Withdrawn / Denied

Pennhurst Data Center Campus

East Vincent Township, Chester County

A project of roughly 2,500,000 square feet that was planned for East Vincent Township, Chester County, and it is no longer proceeding in its original form.

Withdrawn / DeniedBrownfieldSE

At a glance

The project by the numbers

StatusDenied

Footprint2,500,000 sq ft

Site123.07 acres

First announced2025-12

Target onlineTBD

Denied by East Vincent Township, Chester County

The number that mattersThe plans cover roughly 2,500,000 square feet of building.

Current stage: The municipality denied the application.
Decision body: East Vincent Township
Top issues: Residents and officials have focused on the sheer footprint of the buildings, what remains in the ground from the site's industrial past, water use, continuous mechanical noise, and emissions from backup generation.
Key opponents: Prevent East Vincent Data Center Development (2,600+ FB members; Joanna Tenney, John Binelli); East Vincent Township Advocacy (evtadvocacy.org); Spring City officials; Southeastern Veterans Center residents; Sen. Katie Muth (resident)
Key supporters: Developer cited ~1,000 construction / 250 permanent jobs and tax revenue

Sketch plan 2025; Planning Commission recommended denial Feb 2026; conditional-use hearings Apr 20 + May 21 2026; denied 5-0 May 21 2026; written decision within 45 days; appeal expected.

What is at stake

Documented community impacts

Environmental justice and site legacy

High

Proximity to Southeastern Veterans Center, homes, and the Schuylkill River cited; F&WW-led opposition culminated in 5-0 denial May 21 2026.

Food & Water Watch

Air quality

High

Proposed 550-MW gas-fired power plant + ~160 backup generators adjacent to the Southeastern Veterans Center and homes.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Community response

Who is organizing against it

Prevent East Vincent Data Center Development

Single-project · Founded 2025

Leaders: Joanna Tenney & husband (founders); John Binelli (admin)

Tactics: Facebook group (2,600+ members), rallies outside East Vincent Elementary, party-status applications at conditional-use hearings, coordination with neighboring Spring City officials

Primary opposition to Pennhurst data center (P036). Affiliated with East Vincent Township Advocacy (evtadvocacy.org). FB group grew to 2,600+ members.

Website · Facebook · Petition

Pennhurst-area residents (East Vincent Township)

Township · Founded 2025 · 12,000 signatures

Tactics: Petition drive exceeding 12,000 signatures, packed township meetings, opposition to a proposed data center zoning framework that would have eased approval

Local advocacy organizations rejected a proposed data center ordinance, which was dismissed before coming to a vote, keeping the project in the slower existing zoning process. State Sen. Katie Muth has been active for residents.

Timeline

How it has unfolded

2026-04-20Pennhurst conditional-use hearing begins (~60 residents party status)
2026-05-21East Vincent Twp DENIES Pennhurst conditional-use application 5-0 Food & Water Watch

Legal record

Filings and legal actions

2026-05-21
Conditional-use decision East Vincent Twp Board of Supervisors · (local)
Board denied conditional-use application 5-0 for the 1.9M sq ft (later amended +600k sq ft) project; followed Planning Commission's Feb 2026 recommendation against.
Pennhurst Holdings LLC vs East Vincent Twp · Denied 5-0
2026-05-22
Land-use appeal (planned) Chester County Court of Common Pleas · (Chester Co CCP)
Developer (attorney Matt McHugh) plans to appeal the 5-0 denial and argues the township is obligated to zone for data centers; additional validity challenges pending.
Pennhurst Holdings LLC vs East Vincent Twp · Announced (30-day window after written decision)

News

Coverage of this project

2026-05-XX Chestnut Hill LocalEast Vincent denies Pennhurst data center applicationSpecs: 550-MW gas plant, jobs, cooling
2026-05-XX VISTA.TodayEast Vincent Says No to Pennhurst Data Center, But the Fight May Not Be OverAppeal outlook
2026-05-22 Philadelphia InquirerOfficials deny controversial 1.9M sq ft data center proposed for Pennhurst site5-0 denial / appeal teed up
2026-05-22 Food & Water WatchEast Vincent Supervisors Unanimously Reject Data Center ProposalAdvocacy / denial
2026-05-22 WFMZ-TVEast Vincent rejects Pennhurst data center proposal; developer plans to take fight to courtResident profile (Tenney) / appeal
2026-04-21 Philadelphia InquirerFirst conditional hearing for proposed Pennhurst data center sees tensions run highParty-status hearing / unrest

Sources

Know your rights

In Pennsylvania, a data center on industrial land usually needs a special exception or conditional use, decided by a local Zoning Hearing Board after a public, quasi-judicial hearing. Neighbors can request party status, cross-examine witnesses, and build an evidentiary record. Municipalities can also write data-center ordinances with enforceable standards.

Know your rights →

Take action

Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and ask your municipality for a moratorium and a real ordinance.

How communities push back →