Data center profile · Covenant Business Park, 4687 Alden Nash Avenue SE (near I-96), Lowell Charter Township, Kent County, Michigan

Microsoft Lowell Township

Microsoft's proposed data center on the 237-acre Covenant Business Park near Lowell, Michigan, revived after a 2025 pause, now in planning review; water talks collapsed.

Rezoning under review. Microsoft filed a new rezoning application in April 2026 after the original Franklin Partners application was suspended in Dec. 2025; no Planning Commission action. Lowell ended water and sewer talks in Aug. 2026, leaving no plan for city water.
237 acres
Covenant Business Park parcel
just under 300 acres with added parcels (press)
$500M-$1B
investment at full build
township estimate from the tenant's similar projects; 3 to 5 years
42 acres
off-site substation in Microsoft's plan
28 acres of wetland preserved (press)
~450
people at the June 2026 planning hearing
mostly opposed; ran past midnight (press)
OperatorMicrosoft (proposed; has not bought the land); original applicant Franklin Partners via Franklin Lowell LLC
CustomerMicrosoft (own use)
First building in serviceOur estimate: 2029 or later (no dated power path yet); company had targeted 2025.
Next stepPlanning Commission action on Microsoft's rezoning request; no date on record
Power

Power and the grid

Sources on record, size not disclosed

Getting on the grid

Permits

Permits checklist

1 paused · 1 pending · 1 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file

Local actions on record. Nothing has been approved for the data center.

Risks

What could slow it down

Money

Money on record

$500M-$1B
investment at full build
township estimate Local government · Oct. 2026
15.7 mills
city tax levy in the business park
6 mills returned to the township Local government · Nov. 2024

Not on record: local tax abatements requested: Microsoft, June 2026 (press) News report · June 2026

Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
  1. Nov. 11, 2024
    Permits Township Board approves a 50-year land agreement bringing the business park into the City of Lowell Local government · Nov. 2024
  2. Jan. 2025
    Site Township supervisor signs a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft Local government · Jan. 2026
  3. Dec. 8, 2025
    Permits Planning hearing on the rezoning is postponed by an over-capacity crowd Local government · Dec. 2025
  4. Dec. 18, 2025
    Permits Franklin Partners' application is suspended indefinitely at its request Local government · Dec. 2025
  5. Jan. 7, 2026
    Site Microsoft reveals itself as the company behind the plan and ends the NDA Local government · Jan. 2026
  6. April 13, 2026
    Permits Microsoft files its own rezoning and zoning text amendment application News report · April 2026
  7. May 18, 2026
    Permits Township Board rejects a six-month data-center moratorium, 5-2 Local government · May 2026
  8. June 8, 2026
    Permits About 450 attend a six-hour planning hearing; no action taken News report · June 2026
  9. June 16, 2026
    Site Recall petition language approved against the supervisor and two trustees (press) News report · June 2026
  10. Aug. 17, 2026
    Site City of Lowell ends water and sewer talks with the township, leaving no plan to bring city water to the site News report · Aug. 2026
The buildings

Specs

150 ft
minimum setbacks Microsoft proposes (press)
News report · June 2026
65 dBA
noise limit at the property line; 85 dBA during generator use (press)
News report · June 2026
250-400 jobs
permanent, with 1,500 to 2,000 in construction (township estimate)
Local government · Oct. 2026
Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Owners
  • Microsoft: proposed owner and operator
  • Franklin Partners (Franklin Lowell LLC): original applicant and seller
Decision-makers
  • Lowell Charter Township Board and Planning Commission
  • Supervisor Jerry Hale
  • City of Lowell (Mayor Mike DeVore): land agreement and water and sewer
Power partners
  • Consumers Energy: serving utility
Opponents
  • No Lowell Data Center group
  • Recall organizers
Still unknown

Open questions

Where this comes from

48 records from 7 documents

Drawn from news reports, local government records and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 4Local government 2Dataset 1
Evidence

Every quote behind this page

Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.

