The tech giant contributes greatly to Henrico’s quality of life.
Henrico, VA, August 5th, 2020
On Wednesday, Facebook announced that the long-awaited Henrico Data Center is officially online, and Henrico County and the Economic Development Authority couldn’t be happier to have Facebook at Henrico’s White Oak Technology Park.
This is an important investment in our community and something Henrico worked hard to make happen. Since announcing the plan in 2017 to build and invest in a data center here in Virginia, Facebook has been a local partner that does more than check in once in a while; they have been a true member of our community.
The EDA’s mission has always been to help businesses develop and prosper. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an unimaginable toll on local businesses, and our commitment to them has not wavered. Working with the Board of Supervisors and County management, Henrico has assisted our businesses through extensions on real estate, personal property, meals, and sales taxes and created a microloan program for small businesses. The EDA made a $2 million deposit with Virginia Community Capital which provided immediate liquidity for loans to 42 Henrico businesses including seven minority-owned and ten women-owned companies.
Facebook is a partner who understands the struggle that businesses in our community are facing and has taken several important measures to support local companies and the community at large. Since early spring, Facebook has donated nearly $830,000 to area schools, nonprofits, and businesses. That figure includes $475,000 for grants to small businesses and non-profits through partnerships with organizations like ChamberRVA and the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond. Also, Facebook donated $280,000 to Henrico County Public Schools to make sure Wi-Fi hotspots are available so all students can participate in distance learning and to support food needs for students who rely on school for meals.
With record unemployment in the US and Virginia due to COVID-19, we’re excited Facebook will be creating high-paying technical job opportunities in the Henrico area. The data center requires at least 200 people to keep it running. The building of the data center also has so far supported 1,500 construction jobs and numerous local partners and suppliers to build its new facility. Facebook’s more than $1 billion investment here is evidence that Henrico is Virginia’s premier place for businesses. From a talented, capable workforce to dedicated community members and organizations, we are glad Facebook recognized the positive spirit in Henrico and the greater Richmond region.
Sustainable energy is a high priority of ours at the EDA, and a priority many Virginians value. We were pleased to see that this data center will be supported by 100% solar energy from Virginia-based projects, with contracts bringing 500 MW of new solar energy to Virginia’s grid. Working with our partners at Dominion Energy, Facebook’s dedication to energy efficiency is something permeated through every aspect of this data center. The building is designed to be one of the most efficient data center facilities in the world, using 80% less water than other data centers, and, as of today, over 80% of the construction waste on the project has been recycled.
We are excited to welcome Facebook to our community. Their data center connects the world, and we look forward to a great partnership in the years to come.