Prologis, an industrial and real estate heavyweight, is pushing through with plans for a large-scale campus in Shelbyville, in central Illinois. This marks yet another step in the company’s aggressive expansion into digital infrastructure and setting the stage for a high-profile local debate. The proposed development would rise in Shelbyville, the county seat of Shelby County, where Prologis and affiliated entities are seeking to assemble and rezone hundreds of acres for industrial use. While city leaders view the project as a long-term economic opportunity, some residents are voicing concerns about its impact on the community’s character, environment, and quality of life.
A Campus Scale Proposal
According to planning documents filed with the city, Lorm LLC and Alisha Clay, entities associated with the project, are requesting the annexation of more than a dozen parcels totaling approximately 429 acres. These parcels sit off East State Road 44, east of the interchange with Interstate 74. When combined with land already annexed into Shelbyville, the total project footprint would reach about 576 acres.
The land is currently zoned for agricultural and single-family residential uses. The proposal would bring it into the city limits and rezone it as General Industrial, clearing the way for a data center campus that could eventually include up to 13 buildings. Prologis has not yet announced a tenant or end user for the site, underscoring the project’s early-stage nature.
Shelbyville’s location is a major factor in the site’s appeal. The city lies roughly 200 miles south of Chicago, about 100 miles northeast of St. Louis, and approximately 150 miles west of Indianapolis. That positioning offers access to multiple Midwestern markets while avoiding the land costs and congestion of larger metropolitan areas.
Infrastructure Advantages
City staff have recommended approval of the annexation and rezoning requests, citing the site’s suitability for industrial development. Planning documents point to existing infrastructure as a major advantage, particularly electrical capacity.
Two high-voltage transmission lines operated by Duke Energy cross the property, a critical asset for data center projects, which require massive and reliable power supplies. Access to this infrastructure could shorten development timelines and reduce upfront costs, making Shelbyville competitive with more established data center markets.
Prologis has also indicated that the campus would incorporate closed-loop cooling systems designed to minimize water consumption. As data centers increasingly face scrutiny over environmental impacts, especially water and energy use, such design elements are becoming essential to gaining regulatory and community support.
Local Officials Back the Plan
Shelbyville Mayor Scott Furgeson has said the proposal aligns with the city’s long-term development strategy. In statements reported by local media, he emphasized that the city is focused on growth that is deliberate and sustainable, rather than rapid expansion that could strain local resources.
Prologis executives have echoed that sentiment. JC Witt, senior vice president of data center investments at the company, said Shelbyville represents an opportunity to leverage existing industrial land and infrastructure to support the digital economy.
“We see an opportunity to use existing industrial land and infrastructure to support Shelbyville’s future, including the digital infrastructure that communities and businesses increasingly rely on,” Witt said in comments reported by local outlets. He added that job creation and long-term partnership with the community are central to the company’s approach.
While data centers typically employ fewer workers than traditional manufacturing facilities, supporters argue they can still deliver meaningful benefits through construction jobs, ongoing technical positions, and a stronger commercial tax base.
Community Opposition Emerges
Despite support from city leadership, the proposal has sparked organized resistance among residents. More than 2,100 people have signed an online petition opposing the development, arguing that it prioritizes economic considerations over the health, safety, and identity of the community.
The petition contends that converting large areas of land to industrial use could permanently alter Shelbyville’s character. Critics have raised concerns about potential noise, traffic, visual impact, and environmental risks, even as developers highlight modern design standards meant to address those issues.
Opponents also worry about setting a precedent for future industrial projects, particularly if the data center campus opens the door to further large-scale development in areas currently used for farming or housing.
Public input is expected to be a focal point as the Shelbyville Plan Commission and City Council review the annexation and rezoning requests at upcoming meetings.
Part of a National Expansion Strategy
The Illinois proposal fits squarely within Prologis’ broader strategy to become a major player in the data center sector. Long known for its dominance in warehouses and logistics facilities, the company has been steadily pivoting toward digital infrastructure as demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data storage accelerates.
Prologis has disclosed that it currently has about 1.4 gigawatts of secured power capacity for data centers in its development pipeline, with another 1.6 gigawatts in advanced stages of procurement. An additional 1.5 gigawatts is in planning, and the company has set a long-term goal of developing up to 10 gigawatts of data center capacity over the next decade.
In Illinois, Shelbyville is not the only target. Prologis has also been pursuing a potential 540-acre data center campus in Yorkville that could ultimately accommodate as many as 24 buildings. Nationally, the firm has current or planned projects in Virginia, Georgia, California, and Texas, along with an international development in Paris. It recently acquired land near Cincinnati, Ohio, for another possible campus, though it has also confirmed that a previously discussed project in Indiana will not move forward.
A Decision With Lasting Impact
As Shelbyville considers the proposed data center campus, the discussion mirrors debates unfolding in communities across the country. Data centers promise investment, infrastructure upgrades, and relevance in a technology-driven economy, but they also raise questions about land use, environmental stewardship, and community identity.
For Prologis, the project represents another step in reshaping its portfolio for the digital age. For Shelbyville, the decision could influence growth patterns, public perception, and economic opportunities for decades. How the city balances those competing priorities will determine whether the project moves from proposal to reality.
