The owners of the long-vacant Kenwood Commons property in Albany have announced plans to add a data center as part of a larger redevelopment project. Guild Ventures, the company that owns the property and acquired the property in March 2023 shortly before a fire destroyed the abandoned convent on the site, has filed an application with the New York Independent System Operator seeking access to 180 megawatts of electricity, enough electricity to power the needs of Albany’s and Bethlehem’s populations combined!
Company officials said that this figure represents the maximum potential energy demand for the entire 76-acre development at full build-out. Guild Ventures described the proposal as the first opportunity in decades to redevelop a property that has experienced years of abandonment. EKG is the company that would operate the data center.
This data center raises serious concerns about significant energy consumption that is detrimental to the environment and worsens climate change. It also raises concerns about the over-consumption of water. We will get together to make it clear to the EKG company, Guild Ventures, city officials, and the planning board: DO NOT BUILD THIS DATA CENTER IN OUR COMMUNITY!
*A core principle behind all Indivisible events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.*