Miami-Dade County: “Hiding in plain sight.”

Iron Mountain, a New Hampshire-based information management company, broke ground on MIA-1 after converting its former storage facility site. The project has been in the works since at least 2023, when the company announced the conversion on an earnings call. CEO William Meaney said at the time that they were “scrapping the building” and “reusing the land” to maximize data center capacity.

A February 2025 groundbreaking announcement from the Miami-Dade Beacon Council described the center as a $150 million investment supporting the county’s “tech revolution” and stated it would run on 100% carbon-free energy. County Commissioner Marleine Bastien was quoted in the release supporting the project. But residents of Westview and surrounding neighborhoods say they were never properly informed.

How it was permitted: Miami-Dade’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources classified the facility as a “telecommunications hub” rather than a “data center” — a distinction that matters because the site’s industrial zoning makes telecom hubs permitted by right. No rezoning was required. Under county code, the only public notice was mailed to properties within 500 feet. The developer’s actual requests were for a height increase from 70 to 75 feet and a parking reduction from 91 to 26 spaces.

Community response: Resident Amy Dawkins, who lives less than a mile from the site, said she drove past it several times before learning what it was. “It’s definitely hiding in plain sight,” Dawkins said. At an early April town hall held by Commissioner Bastien, resident Elizabeth Favier Bellamy asked why neighbors weren’t told. “It will definitely affect the residents in your district,” Bellamy said. Bastien’s office has not responded to questions from the Miami Herald about the data center’s economic and environmental impact.

NAACP involvement: The Miami-Dade NAACP branch launched a “Stop Dirty Data” framework calling for transparency, environmental health monitoring, public records requests, community input, and moratoriums where needed. Branch President Daniella Pierre said the organization is “bound to make certain that our members and community are informed about the pros and cons.”

Jobs skepticism: The Beacon Council claims 30 jobs with average salaries over $71,000. Residents point out that Iron Mountain’s own website lists only two Miami-area jobs — both remote, with salaries between $123,500 and $164,700. “Are we confident that they’re going to employ some of our own, or are they going to bring their own talent?” Bellamy asked.

SB 484 gap: Florida’s new data center law applies to facilities consuming 50 MW or more. MIA-1 is rated at 16 MW — meaning its ratepayer protections, water permitting requirements, and transparency provisions do not apply. This is a critical loophole: the communities most vulnerable to data center impacts are the ones least protected by the new law.