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Digital Core REIT to sell stakes in three US data centers back to Digital Realty, buys stake in two facilities in Asia. REIT sells stakes for $316 million, buys stakes for $176 million August 12, 2026 Digital Core REIT is selling its stake in several US data centers back to Digital Realty, and buying a stake in two more in Asia from the operator. The company, a pure-play data center REIT listed in Singapore and sponsored by Digital Realty, announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell interests in three North American assets back to Digital Realty. The firm will, in turn, use the proceeds to acquire partial interests in a data center in Singapore, up its stake in a data center in Osaka, pay down debt, and repurchase units on the open market. The deal would see Digital Core REIT enter the Singaporean market for the first time. The transaction would see Digital Core REIT sell its 90 percent interest in 371 Gough in Toronto for CA$180 million (US$127 million), sell its 90 percent interest in 200 N. Nash in Los Angeles for US$79 million; and the sale of a 39 percent interest in 8217 Linton Hall in Northern Virginia for US$110m. In return, Digital Core REIT has agreed to acquire a 2.5 percent interest in 11 Loyang Close in Singapore from Digital Realty for S$87m (US$68m) and acquire an additional 25 percent interest in Digital Osaka 3 from Digital Realty for ¥17.6 billion ($108m), increasing its ownership stake to 45 percent. The sales are expected to generate gross proceeds of approximately $316m. The purchases are expected to represent a total investment of approximately $176m. Around $117m of the $140m in net proceeds will be used to pay down debt, and up to $20m to repurchase units on the open market. "With this transaction, we expect to tactically enhance Digital Core REIT's portfolio mix, leverage and distribution per unit, in an effort to better position the REIT for the unprecedented opportunity we see ahead," said Digital Realty chief investment officer, Gregory S. Wright. "Digital Core REIT was formed to capitalize on the enormous growth potential within the data center sector, which is now materializing in the midst of the sector's ongoing investment cycle. John J. Stewart, CEO of Digital Core REIT Management Pte. Ltd., the manager of Digital Core REIT, added: "This transaction marks our entry into Singapore and strengthens our presence in Japan - a pivotal step in our strategy to expand in the Asia Pacific region. This multi-faceted transaction reflects our Sponsor's firm commitment to Digital Core REIT's near- and long-term success and our own commitment to creating durable value for unitholders." Singapore-listed Digital Core REIT was set up by Digital Realty in 2021 to hold a number of its stabilized data centers. The company was seeded with a portfolio of ten data centers from Digital Realty across the US and Canada in Northern Virginia, Northern California, Los Angeles, and Toronto, totaling more than 1.2 million sq ft (111,484 sqm) and 49MW. Located in Bristow, Virginia, the single-story 8217 Linton Hall Road facility was built in 2001 and totals 9MW across 207,000 sq ft (19,230 sqm). Previously occupied by a "Fortune 50 software company" from 2005 to the end of this year, Digital Core REIT recently secured a 10-year agreement with an unnamed "investment grade global cloud service provider" for the whole facility. The Linton Hall Road facility was acquired by Digital Realty in 2017 when it bought DuPont Fabros Technology. Previous reports suggest the site had been leased to Microsoft. The data center at 371 Gough Road in Toronto, Ontario, totals 120,040 sq ft (11,152 sqm) and 6.75 MW. Set on 7.6-acres, the multi-tenant site was built in 1980 and renovated into a data center in 2015. Digital Realty operates the single-story site as its YYZ10 data center. Meanwhile, 200 North Nash Street in El Segundo, California; 113,606 sq ft (10,554 sqm). Built in 1976 and sitting on 4 acres, Digital operates it as its LAX11 facility. The two-story site was previously set to be leased to Cyxtera until 2033, but the lease ended early after Cyxtera's bankruptcy and sale to Brookfield. First announced in 2019, Digital Realty launched its SIN12 facility at 11 Loyang Close in 2021. The five-story facility totals 50MW across 365,000 sq ft (33,910 sqm). According to Digital Core REIT, the site is 94 percent occupied. Digital Core REIT first took a 20 percent interest in Digital Osaka 3 (aka KIX12) from Mitsubishi Corporation last year. The facility was completed in July 2021. It offers 19.9MW of IT load across 193,535 sq ft and is fully leased. More in investment / M&A / financing.

