Mount Prospect trustees have approved annexation of nearly 14 acres of the United Airlines property at 1200 E. Algonquin Road, clearing the way for United to build a worldwide data centre in the village by the end of next year. Village staff negotiated with Chicago-based United to annex 13.6 acres on the western side of the company’s former headquarters site, presently in unincorporated in Cook County, said William Cooney, director of community development. With a few acres of United property already in the village, the site will become a consolidated 16.5 acre site for the proposed data centre and a warehouse.

The one-story data centre is to be built in two phases – the first phase of 173,000 sq ft will include 22,000 sq ft of office space and 151,000 sq ft of warehouse. A second phase will add another 113,000 s qft of warehouse space. Michael Landers, United’s director of design and construction, said he hopes to begin construction as soon as possible, aiming for completion
by the end of 2013. The project is expected to employ as many as 86 people, split over several shifts. The new data centre, combined with an existing underground data centre on United property east of the new project will handle all airline operations worldwide, Landers said.

Source: Trib Local