A Big-City Data Center Campus

Client & Context

A high-profile technology client selected downtown Atlanta for the development of a new, 91MW data center campus built on a former rail yard. Designed to support real-time data collection and high-speed connectivity, the three-building campus would serve as a critical component in a growing digital infrastructure network.

The owner specified an ambitious, innovative mechanical design — one that had not been executed at this scale before. Delivering that vision required a contractor with deep mission-critical experience and the ability to navigate complex systems, tight urban logistics and accelerated schedules.

The Challenge

Building a large-scale data center in the middle of downtown Atlanta brought challenges well beyond typical mission-critical construction. Limited site access, traffic constraints, difficult soil conditions and a restricted footprint placed enormous pressure on logistics and sequencing.

The project also incorporated an unproven mechanical design featuring micro-fin air-cooled chillers and a fusion-welded piping system. More than 10 miles of specialty piping would need to be installed and coordinated while staying on time and on budget.

Material lead times for the pipe selected for the project threatened to derail the schedule entirely — a risk that could not be absorbed given the client’s revenue commitments tied to the facility’s launch date. Every decision carried high-stakes consequences.

Our Approach

Corvant’s experience in the data center market proved instrumental throughout the project. From the earliest planning phases, the team worked closely with the general contractor and owner, using subject matter expertise and open communication to work through challenges and align realistic expectations with the complexities of the center’s design.

Months of BIM coordination and preconstruction planning allowed Corvant to integrate its prefabrication capabilities and commissioning team into the overall execution strategy. Weekly coordination meetings ensured every trade remained synchronized throughout construction.

When extended lead times threatened the schedule, Corvant adapted quickly, purchasing piping materials in bulk quantities to secure availability and maintain progress. That proactive decision eliminated a major risk and preserved the project’s aggressive timeline.

The Outcome

The project was delivered on time and within budget — an ambitious facility capable of generating revenue immediately upon startup, executed in a major city’s most constrained construction environment, without compromising schedule or quality. For Corvant, it was another proof point in a growing body of hyperscale data center construction work that few mechanical contractors can match.