Google recently announced plans to build two additional datacenter campuses in Central Ohio, which will create hundreds of additional jobs for members of the region’s building trades unions.
The two new projects will bring Google’s total investment in Ohio to more than $2 billion, according to Winston Stewart, Google’s Head of External Affairs in Ohio.
In 2019, construction began on Google’s $600 million datacenter campus in New Albany and with the project humming along, the company announced plans in August 2021 to invest an additional $1 billion to expand that site.
The Columbus datacenter will be located at 5076 S. High St. on the city’s far south side on a 500-acre site and cost about $300 million.
The $120 million Lancaster campus will be built on roughly 120 acres of farmland. It will be located at 104 Whiley Road.
Mark Isakowitz, Google Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, said the new facilities will play a critical role in powering Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) innovations and tools like Search, Gmail and Maps.
“Tech is helping grow Ohio’s economy,” Isakowitz said. “The datacenters announced today will help power Google tools for users across the nation and worldwide. We are proud to partner with the state and local communities to help fuel the state’s growth as a technology hub.
Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dorsey Hager believes the consistent quality work of his affiliated building trades members is contributing to the area’s positive reputation for tech industry construction.
“Columbus and Central Ohio continue to be a leading market for tech, not only in the U.S., but in the world,” Hager said. “Expansion of Google and other tech companies here creates work opportunities for our members.”
Ohio’s growing presence as a tech hub also was not lost on Gov. DeWine.
“Ohio is a growing technology hub and datacenter market, and we welcome these two new Google projects in Columbus and Lancaster to complement the one already in New Albany,” he said, adding that the announcement also means the creation of more jobs.
DeWine credited work by past gubernatorial administrations and legislatures, along with his administration and the current state legislature, to improve the state’s business climate and attract companies such as Google, Facebook, Amazon and Intel.
“We are blessed that work continues to be strong in Columbus and Central Ohio,” said Hager. “Google’s announcement shows their commitment to grow through the two campuses in Lancaster and Columbus.”
Like the other tech giants building datacenters in central Ohio, Google wants a diverse and inclusive workforce to build its facilities. Google awarded a $100,000 grant to the Columbus Building Futures Program last year to help the program with outreach and recruitment.
The Building Futures Program is well equipped to play a role in making the union workforce on Google’s projects more diverse and inclusive. It helps remove career-blocking obstacles so members of underserved communities can start a career in the union construction industry.
Those who complete the free, 12-week program gain entrance into a registered building trades apprenticeship program and will begin to work their way toward becoming a journeyman.
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