Project BOSC data center, Lima, Ohio

Google is building Project BOSC, a $500 million data center on more than 200 acres near North Cole Street and Bluelick Road in American and Sugar Creek townships north of Lima, Allen County, Ohio. The Allen Economic Development Group revealed Google as the company behind the data center on March 16, 2026, after months in which it was known only through Bistrozzi LLC, a company created for the project, while local officials cited nondisclosure agreements. Construction is under way; Allen County Sanitary Engineer Brad Niemeyer said in May 2026 that completion was projected around January to March 2028. The Lima News reported in July 2026 that construction of the data center is expected to be completed by 2030.

Bistrozzi bought three parcels in August 2025 for a combined $14,435,300, including just over 200 acres at 4110 N. Cole St. from Neff Farms. Google agreed to a 15-year tax abatement and to pay Elida Local Schools $250,000 a year, and the project includes about $50 million for local infrastructure near Cole Street and Bluelick Road. The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs. AEP Ohio is planning a new 345-kilovolt substation, the Lyka transmission station, and about four miles of transmission line between North Cole and North West streets, close to the data center, though it would not name the customer.

The air permit drew the loudest objections. The permit the Ohio EPA has since released calls for 115 diesel-fired generators and 36 cooling towers between North Cole Street and West Bluelick Road, and the agency says its modeling shows emissions "will not exceed any National Ambient Air Quality Standard." The draft version the agency took comments on in March also listed four emergency fire pumps and electrical generators and 113 fuel storage tanks. At a standing-room-only EPA hearing on March 11, residents objected that the application was heavily redacted. "The application for the permit is heavily redacted, and I don't think it's fair for the EPA to make a decision on a highly redacted application," said resident Jessica Cruikshank. Catherine Adams of the Buckeye Environmental Network said the area already has an 11% asthma rate against 8% statewide: "We already have the refinery, the ammonia plant and a bunch of chemical facilities." A Google spokesperson said the generators will run only in "rare cases of an emergency or during periodic testing."

Construction brought its own complaints. Ohio EPA inspectors visited the site over lime kiln dust used to stabilize wet soil blowing off the property, and the construction company added water trucks and wind monitoring after the agency asked it to contain the dust. American Township resident Charlene McCoy said the dust made her "sicker and sicker" and that she plans to sell her home: "It's life-changing. I'm tired." Google is paying for roundabouts on North Cole Street at state Route 115, Beery Road and Bluelick Road, and neighbors said they serve Google's construction traffic more than residents. "This is all about Google trying to address the traffic issue that Google is creating with construction," said David Streeter of Sugar Creek Township.

Water is handled through county agreements. A water ordinance for five million gallons a day was secured for the project in September 2025. In July 2026 Allen County commissioners signed off on an $8 million, Google-paid change to the $31 million sewer contract that splits up to 500,000 gallons a day of the center's wastewater between two county plants and sends any excess to the City of Lima's plant; Niemeyer said the county has promised Google 2.5 million gallons a day on its worst day. "We're not maxing ourselves out," Commissioner Cory Noonan said.

The remaining public decisions sit with the Allen County commissioners, who control the sewer and road contracts, and AEP Ohio's routing of the new transmission line.