The Piedmont Journalism Foundation reports breaking news on major issues covering local government, business, politics, lifestyles, and sports.
Presented here are news stories from the past 90 days. Stories older than 90 days can be read on our archived coverage page accessed here.
News
Gigaland pitches new data center complex near Remington
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — February 8, 2024
Gigaland, a small data center development firm, is proposing six data centers on about 200 acres outside Remington on Lucky Hill Road.
Vincent Sales
New Fauquier County policy seen as strong deterrent to data centers
Developers say Fauquier rules are among the most restrictive in the state
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Jan 17, 2024 Updated Jan 23, 2024
Tracking Fauquier data centers: The county has two existing data centers sites (green) and six more (orange) in the application or review stage stage. Three more sites (pink) are being marketed for data centers.
Source: Fauquier County, Warrenton
Warrenton's annexation move criticized over transparency
Vote on Arrington came after some town officials held an unadvertised meeting with its developer
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Jan 10, 2024 Updated Jan 10, 2024
Town Councilman Eric Gagnon (Ward 5) voted against a December resolution supporting the annexation of the Arrington residential development into the town of Warrenton, while Councilman David Mcguire (At-Large) voted in favor of it.
Hunter Savery
Fauquier supervisors approve new policy aimed at curbing data centers
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Dec 19, 2023 Updated Dec 19, 2023
OVH Cloud, which operates a data center at Vint Hill, bought 10 acres adjacent to its building to expand its data center operation there.
Staff Photo
Warrenton officials consider annexing renewed Arrington development
Supervisors greenlighted up to 270 new homes for the project last month
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Dec 14, 2023 Updated Dec 14, 2023
The Arrington development plans up to 270 new single-family and townhouses on about 234 acres on the outskirts of Warrenton.
Courtesy Fauquier County.
Prince William's planning staff recommends denial of the massive Digital Gateway data center development — again
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Dec 7, 2023 Updated 11 hrs ago
Mary Reiley, who lives near the Manassas battlefield, speaks during a protest of the Prince William Digital Gateway held Tuesday, April 25 outside a Compass open house in Gainesville.
By Peter Cary
Prince William County's massive 'Digital Gateway' data center development nears a vote
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Dec 7, 2023 Updated 15 hrs ago
The “PW Digital Gateway,” a proposed data center corridor that could encompass 2,133 acres of mostly rural land in northwestern Prince William County adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Photo by Roger Snyder
Negotiations stall on Warrenton’s purchase of horse show grounds
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Nov 15, 2023 Updated Nov 15, 2023
The Warrenton Horse Show Association has owned the horse show grounds since 1900. Warrenton has been negotiating to purchase the 9.5 acres on East Shirley Avenue for 18 months, but talks have stalled.
Photo by Betsy Burke Parker
Prince William County Planning Commission advances Digital Gateway rezonings after marathon meeting
By Peter Cary, Shannon Clark and Jill Palermo Piedmont Journalism Foundation, Times Staff Writers — Nov 9, 2023 Updated 1 hr ago
A map of the Prince William Digital Gateway created by piecing together various maps included in the data center developers' master plan.
Julie Bolthouse/Piedmont Environmental Council
Residents organize against Catlett data centers
More than 80 meet about 5-building complex pitched for Va. 28
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation —
Nov 8, 2023 Updated Nov 8, 2023
Chris Colvin, president of Protect Catlett, speaks to about 80 residents who gathered Nov. 2 to learn more about possible data centers and new power lines in Catlett.
Photo by Peter Cary
Opposition mounts to ‘spiderweb’ of new transmission lines needed to power data center alley
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Oct 25, 2023 Updated Oct 26, 2023
Signs opposing new transmission power lines in Fauquier County.
Staff photo
Local state Senate race could tip the balance of power in Richmond
31st District contest is among the most expensive in the state
By Christopher Connell Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Oct 25, 2023 Updated Oct 26, 2023
Russet Perry and Juan Pablo Segura
Courtesy
Warrenton questions Amazon on why it blacked out parts of its data center site plan
Town blacks out some comments in its response
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Oct 16, 2023
A rendering of the Amazon data center approved for Blackwell Road in Warrenton.
Submitted
The giant data centers next door
How a Haymarket townhome community wound up in shadow of 70-foot-tall concrete buildings
By Peter Cary Piedmont Journalism Foundation — Oct 4, 2023 Updated Oct 6, 2023
A resident of Village Place who asked not to be identified looks out at the data centers from her condo balcony.
Photo by Peter Cary.