Data Center Construction in DeSoto, Texas

A building that cannot be reached by fiber or by a loaded trailer is not a data center, so in DeSoto we begin with access. We map the carriers at the property line, the route a diverse second path would take, the roads that deliver heavy equipment and the public works that could interrupt either one. The building plan follows those findings, and the power study runs in parallel because it governs the energization date.

The city lies right along I-35E, 16 miles from downtown Dallas heading south, and I-20 is roughly 4 miles up the road. A cluster of warehouses and distribution buildings has grown up in the corridor between them, including the Eagle Business and Industrial Park, and a spec warehouse covering 1.13 million square feet that went up in the city was billed, when completed, as the biggest new spec industrial project around Dallas. Tenants listed in the corridor include fulfillment, retail distribution, battery, drive-system and trucking businesses. Industrial users bring wide roads, large truck courts and long utility runs, which a data center can also use.

The highway itself is changing. Rebuilding of the Loop 9 interchange on I-35E is in progress, continuing into late 2026 and final completion expected around 2028. A road project of that size affects haul routes, lane closures and the places where cable may cross. It also creates an opening, since conduit can sometimes be placed during reconstruction at lower cost than boring under a finished road. We contact the state transportation office early to ask about.

Network carriers and exchange operators choose sites for route diversity and distance to the network core. Telecom and network carriers use small buildings with excellent entrances and robust power, and we design them with the entrance room, cross-connect space and generator close together.

Enterprise owners and logistics tenants value the highways because staff and technicians can reach the site quickly. A warehouse tenant in the corridor may want a secure room of its own, and we build it so it can be tested before the building opens. Developers of those warehouses can also ask us to reserve a pad, a conduit stub and a power allowance for a future technology room, which costs little now and saves a long retrofit later.

The cost of a fiber entrance rises with length, with each road, rail or creek crossing, and with the permit time that each requires. A short lateral from a nearby handhole may cost a fraction of a long one, and the difference should affect parcel choice. We estimate trenching, boring, conduit, vaults and restoration with a line for each crossing.

Truck access is the other major cost: widened entrances, turn lanes required by the city or state, internal roads with thick pavement and queue space. During interchange construction, detours and closures can add time and cost. We keep a contingency for traffic control and for changes to schedules the state sets. Pavement restoration, utility locates and daily flagging are listed as separate items, so that an owner can see which costs belong to the road and which belong to the building.

Some facilities depend on a strong entrance more than others: carrier hotels, edge buildings and enterprise halls. A carrier hotel and meet-me room needs several diverse entrances and 24-hour access for technicians, so its site plan is shaped by those requirements.

A larger hall can use industrial land more freely, since trucks and tankers need room, but it still needs a plan for how fiber will enter, where each carrier will terminate and how a second route will be protected from the first. Security matters at the entrance too: vaults get locked lids, conduits are marked on the drawings only, and the entrance room is placed inside the protected perimeter, away from public view.

While the interchange work continues, delivery planning is fluid. We watch the state's closure notices, plan alternate routes and schedule deliveries in the hours when the work zones are quietest. We also take pictures of the route before and after each haul so any road damage can be separated from pre-existing wear.

Power deserves attention in parallel. Utilities set their own timelines for study, design and construction of a substation or feeder, and an owner who starts the request late waits for it. We ask for a written timeline from the utility and put it on the master schedule. The city's other projects, such as the aquatics center that broke ground in 2024, compete for the same trades.

We run a short access study in the first weeks: carriers, routes, crossings, permits, truck turns and entrances. The study ends with a drawing and a cost range for each entrance and each road improvement. It tells the owner whether the parcel is worth continuing with and which of several parcels is better. We also list the questions that remain open, including carrier commitments, permits and the state's schedule, with a named owner for each, and we revisit the list at every meeting until it is empty.

Then we design the building around the entrance and the yards. The fiber and telecom trenching package is scheduled early so that conduit is in the ground before paving and landscaping. We work with Grand Prairie and Arlington parcels using the same method so owners can compare, and with Dallas facilities that serve as network hubs.

Send the parcel and your connectivity needs. We will map carriers, crossings and truck routes and return a cost range for each entrance and road improvement.

Why is fiber diversity important for a data center?

If both routes share a trench or a bridge, one cut can take both out. We design separate entrances, separate conduits and separate paths on the site, and we ask carriers to confirm the physical route of each path.

Can conduit be installed during a highway reconstruction?

Sometimes, if the state transportation office allows it and the schedule fits. It can be much cheaper than boring after the road is complete. We ask early and coordinate with the road contractor.

How do construction detours affect equipment deliveries?

They can add time, force longer routes and require new permits. We track closures, plan alternate routes and schedule loads to avoid peak work hours.

How long does a power request take?

It depends on the size of the load and the grid in the area. Large requests take longer, and the utility sets the schedule. We request a written timeline and show it on the project schedule.

Which is better, a warehouse conversion or a new building?

A conversion is faster when the building has power, height and yard room. A new building gives more control over layout and growth. We estimate both.