The mid-west region of the U.S., and specifically the Chicago metro area and Northwest Indiana, is experiencing a surge in demand for cost-effective data center space. Fortunately, favorable economic conditions, tax structures and business incentives have emerged in the region to encourage new facility development.

Peter Feldman, a longtime New York-based data industry veteran, for instance, recently made headlines when he announced two new Midwest data center projects with the majority acquisition of Indiana NAP, LLC (INAP).

INAP’s initial project is a 100,000-square-foot, 10MW data center facility on the border of Indiana and Illinois, in proximity to downtown Chicago, with a dark fiber network connecting Hammond, Indiana to Chicago.  The Indiana data center campus is expected to expand to at least 500,000 square feet and 50-plus MW.  Also in development is a second data center project, closer to downtown Chicago.

Mr. Feldman will serve as INAP’s Chief Executive Officer. Moving forward, Feldman will manage all aspects of the company’s planning strategy, operations, development and expansion.  Before joining INAP, Mr. Feldman served as founder and Chief Executive Officer of DataGryd Data Centers, LLC in New York.

Feldman brings to the table more than 30 years of experience in data center operations, management, design and development. He has also been a long time advocate of energy-efficient technologies and innovative colocation.  Before DataGryd, Mr. Feldman held Founder, President, CEO and Chief Technology Officer roles at many successful startups, including the Telx Group, Inc., (now Digital Realty Trust).

“The Chicago metropolitan area as well as Northwest Indiana are rapidly expanding markets with a growing need for highly connected, efficient and cost-effective data center space,” stated Mr. Feldman.  “These mounting needs, coupled with the markets’ favorable business and economic climates, as well as the support and leadership of state and local government evidenced through favorable tax structures and business incentives, have enabled us to provide a world-class data center solution in Hammond to augment Chicago’s Western suburbs and downtown market.  Additionally, the facilities’ proximity to Chicago and access to space and power provide INAP customers a great advantage.”

For more information about Indiana NAP, email INAPDC@imillerpr.com.