Developer proposes 20-story vertical data center in Kansas City to trade suburban sprawl for urban density

Kansas City developer Revitalization Unlimited has proposed an ambitious 20-story vertical data center designed to bring high-density computing infrastructure into an urban environment. Unlike traditional sprawling suburban campuses, this project aims to occupy just 0.23 acres. The facility will provide 24 MW of IT capacity, with 18 of its 20 floors dedicated to mechanical systems, power, and cooling. With a projected cost of $183 million, the project targets latency-sensitive workloads such as financial trading and edge-based inference services. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the tower will utilize Bloom fuel cells for power and evaporative cooling systems. While the project faces significant construction and logistical challenges due to its vertical nature, the developer argues that physical proximity to urban users justifies the premium cost. The proposal is currently pending regulatory approval, with a development ordinance deadline set for October 2026.