BLAKELY, Pa. — It was standing room only in the Blakely Borough building Wednesday night as residents gathered to learn more — and speak out — about a proposed large-scale data center project in Lackawanna County.
The meeting, held a full half-hour after the seats had already filled, drew such a crowd that dozens spilled into the parking lot. Inside, developers Jim Marzolino and Alpesh Patel outlined their plan to rezone 209 acres near Terrace Drive and Business Route 6 to build a four-building data campus. Each building would stand about 70 feet tall and cover roughly 150,000 square feet.
The session was designed as a question-and-answer forum, giving residents the opportunity to address concerns ranging from environmental impacts and traffic to property values and infrastructure needs.
“This is a big change for our community,” one resident said after the meeting. “We want answers before any decisions are made.”
The proposed rezoning is the next major hurdle for the project. A formal hearing is scheduled for August 26 at Sacred Heart Church in Peckville, where local officials will decide whether to approve or reject the zoning change.