ARCHBALD, PA –
An aerial view of Project Boson in Archbald, PA, is pictured in close proximity to The Highland’s neighborhood as well as Valley View High School (top left), Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Project Boson will replace an auto parts junkyard with a nearly 620,000-square-foot data center. Local residents have raised significant concerns regarding environmental hazards from constructing on a former junkyard, urging state DEP oversight.
Archbald is experiencing a contentious boom in proposed AI data center projects, with over 4.7 million sq ft proposed across 29 buildings. Major projects like Wildcat Ridge (14+ buildings) and “Project Gravity” face intense local opposition over power, water usage, and noise.
(Photo by Heather Ainsworth for The Washington Post via Getty Images)