Data Center Census Near me

Amazon Web Services Warrenton Data Center

Warrenton, Fauquier County, VADeveloper: Amazon (AWS)

Also known as Blackwell Road data center

ApprovedSpecial use permit approved 4-3 in February 2023; the 2023 lawsuit by Citizens for Fauquier County and residents remained unresolved as of July 2026
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

Amazon Data Services won a special use permit from the Warrenton Town Council in February 2023, by a 4-3 vote, for a 220,000-square-foot data center at Blackwell Road and Lee Highway on a 41.7-acre site AWS bought in 2021. Citizens for Fauquier County and 10 residents sued in Fauquier Circuit Court in 2023, alleging the council violated the town's zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan. That case was still awaiting a ruling as of July 2026.

Stated investment
$550 million
reported aim
Site size
41.7 acres

Key facts

Size & schedule

Site size41.7 acres [1]
Source excerpt
“AWS has bought a 41.7-acre plot of land in Warrenton, Fauquier County, for $39.7-million.”
Floor area220,000 sq ft [2]
Source excerpt
“a 220,000 square-foot (20,450 sqm) data center at the intersection of Blackwell Road and Lee Highway in Warrenton”
Stated investment$550 million [2]
reported aim
Source excerpt
“The company reportedly aims to invest around $550 million in the project.”

Local decisions & site

Deciding voteWarrenton Town Council approved special use permit 4-3 (February 2023) [2]
Source excerpt
“The Warrenton Town Council this week voted 4-3 to approve Amazon Data Services' request for a special-use permit”
ZoningSpecial use permit [3]
Source excerpt
“a 220,000 square foot (20,400 sq m) data center on its property, using a special-use permit”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Timeline

  1. AWS buys a 41.7-acre site on Blackwell Road for $39.7 million [1]

  2. Warrenton Town Council approves Amazon Data Services' special use permit 4-3 [2]

  3. Citizens for Fauquier County and 10 residents sue in Fauquier Circuit Court to stop the data center [3]

  4. Citizens for Fauquier County suffers a setback in court in its challenges to the data center [5]

Issues raised

  • Residents raised concerns about noise, property values, traffic, environmental impacts and possible new transmission lines [2]
  • Opponents argue the town zoning amendment allowing data centers is invalid [4]
  • The lawsuit alleges council members violated the town's zoning ordinance and Comprehensive Plan when they approved the plan [3]

Sources

  1. AWS pays $40 million for 42 acre plot in Warrenton, Northern Virginia
    Data Center Dynamics · Sep 28, 2021 · news
  2. Amazon granted permit for Warrenton data center in Fauquier County, Virginia
    Data Center Dynamics · Feb 16, 2023 · news
  3. Local activists file lawsuit to stop Amazon data center in Warrenton, Northern Virginia
    Data Center Dynamics · Mar 31, 2023 · news
  4. Citizens group, Town of Warrenton head to court over Amazon data center — again
    Prince William Times · Jun 26, 2024 · news
  5. Judge denies citizen group's request to join data center lawsuit
    Fauquier Times · Jul 30, 2026 · news