HydraVault Secures Construction Permit for Downtown Chicago's First Purpose-Built AI Facility; Power Construction to Commence Work Immediately

Early User Access Available in December 2026

CHICAGO, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- HydraVault announces that it has secured a construction permit allowing Power Construction Company to commence construction immediately on downtown Chicago's first purpose-built next-generation data center. The Gensler-designed facility is engineered specifically for high-performance computing, including AI inferencing, large-scale model training, and ultra-low latency financial trading. Early user access is expected in December 2026.

The project brings next-generation infrastructure to one of the world's most interconnected markets. The facility aligns with Tier 3 specifications and will offer 200kW per rack density. It is capable of accommodating the most powerful Vera Rubin AI servers. HydraVault's downtown Chicago data center has 20MW of facility power, providing a significant new block of AI-enabled white space that is currently not available in the market.

"We're now ready to begin construction work on this AI factory built for the future," said Scott D. Greenberg, Founder of HydraVault. "Our remarkable downtown Chicago location is adjacent to a dense and diverse fiber network that enables the lowest possible latency to 350 Cermak combined with superior, energy efficient design. The data center's features are a strategic differentiator to firms in AI, machine learning, and financial services in the Chicago area."

The facility is expected to be among the most energy efficient data centers globally by implementing a closed-loop waterless cooling system. The design achieves an estimated annual Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.19, providing a dual advantage for organizations focused on both maximizing performance and sustainability.

These efficiencies are due in large part to HydraVault's collaboration with industry-leading partners in development, design, engineering, and execution, including Gensler, Syska Hennessy Group, Power Construction, Verity Commercial, and CardiffPoint.

"This approach to engineering results in more AI power in every square foot, yet it also cuts energy use and emissions," said Matthew Kaleta, PE, Associate Partner at Syska Hennessy, which was crucial in developing the core performance and sustainability features. "It's how we help HydraVault position Chicago's innovators to train bigger models through a faster, and greener, process than ever before."

Architecture and design firm Gensler envisioned the facility's complex integration into an existing downtown environment, successfully transforming the structure to house a state-of-the-art data center.

Jackson Metcalf, Principal and Global Critical Facilities Practice Leader at Gensler, added: "We are proud to partner with HydraVault to bring its purpose-built data center to life in the heart of Chicago. This project showcases the power of architectural repositioning in an urban context, while delivering bleeding-edge data center performance. Leveraging our deep technical expertise, we worked closely with HydraVault to design a facility that meets the demands of next-generation data centers, setting a new standard for innovation and sustainability."

Power Construction, a Chicago-based general contractor, brings the necessary experience for complex technical projects and a commitment to community engagement throughout the construction phase.

"We're excited to partner with HydraVault, working in close coordination with Alderman Pat Dowell's office to ensure members of the community have a positive experience with few disruptions, throughout the planning and implementation phases," said Matthew O'Hare, Managing Director of Power Construction's Data Structures Group. "This project marks a significant step in bringing purpose-built AI infrastructure to life in the City, leveraging state-of-the-art construction techniques and the expertise of Chicago's union trade organizations."

To learn more about HydraVault, visit www.hydravault.com.

About HydraVault

HydraVault is Chicago's first purpose-built data center designed for the demands of training, inferencing, financial services, and pharmaceutical and medical research. Located at 2538 South Wabash Avenue in direct proximity to the City's primary fiber interconnects and with latency clocked in milliseconds to 350 East Cermak and other key exchange points, HydraVault redefines high performance infrastructure for next generation workloads.

Media Contact:
JSA for HydraVault
1-866-695-3629 ext. 4
jsa_hydravault@jsa.net

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SOURCE HydraVault