A major proposed AI data center project in Wayne County is advancing after the Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted 5–2 to grant preliminary site plan approval following a nearly five-hour public meeting last week.
The project — referred to as “Project Cannoli” — is planned for land north of I-94 between Haggerty Road and I-275. The overall property is listed at about 280 acres, with roughly 230 acres anticipated for development and the remaining area planned as open space.
Plans presented to the township call for three large data processing buildings, an administrative office building, a network service building, and a separate seven-acre electrical substation that would require its own approval.
Township documents estimate the full build-out could involve up to 1 gigawatt of electric demand — a level that would make it one of the most energy-intensive facilities in Wayne County. The project’s projected 1-gigawatt power demand is roughly equal to the amount of electricity used by about 800,000 homes. Daily water use is projected to range between 2 million and 3.6 million gallons, depending on cooling needs.
Developers have told township officials the project could become one of the largest taxpayers in Van Buren Township and potentially rank among the county’s top taxpayers even with abatements.
Residents raised concerns during the meeting about the project’s size, power demand and water use.
Officials said the site would connect to Great Lakes Water Authority transmission infrastructure rather than neighborhood water lines.
The proposal is expected to move next to the Van Buren Township Board for development agreement consideration before returning to the Planning Commission for final site plan approval. Additional coordination on electric service, water use and regulatory oversight would also be required.
If fully approved, construction is expected to take about two years.
