Where Secaucus' 2 Newest Data Centers Will Go, Will Bring Town's Total To 11

SECAUCUS, NJ — Two new data centers are coming to Secaucus. They are:

215 County Avenue, as previously reported. This is a large building next to Shetik youth soccer fields. This will be CoreSite's second data center in Secaucus as they already have a very big existing data center off Enterprise Avenue, behind a furniture warehouse.

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275 Hartz Way. The old Burlington Coat Factory store where a new Equinix data center is under construction. This construction site is where 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled out of Equinix generators on Sept. 11, and spilled into Sack Creek. Equinix already operates several data centers in town, all in that same area.

The Secaucus Zoning Board already approved these two new data centers to open.

Data centers are opening in parts of town that are zoned by the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority (NJSEA) for light industrial use, says the town.

Hence, the town cannot deny them, say Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli, town administrator Gary Jeffas and Construction Official Carl Leppin.

In 2015, the town of Secaucus opted out of NJSEA review of certain types of land-use applications.

But Gonnelli says it's very difficult, possibly illegal, for the town of Secaucus to deny a data center from opening on land that's zoned for them.

"When you opt out, you do not opt out of the NJEA zoning regulations," Jeffas said at minute 30:55 of Tuesday night's Council meeting, where data centers dominated the public discussion. "Opting out means that all their regulations apply. We cannot opt out of any of their zoning and Master Plan regulations. Opting out means it comes back to our departments to process the application, to issue zoning permits and it would go before our Zoning Board."

"If their regulation allows a data center, we cannot not allow a data center," said Jeffas.

"We have to follow their zoning. If a data center is allowed, it's allowed. There's nothing I can do to stop it," said Gonnelli.

If the data center needs minor site variances, such as additional parking or outdoor lighting, then they make that request before the Secaucus Zoning Board of Adjustment. Both of these data centers did that, and both were already approved, Jeffas said Thursday.

215 County Avenue asked for three minor site variances, including adding outdoor lighting. The Secaucus Zoning Board granted those variances.

And 275 Hartz Way also requested three minor variances, which the town Zoning Board also granted.

Construction has not started yet on these two new data centers. They will likely open in late 2027 or even 2028.

Will bring total number of Secaucus data centers to 11

Once these two latest data centers open, that will bring the total number of data centers in Secaucus to 11. The town is less than 6 square miles.

Gonnelli previously praised having so many data centers in town for the tax rateables they pay. But there has been a lot of public outcry about how all these data centers came to exist in Secaucus. Equinix's Sept. 11 fuel spill only ignited the simmering public fury against data centers.

Gonnelli and Jeffas both maintain there are no AI data centers in Secaucus. The town describes AI data centers as massive, million-square-foot buildings that use 100-1,000 megawatts of electricity and are used for machine learning and generative AI. Gonnelli and Jeffas said those types of hyper-scale data centers do not exist in Secaucus.

But resident Kathy McFarlande, who spoke against data centers Tuesday night, said she's researched and CoreSite is adding a water cooling system that's designed for AI. And Equinix is upgrading their facility for AI capability.

"Why would the centers spend the money to accommodate AI workloads if they didn't plan to use them?" she asked, to claps from the audience.

"We are gonna pass some new ordinances to strengthen our position on data centers," said Gonnelli. "I'm not going to allow AI data centers to come into Secaucus."

Mori Tract will not become a data center, Gonnelli says

Gonnelli said 100 Paterson Plank Road, or what he and locals refer to as "the Mori tract," will not become a data center.

100 Paterson Plank Road is a very large, empty piece of land on the Secaucus-Jersey City border. It's owned by Hartz Mountain developers. Even though Hartz has a sign out front saying the building is zoned for data center use, Gonnelli and Leppin say it will not become the town's 12th data center.

Gonnelli said the tenant opening there already submitted their plans for the site to the town, and the plans show it will become a warehouse distribution center, with truck bays.

Also, the town of Secaucus formed a committee made up of Gonnelli, Jeffas, Leppin, town attorney Julia Peschetti, resident Richie Steffens and others. This committee will meet with PSE&G, Veolia water company, CoreSite, Equinix and possibly other data centers in town on Oct. 12 or 13 to collect information about data centers' electricity and water use.

Gonnelli said he also wants to meet with Secaucus' Congresswoman, Nellie Pou, to discuss data centers and he wants to meet with the NJSEA.

Gonnelli said that for Secaucus to change NJSEA zoning, the town has to get together with all 14 towns in the Meadowlands district and petition the NJSEA.

"If we want to change the regulations we have to get together as a group, all 14 towns, and get them to listen to us. And it's gonna be very very difficult to do," said Gonnelli.

Woman Curses Data Center Spokeswoman At Volatile Secaucus Council Meeting (Wednesday)

Prior on the Mori Tract (Feb. 2026)