Project Accelerate data center, Matthews, North Carolina

Project Accelerate's developers withdrew their request to rezone 123 acres along East John Street in Matthews on October 7, 2025. The site south of Interstate 485 was zoned for residential use, and the application sought conditional industrial zoning for a data center. Mayor John Higdon announced the withdrawal; commissioners had been due to consider the application on October 13.

Crosland Southeast, Crow Holdings and Engineered Land Solutions had proposed five two-story buildings, with as much as 600 megawatts of electricity needed for a full campus. That figure described a possible project, not power already in use. The town's staff report said the plan was generally inconsistent with the East John Street small-area plan, which calls for a mix of business, housing and open space along the corridor.

Nearby residents questioned the project's demand for water and power, its noise and its fit beside neighborhoods. Town commissioners asked for more information about electricity supply, taxes, noise and building design rather than advancing the rezoning after a September hearing. At a public meeting, a restaurant across the street welcomed the prospect of more customers, while other residents feared higher bills and a changed landscape.

The developers' withdrawal ended that rezoning request without approval of a data center on the tract. The land remained zoned R-12 residential under the town's September 2025 staff report; a data center there would need a new land-use decision. Crosland Southeast said the team would explore other options, without announcing a replacement design.