Charlotte data center expansion involves millions for power source by the airport. August 6, 2026 5:16 AM Gift Article A data center developer is continuing its expansion in Charlotte. The next step: helping Duke Energy build a multimillion-dollar substation near the airport to power the data center. Digital Realty Trust is in the process of building one of North Carolina's largest data centers off of Moores Chapel Road in southwest Charlotte. Once complete, the 156-acre site will host two buildings equaling 3-million-square-feet that could support up to 400 megawatts of IT capacity. For reference, that's 400,000 kilowatts; the average home uses 30 kilowatts a day. To power the center, the Austin, Texas-based developer is footing the bill for a substation on about 10 acres, according to Mecklenburg County and city permit records. A substation converts high-voltage electricity to lower voltages for distribution to homes and businesses. The substation would be about four miles west of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The substation will be owned, constructed and operated by Duke Energy, according to a Digital Realty spokesman. But the developer will pay for the energy infrastructure costs related to the substation and the data center. It's unclear how much the substation will cost, but permit records indicate Digital Realty is spending upwards of $53.5 million on the structure. Nearby residents won't be affected by the substation in terms of cost or service, according to both Digital Realty and Duke Energy. About Digital Realty and data centers. Digital Realty is a major data center builder with over 300 centers in more than 25 countries. It has owned and operated data centers in Charlotte for about 20 years. That includes projects in uptown Charlotte at 731 E. Trade St.; 113 North Myers St.; 125 North Myers St.; and 725 Trade St., the Court Arcade building. Now, the developer is expanding. That's happening even as Charlotte enters its third month of a 150-day moratorium on data center development and rezoning. And as nearby cities such as Waxhaw consider putting data center construction on hold. Digital Realty's projects were in the work before Charlotte's moratorium began. The new data center project by the airport received rezoning approval last year. And Digital Realty is expanding its existing operations in uptown at the Trade Street location. Last October, Digital Realty filed a land development construction plan for the Court Arcade building that called for a new four-story data center with a mechanical yard for supporting electrical equipment and a truck delivery driveway off East Fifth Street. It will be a 12-megawatt data center, which is equivalent to what could power about 10,000 U.S. homes annually, according to Congressional Research Service. In July, the developer requested a permit to demolish the 100-year-old building, including its historic facade. Duke Energy and data center power. Data centers are heightening electricity demand, Duke Energy said in a February earnings report. But the utility added that it is committed to protecting existing customers from new load-related costs. Since November, Duke Energy has signed energy services agreements for an additional 1.5 gigawatts of new data centers, including customers like Microsoft and Compass, the utility said in February. In total, Duke Energy is providing centers with 4.5 gigawatts. Duke Energy added that its contracts with data centers will bring at least $3.6 billion in long-term bill relief for customers over a 15-year period starting in 2029. Politics & Government August 4, 2026 5:00 AM July 13, 2026 5:17 AM The Charlotte Observer Desiree Mathurin covers growth and development for The Charlotte Observer. The native New Yorker returned to the East Coast after covering neighborhood news in Denver at Denverite and Colorado Public Radio. She's also reported on high school sports at Newsday and southern-regional news for AP. Desiree is exploring Charlotte and the Carolinas, and is looking forward to taking readers along for the ride. Send tips and coffee shop recommendations.

Richmond County residents request respite from data center development. Posted Wednesday, August 5, 2026 5:41 pm William R. Toler ROCKINGHAM - Residents packed the courtroom Tuesday evening to ask the Richmond County Board of Commissioners to prohibit the development of any more data centers. The public seating area, which is usually sparse, was overflowing with some attendees sitting in the jury box and others on the floor. Prior to the public comment period - which was moved to earlier in the meeting - the board amended the agenda to remove the closed session. Chairman Jeff Smart also explained that the board had decided to extend individual speaking times to four minutes each. The maximum time allotted for the public forum is established as 30 minutes, Smart said. But with so many signed up, that would have only allowed two minutes each. One of the speakers was November Coffey, who has created an online petition at change.org calling for a 12-month moratorium on data center development - not including the Amazon project currently under construction. "I feel like... we have a pretty unique opportunity right here to make some good decisions," Coffey said. "Other places have to go look at other towns and counties and states to see how it's going there. "We've got the Amazon data center right here in our yard, so let's see how that goes before we... allow any other development," Coffey continued. "If that goes well, fire it up, let's have another one. But let's get there first." The first speaker was Suzzette Baker, who said there was a coalition of county residents who "are deeply concerned about our future and the future of our land." Suzzette Baker addresses the Richmond County Board of Commissioners with concerns about data centers. Baker chided the lack of transparency "due to the (non-disclosure agreements) that