QTS acquires rezoned Henrico tech park land

Henrico County’s Sandston area could soon see more data center facilities after the county’s board of supervisors voted in May to rezone a 622-acre site for the planned White Oak Technology Park II.

Developer Hourigan shepherded the land, now owned by Kansas-based QTS Data Centers, through its rezoning to light industrial. “It is a fabulous opportunity for Henrico County and to drive this region forward,” CEO Mark Hourigan says.

QTS already has a data center campus and network access point at the original White Oak Technology Park, which is adjacent to the White Oak II site. A company spokesperson in July said QTS was unable to share details of its plans for White Oak II at that time.

A limited liability company belonging to Hourigan purchased about 397 acres of the White Oak II site — about 223 acres for $38.05 million from Atlantic Crossing and 174 acres from Vienna Finance for $20.5 million — on June 28. QTS in turn bought that acreage from the Hourigan company for $118.8 million the same day, county records show.

“[QTS] came to us with a vision and a plan for eastern Henrico that allowed them to have complete control of that entire site,” Hourigan says, “and in evaluating all the options and ways that we might be able to consider moving forward with that, we thought that was the best long-term outcome for the county and for that site,” given QTS’ proven track record and access to capital.

QTS acquired parcels, including approximately 225 acres of the White Oak II site, in several December 2023 transactions totaling $18 million.

Now that the site has been rezoned, Anthony Romanello, executive director of the Henrico Economic Development Authority, says next steps will include installing water, sewer and power lines by 2026.

During the rezoning process, county residents raised concerns about environmental impacts and losing part of a Civil War battlefield. Ultimately, the county planning commission endorsed the rezoning.

Two days after approving the rezoning, Henrico’s board of supervisors established a $60 million affordable housing trust fund, funded by anticipated tax revenue from data centers.

“We are incredibly excited about the industrial development that is happening and that will be happening in eastern Henrico,” Romanello says. “Developments like what’s happening in White Oak, like what QTS is doing, are really helping to make Henrico an even greater community.”