This canonical record consolidates 12 source-backed observations without discarding aliases, limitations or unresolved dimensions.
| Operator / developer | Metrobloks (IND A1); 72–75 MW |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Marion County, IN |
| Address | 2505 N. Sherman Drive, historically Black Martindale Brightwood |
| Location precision | street address |
| Coordinates | null, null |
| Capacity | 75 MW |
| Aliases | Metrobloks |
| Project profile | 8 rows |
|---|---|
| Intent / permits | 0 rows |
| Civic / infrastructure | 4 rows |
NOT_FOUND. Fetched trade coverage, trackers, local reporting and metrobloks.com (which returned no usable content) — no land owner, parent company or registered agent for Metrobloks' Indianapolis entity was published.
Key data: n.a. (developer Metrobloks; CEO named Ernest/Earnest Popescu)
Limitation: Company website content not extractable; CEO name spelled inconsistently across sources.
Metrobloks is described as both developer and operator of the metro-edge AI-ready facility (site code IND A1), 72–75 MW at buildout.
Key data: Metrobloks (IND A1); 72–75 MW
Limitation: No tenant named.
Public radio reporting states the facility would draw electricity through contracts with AES Indiana rather than from the residential grid.
Key data: AES Indiana (contracted supply)
Limitation: No contract ID or IURC cause number published.
A closed-loop cooling system is planned: ~19,000 gallons to fill the first building and ~47,500 gallons for the second, recirculated rather than consumed. No water utility is named.
Key data: ~19,000 gal (bldg 1) + ~47,500 gal (bldg 2), closed loop
Limitation: Supplier name NOT_FOUND (Citizens Energy Group not confirmed for this site).
The Metropolitan Development Commission approved the rezoning (April/May 2026) and the City-County Council was engaged on the project and on a temporary stay for high-impact data centers; the site is in Indianapolis/Marion County.
Key data: MDC; Indianapolis City-County Council; Marion County
Limitation: Tax abatement cases 2026-A-016/017 were not directly fetched this session.
NOT_FOUND for named staff. Coverage identifies the MDC as the deciding body and City-County Councilor Ron Gibson as the area representative, but no planner, case manager or economic-development officer was named for this project.
Key data: Councilor Ron Gibson (district representative)
Limitation: Abatement petitions handled through Indianapolis DMD; staff not named in fetched sources.
NOT_FOUND. The only project-side contact identified is the CEO by name; reporters noted Metrobloks did not respond to email inquiries and the corporate site returned no extractable contact information.
Key data: Metrobloks CEO Ernest Popescu (no phone/email published)
Limitation: metrobloks.com and /about-us returned no content on fetch.
The site is a decades-vacant brownfield at 25th Street and Sherman Drive; a company-aligned listing notes it is less than 4.7 miles from the FD-IX Internet Exchange Point with ~0.21 ms latency and carrier-neutral connectivity.
Key data: FD-IX Internet Exchange <4.7 mi; 25th St & Sherman Dr
Limitation: Substation/transmission and sewer detail not published.
The Metrobloks site is the former Sherman Drive-In in Martindale Brightwood, a historically Black east-side Indianapolis neighborhood, and the EJ framing of the incentive debate turns on siting a ~$500 million, ~14-acre data center in that community.
Key data: Site: 2505 N. Sherman Drive, historically Black Martindale Brightwood; ~14 acres; ~$500M project
Status date: 2026-08
Limitation: Qualitative EJ characterization; no tract percentile or index score located
The MDC hearing on the $56 million incentive package was postponed from August 5 to August 19, 2026 at the city's request so community commitments could be finalized. Residents said the company's commitments would not be enough to make an impact. The city's own Department of Metropolitan Development director, Megan Vukusich, opposed the package on July 15.
Key data: Hearing moved 2026-08-05 → 2026-08-19; DMD director opposed the package
Status date: 2026-08-19
Limitation: Final vote outcome not stated in any fetched source
This is infill redevelopment rather than farmland conversion: the ~14-acre site is the former Sherman Drive-In theater in an established urban neighborhood.
Key data: ~14 acres, former Sherman Drive-In (urban infill)
Status date: 2026-04-01
Limitation: Included to distinguish infill from greenfield conversion
Indianapolis Economic Development Inc. proposed a nearly $56 million package: $13.5 million in real property abatement over 10 years plus a $42 million equipment abatement (90% over 15 years) on roughly $406 million of equipment. A future tenant could save up to $339 million. The project is estimated to generate about $10 million per year in property tax, with a $2.5 million community pledge that could rise to $20 million.
Key data: $56M package ($13.5M real property/10 yr + $42M equipment at 90%/15 yr); ~$10M/yr projected property tax; up to $339M tenant savings
Status date: 2026-08-19
Limitation: Vote outcome unconfirmed; the $10M/yr revenue figure is a proponent projection