Power (3)
  • Consumers Energy is the utility engaged on the Lowell project: township/City open-house notices list Consumers Energy representatives alongside Franklin Partners, and the city manager reported Consumers' assurance that p
    “City of Lowell and Lowell Township officials as well as representatives from Consumers Energy, The Right Place and property developer Franklin Partners will be available”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade A
  • August 2026: the City of Lowell discontinued negotiations with the township on joint water and sewer services after Mayor Mike DeVore publicly criticized township transparency, leaving no active plan to extend municipal
    “The stalled talks leave no active plan to extend municipal water to the site of a proposed Microsoft data center on Alden Nash Avenue near Interstate 96.”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Site acres planned: 300 acres
    “which would bring the total acreage to just under 300 acres, which would include a 42-acre off-site substation and preserve 28 acres of wetland.”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
Money and contracts (7)
  • Project identity: Microsoft data center campus, Covenant Business Park, 4687 Alden Nash Ave SE, Lowell Charter Township, Kent County, MI
    “the 425 cooperation agreement is only for the parcel at 4687 Alden Nash Ave”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Tenant: Microsoft (proposed owner-operator; has not purchased the property)
    “Microsoft publicly revealed itself in January 2026 — although, it has not purchased the property.”
    Local government · Jan. 2026 · grade A
  • Township Supervisor Jerry Hale signed an NDA with Microsoft in January 2025; Microsoft ended the NDA and publicly revealed itself in January 2026; residents criticized the closed process at hearings
    “Lowell Township Supervisor Jerry Hale signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Microsoft in January 2025.”
    Local government · Jan. 2026 · grade A
  • Intergovernmental cooperation agreement (Michigan Public Act 425): conditional land transfer 50 years
    “This agreement brings this parcel into the City of Lowell for a period of 50 years.”
    Local government · Nov. 2024 · grade A
  • Intergovernmental cooperation agreement (Michigan Public Act 425): tax sharing 15.7 mills levied by City of Lowell (6 mills returned to Lowell Charter Township)
    “The City will levy 15.7 mills on property owners in the business park, returning 6 mills of revenue to Lowell Charter Township.”
    Local government · Nov. 2024 · grade A
  • Jan 7, 2026: Microsoft publicly revealed itself as the company behind the Covenant Business Park proposal, in a letter posted by the township; it ended the NDA Supervisor Jerry Hale had signed in January 2025 and said it
    “Microsoft is interested in building a data center at Covenant Business Park.”
    Local government · Jan. 2026 · grade B
  • Microsoft stated at its June 8, 2026 presentation that it is not requesting any local tax abatements for the project (Lowell Ledger report of the meeting). No PILOT or abatement agreement exists for this campus.
    “Microsoft is not requesting any local tax abatements for the project.”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (16)
  • Lowell Charter Township Board:
    “The Township Board held the second reading of a proposed six-month moratorium on data centers during its May 18 meeting. Following discussion, the Board voted 5-2 against the moratorium.”
    Local government · May 2026 · grade A
  • Applicant asked to table its zoning application and requested an indefinite susp: consideration put on hold - indefinite suspension at applicant's request
    “an indefinite suspension of the application and its approval process until such time that Franklin is prepared to resume the application approval process.”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade A
  • Franklin Lowell LLC (Franklin Partners, for Microsoft) asked to table its Covena: Rezoning application INDEFINITELY SUSPENDED at applicant request (Dec. 18, 2025)
    “an indefinite suspension of the application and its approval process until such time that Franklin is prepared to resume the application approval process”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade A
  • Dec 8, 2025 Planning Commission meeting postponed due to an over-capacity turnou: public hearing postponed
    “The rezoning was on the Dec. 8 Planning Commission agenda, but the meeting was postponed due to an over-capacity turnout.”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade A
  • Lowell Charter Township Board:
