Quantm Group data center (2401 W. Emaus Ave., Allentown)
Quantm Group wants to turn an empty warehouse on Allentown's South Side into an 'edge' data center of almost 250,000 square feet. Neighbors pushed back, and the developer said it would revise and refile its plans.
Where things stand: Developer planned to refile and return to the city planning commission Sept. 8, 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 2026): The Lehigh County Authority, which runs Allentown's public water, said a data center will not come to Allentown unless the authority can supply the water. It said its system moves about 26 million gallons a day, about half of its 1960s-70s level, and that some existing businesses already use 1 to 2 million gallons a day, more than a proposed data center would. The authority was in a drought warning at the time.
What we know
- 📍 WhereEmpty warehouse at 2401 W. Emaus Ave., South Side (13.7-acre lot), Allentown, Lehigh County
- 🏢 CompanyQuantm Group LLC
- 🌳 Size14 acres
- 💧 WaterLehigh County Authority (Allentown public water), if the authority agrees to serve it
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- How many megawatts would it use? (A tracker lists 80 MW.) 🙋 I'll find out
- What cooling and backup generators are planned? 🙋 I'll find out
- When will the planning commission vote? 🙋 I'll find out
- Has the Lehigh County Authority given this data center a will-serve letter, and for how many gallons a day? 🙋 I'll find out
🔎 What we checked
- Oct 6, 2026: We checked the Delaware River Basin Commission's (DRBC) list of pending applications (August 2026): there is no application for this data center. DRBC said in November 2025 it had not received any data center applications. A data center needs its own DRBC approval only if it takes more than 100,000 gallons a day from its own wells or streams, or discharges more than 50,000 gallons a day (lower limits in some protected areas). Buying water from a water company does not need a separate DRBC approval.
What happened so far
- May 2026Plans submitted to convert a warehouse into a data center of almost 250,000 sq ft.
- July 16, 2026Packed evening planning commission meeting; developer said it would withdraw and refile.
- Sept 2026The Lehigh County Authority, which runs Allentown's public water, said a data center will not come to Allentown unless the authority can supply the water. It said its system moves about 26 million gallons a day, about half of its 1960s-70s level, and that some existing businesses already use 1 to 2 million gallons a day, more than a proposed data center would. The authority was in a drought warning at the time.
Local votes and rules
📜 Data center rules
Allentown City Council introduced a bill that would allow data centers only in industrial zones.
Drag the slider to compare the land before and now.
Where this comes from
- Neighbors push back on Allentown data center plan, developer to refile · Lehigh Valley Public Media · July 17, 2026
- What the latest planning reviews say about data center proposals in Allentown, Bethlehem · lehighvalleylive.com (via Yahoo News) · Sept 23, 2026
- PA DEP Data Center Permit Tracker · Pennsylvania DEP · Oct 6, 2026
- Revised plans for Allentown data center to be scrutinized; what's changed? · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sept 2026
- Data centers coming to Allentown? LCA says there's plenty of water — but it's not infinite · WFMZ-TV 69 News · Sept 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions: Data Centers · Delaware River Basin Commission · Nov 24, 2025
- DRBC Project Review: Pending Project Status (August 2026) · Delaware River Basin Commission · Aug 2026
- 100MW data center proposed in Allentown, Pennsylvania · DatacenterDynamics · Aug 20, 2026
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