Data centers in St. Louis, Missouri: 5 projects mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

St. Louis has just finished a year of writing rules for data centers, after word broke in September 2025 that a developer wanted to build one at the Armory in Midtown. On September 11, 2026, the Board of Aldermen passed Board Bill 49, and Mayor Cara Spencer signed it Sept. 17. It sorts data centers by size, sets setbacks of 150 to 600 feet from homes, bans water-heavy evaporative cooling, and requires the largest projects to hold public meetings and sign community impact agreements; most facilities must start on at least 25% renewable power, rising to 100% by year ten.

The project that set off the debate is exempt from the new rules. On April 21, 2026, the city approved a conditional use permit for a 120-megawatt data center beside the Armory, part of a $3 billion Armory Innovation District expected to generate about $423 million in tax revenue over ten years, roughly half of it for St. Louis Public Schools. Fox Park resident Kat Logan Smith said there was "a serious lack of transparency, not exactly adequate public notice, and a shortage of public engagement."

A companion bill bars the city from giving data centers tax incentives, and it took effect the same day. An earlier attempt at a moratorium failed 7-8 in February when it needed ten votes; Alderman Michael Browning, who sponsored it, said data centers come with "serious risks."

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.