As the demand for information technology has exploded, so, too, has the need for data centers housing servers, storage devices and networking gear. And though the financial crisis and ensuing credit crunch severely constrained data center construction with many projects put on hold or canceled, the sector is still seeing plenty of activity and is expected to surge as the recovery gains strength.
Despite the slowdown, 2 million-sq.-ft. of data center development is underway in New Jersey, says Michael Pembroke, senior vice president at Hackensack, New Jersey-based Russo Development, a developer with 1.8 million-sq.-ft. of leased data center space in northern New Jersey. “The market is weak but there is still a lot of activity.”