
• Equinix plans campus expansion in Ashburn, Virginia - Datacenter Dynamics