    “On Nov. 11, 2024, the Township Board voted 5-2 to approve a cooperative land agreement with the City of Lowell that will pave the way for the development of Covenant Business Park.”
    Local government · Nov. 2024 · grade A
  • City of Lowell City Council:
    “On Oct. 21, the City Council voted 4-1 to approve the cooperative land agreement.”
    Local government · Oct. 2024 · grade A
  • Project status: rezoning in Planning Commission review; six-month moratorium rejected 5-2 on May 18, 2026; no approval as of Oct 2026
    “The Township Board held the second reading of a proposed six-month moratorium on data centers during its May 18 meeting. Following discussion, the Board voted 5-2 against the moratorium.”
    Local government · May 2026 · grade B
  • May 18, 2026: Township Board held the second reading of a proposed six-month data center moratorium (first reading April 20, 2026) and voted 5-2 against it; the Board instead created a temporary advisory committee (board
    “The Township Board held the second reading of a proposed six-month moratorium on data centers during its May 18 meeting. Following discussion, the Board voted 5-2 against the moratorium.”
    Local government · May 2026 · grade B
  • Dec 18, 2025: Lowell Charter Township put consideration of the Franklin Partners rezoning application on hold at the applicant's written request, after the Dec 8 Planning Commission hearing was postponed for over-capacit
    “The applicant asked to table its zoning application and requested an indefinite suspension of the application and its approval process until such time that Franklin is prepared to resume the application approval process.”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade B
  • Announced: Dec. 2025
    “Monday, Dec. 8, 2025 at 7 p.m. – public hearing during Planning Commission meeting at Township Hall”
    Local government · Dec. 2025 · grade B
  • Recall petition language against Supervisor Jerry Hale and Trustees Mark Anderson and William Thompson was approved June 16, 2026, driven by resident anger over the rezoning process and the defeated moratorium
    “Recall petitions on Lowell Township's Supervisor Jerry Hale, Trustee Mark Anderson and Trustee William Thompson are ready to be circulated immediately unless the officials decide to appeal.”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
  • Microsoft's Apr 13, 2026 application seeks conditional rezoning of five parcels : application submitted; public hearing held; no action taken
    “The Planning Commission has not yet taken any action on Microsoft's request.”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
  • Organized opposition (No Lowell Data Center group); the Dec 8, 2025 hearing was postponed for an over-capacity turnout and the June 8, 2026 hearing drew roughly 450 mostly opposed attendees
    “Many people brought signs protesting Microsoft's proposed data center campus, which they held high during a meeting of the Lowell Township Planning Commission on Monday, June 8”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
  • June 8, 2026: Microsoft introduced its rezoning proposal at a Planning Commission meeting moved to a barn at the Grand Agricultural Center; the meeting ran more than six hours before hundreds of mostly opposed residents,
    “A hostile audience responded with boos and jeers to Microsoft's presentation on a proposed data center, during a more than six-hour meeting of the Lowell Township Planning Commission”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
  • Lowell Charter Township Planning Commission:
    “Many people brought signs protesting Microsoft's proposed data center campus, which they held high during a meeting of the Lowell Township Planning Commission on Monday, June 8”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
  • Applicant: Franklin Partners, via Franklin Lowell LLC (original Dec 2025 application); Microsoft (Apr 13, 2026 application)
    “Microsoft submitted a zoning application to the township on April 13, asking to rezone the business park to light industrial and proposing a zoning text amendment.”
    News report · April 2026 · grade C
Legal (1)
  • Recall petitions against Supervisor Jerry Hale and Trustees Mark Anderson and William Thompson: petition language approved June 16, 2026; organizers needed 894 eligible signatures by July 31, 2026 to reach the November b
    “Recall petitions on Lowell Township's Supervisor Jerry Hale, Trustee Mark Anderson and Trustee William Thompson are ready to be circulated immediately unless the officials decide to appeal.”
    News report · June 2026 · grade C
Site and other (1)