have been signed in secret, keeping the public in the dark." She also mentioned the land on County Home Road recently purchased by a data center company, Digital Realty. "Nobody is happy about this right now," she said, referencing the crowd that turned out last week to oppose air quality permits for the Amazon project. "Each of you county commissioners are elected positions and this is an election year, and we are looking forward to seeing how you're going to react and how you're going to be going forward with a lot of this," Baker added. "Richmond Observer would like to see an immediate emergency moratorium on all data centers and site approvals... and please pause this expansion tonight. Baker also called on commissioners to "draft common-sense ordinances." The second speaker, Russ Fincham, said that the incentive package for "Blue Marlin" - later revealed to be Amazon - "wasn't done properly." Russ Fincham talks about the lack of transparency regarding the Amazon data center project. Fincham said that someone "at the courthouse" had posted to Facebook that the public hearing for that package had been canceled, "so no one came." "We already had the word that we didn't think it was an Amazon warehouse, it was an Amazon data center, and so we were coming," Fincham said. He went on to say the construction of the Amazon project, which broke ground in November of 2025, was both an "illegal" and "immoral" build - "because we weren't able to comment." Fincham continued, saying he hopes the air quality permits will be turned down, "but you know how government works." He also called for a one-year moratorium, regarding the County Home Road site and demanded an answer. Sarina Perry, the fourth speaker, started by asking if the board would answer Fincham's demand. As is the policy with most government boards, questions asked during public comment do not generally receive direct or immediate answers. Sarina Perry outlines health concerns for children with special needs due to various effects from data centers. "I'll take that as a no, put that on the record," Perry said. During her address to the board, Perry focused on the effects of noise and other pollution on special needs children. "As a special needs mother, I've spent years researching and advocating to get basic support and needs met for my child," Perry said. "God has always moved mountains for my child and I have faith he'll do it again." Perry said the noise from data centers registers around 90 decibels and that anything around 85 decibels "is harmful to human hearing." "Some special needs individuals struggle with auditory processing disorders as well as sensory processing disorders, as well as having acute hearing ability detecting low decibels... that most people cannot detect," Perry said. "Constantly being bombarded with 90 decibels daily will cause dysregulation and nervous system issues." Perry went on to describe the effects associated with air, light and water pollution. "Any small change can trigger a negative physical response," Perry said. "This affects everyone in and around Richmond County, as well as all of those children that are about to go to L.J. Bell. "Parents may have to withdraw their children once they realize it's no longer about thriving academically, but surviving childhood altogether," Perry continued. Referencing the phenomena of purple honey produced in the Sandills, Perry said the electromagnetic frequencies emitted by high-voltage electrical grids and substations disrupt honeybee navigation and reduce pollination. "Ten billion dollars is a lot of money, but at what cost?" Perry asked. "Our water, our air, our land, our homes, our lives and our children's future are not for sale." Perry concluded by quoting Christ with a verse found twice in the Bible: "What does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and lose his soul?" With all the comments against data centers, Derek Howell was the only person to speak in favor. "There are some valid concerns with data centers but ...I can tell you as a business owner in this county for 18 years, if I was approached with the same deal, I don't know that I would vote no," Howell said. "The reason being is because economic growth has been very bad here... Textiles has went, everything went," Howell continued. "So I appreciate you guys looking for a solution to bring economic growth back." During Howell's speech, Smart had to bang his gavel to quiet the crowd and threatened to have interruptors escorted out of the room. Derek Howell takes up for the commissioners' decision to approve the Amazon project. Despite his support, Howell did ask commissioners when they found out about Amazon. "Did ya'll know exactly what Amazon was before it was when it was brought forward?" he asked. "Because I'm tired of hearing people say, 'Oh, they knew it. They sold us out'... Let's find out. Howell next asked commissioners if they did know what it was, if they thought it was bad. "I don't think any of y'all would vote something in that would be bad for the county," Howell said. "I don't think any of y'all got y'all's pockets padded like everybody's saying... We can point the finger at you guys, but at the end of the day, hey, you guys were looking for economic growth... so I appreciate that." Turning his attention to the detractors, Howell continued: "There's a lot of problems and there's solutions to the problems, but fighting about it ain't gonna solve nothing." "I don't think we need two more, by no means," Howell continued. "We got the one that's here - it's here, we're going to have to live with it." He concluded, telling those in the audience that if they were in the same position, they probably would have voted for it. The RO will have the response from commissioners in an upcoming story. public comment Richmond County residents Richmond County Board of Commissioners data center health effects pollution Amazon economic development Other items that may interest you