Powder Mills Data Center Campus (Stonebridge Associates / S.S. Penn, former Powder Mill Works property, North Beaver and Mahoning townships)

Maryland developer's 16-building campus on old Lawrence County dynamite plant tied up in zoning appeals

Developer

Stonebridge Associates Inc. (Bethesda, Maryland) and its affiliate S.S. Penn, LLC; the land is owned by Powder Mill Works, LLC

Tenant

No tenant or operator named

Current stage

The townships rejected Stonebridge's June 2 and June 9 applications over fee errors and treated the accepted June 15 application under amended, stricter rules that make data centers a conditional use. North Beaver's and Mahoning's zoning hearing boards both denied the company's appeals, Mahoning's on September 15, 2026. A county judge dismissed the company's lawsuit against both townships in July, and that dismissal is on appeal to Commonwealth Court.

Decision body

Mahoning Township Board of Supervisors and North Beaver Township supervisors (land development and conditional use); each township's zoning hearing board; Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas and Commonwealth Court on appeal

Top issues

Which ordinance applies (April rules or the stricter June amendment), fee and escrow errors in the applications, contamination at a former explosives plant, power and transmission upgrades, water, noise, and community transparency

Key opponents

Mahoning Township and North Beaver Township, represented by solicitor Lou Perrotta, are contesting the company's appeals. An informal citizens group was reported by WFMJ but not named.

Key supporters

Stonebridge Associates and S.S. Penn, LLC

• 2026-04-14Supervisors passed the township's first data center ordinance. WFMJ
• 2026-05-12WFMJ reported that supervisors made the ordinance more specific on space, noise and utility use. WFMJ
• 2026-06-02The company filed its first data center application, which the zoning office rejected because the fee check was wrong and the $3,000 escrow deposit was missing. New Castle News
• 2026-06-04The zoning officer issued the June 4 zoning letter on S.S. Penn's preliminary land development plan that the company later appealed. Mahoning Township
• 2026-06-09A second application was filed and also deemed incorrect, partly because the check listed the wrong address. New Castle News
• 2026-06-09Supervisors said the land development application had twice been deemed incomplete and returned for incorrect fees, and scheduled June 24 public hearings on data center, power plant and battery storage ordinances. Mahoning Township
• 2026-06-15A third application was accepted, after supervisors had amended the ordinance to make data centers a conditional use with stricter conditions. New Castle News
• 2026-07-14Supervisors voted unanimously to contest the preliminary land development appeal in county court and S.S. Penn's zoning hearing board appeal. Mahoning Township
• 2026-07-20WFMJ reported Stonebridge is suing North Beaver and Mahoning townships, arguing zoning rules adopted after it submitted plans shouldn't apply. WFMJ
• 2026-07-20Principal Douglas Firstenberg presented a 10 to 16 building plan at a public meeting in New Castle, where residents voiced opposition. WFMJ
• 2026-08-05WKBN reported on North Beaver's zoning hearing over whether the application was filed on time with the right fees; the board said it would decide within 45 days. WKBN
• 2026-09-03The township posted notice of a September 15 zoning hearing board meeting to decide S.S. Penn's appeal. Mahoning Township
• 2026-09-15The zoning hearing board voted 2 to 0 to deny the appeal by Stonebridge Associates and S.S. Penn, LLC. New Castle News

• Lawsuit / land use appeal against both townships Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas · n/a

  The company argues zoning restrictions adopted after it submitted plans shouldn't apply to its project. Mahoning supervisors voted July 14 to contest the preliminary land development appeal in county court.

  Stonebridge Associates Inc. (and affiliate S.S. Penn, LLC) v. North Beaver Township and Mahoning Township · Dismissed in July 2026 by Judge Bradley G. Olson Jr.; appealed to Commonwealth Court
• Appeal of Common Pleas dismissal Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania · n/a

  The company appealed Judge Olson's July dismissal of its lawsuit to Commonwealth Court.

  Stonebridge Associates Inc. / S.S. Penn, LLC v. North Beaver Township and Mahoning Township · Pending as of September 17, 2026 reporting
• Zoning hearing board appeal Mahoning Township Zoning Hearing Board · n/a

  Appeal of the June 4, 2026 zoning letter on S.S. Penn's preliminary land development plan for property owned by Powder Mill Works, LLC. The board found the June 2 and June 9 applications incomplete. The company could appeal to county court within 30 days.

  S.S. Penn, LLC and Stonebridge Associates Inc. v. Mahoning Township Zoning Officer · Denied 2 to 0 on September 15, 2026
• Zoning hearing board appeal North Beaver Township Zoning Hearing Board · n/a

  Appeal of the zoning officer's rejection of the application over a missing $3,000 county escrow fee; a hearing was reported August 5, 2026, and the New Castle News later reported the board rejected the appeals.

  Stonebridge Associates / S.S. Penn, LLC v. North Beaver Township Zoning Officer · Rejected (date not reported)

• 2026-09-17 New Castle NewsMahoning zoning board denies data center application appealMahoning's zoning board follows North Beaver in rejecting the company's appeal, with the 569-acre, 16-building plan and the court history laid out.
• 2026-08-05 WKBNZoning hearing addresses data center application in Lawrence CountyNorth Beaver's zoning board hears whether Stonebridge's application was complete and on time.
• 2026-07-20 WFMJLawsuit tests zoning rules for proposed data center in Lawrence CountyStonebridge sues both townships over which zoning rules apply, and the township solicitor explains the pending ordinance doctrine.
• 2026-07-20 WFMJPennsylvania residents voice frustration over data center proposal in Beaver, Mahoning TownshipsResidents push back at Stonebridge's first public presentation, where it promised thousands of construction jobs.
• 2026-07-16 New Castle NewsAttorney to file motions against data center lawsuitsSolicitor Louis M. Perrotta planned motions to quash S.S. Penn LLC's suits against North Beaver and Mahoning townships, which challenge the timing of the townships' data center zoning amendments.
• 2026-05-12 WFMJMahoning Township leaders amend data center ordinance to be more specificSupervisors tightened the April ordinance's language before any proposal was public.
• New Castle NewsStonebridge presents data center plans, detailsListed in DEP's July 8, 2026 news clips; we couldn't open the article itself, so its date and contents aren't confirmed.