Data Center Shell and Core Construction in Haltom City, Texas

Industrial shells in Haltom City already have the proportions a data center shell needs: wide column bays, strong slabs and tall clear heights. We build new shell and core packages and we convert existing warehouse buildings, with the envelope, floor, roof and equipment provisions ready for the electrical and cooling systems that follow. Shell and core is the stage that delivers a weathertight, structurally complete building without the data hall interior.

Two industrial projects show the scale the market builds at. Creation put up the 820 Exchange as a group of four buildings, none under 139,000 square feet and the largest at 426,000, for about a million square feet in all; it sits between Beach Street and Haltom Road, south of Interstate 820, with ceilings 30 to 36 feet clear. Scannell Properties' 820 Crossing, which broke ground in April 2022, is one rear-load building, 335,000 square feet, with a 36 foot clear height and 62 dock doors. Buildings of that size and height are the raw material for conversion.

Equipment is the second issue. A shell is only useful if generators, transformers and chillers can reach it, and those items arrive on manufacturer schedules. We plan the receiving paths and pads inside the shell sequence, so the building is ready for each delivery and the heavy items are set before interior work blocks the way.

A conversion needs a building permit, and a change of use may trigger additional review by the local building department and the fire authority. We submit structural, electrical, mechanical and fire protection drawings together and note any items that need design review, such as new roof loads, enclosed fuel storage or battery rooms.

The permit file records the slab test, the roof evaluation and the structural changes so inspectors see the basis for each decision. Utility service requests are filed at the same time, because a power date that arrives after the building is complete leaves the owner paying for an idle room.

The first step is a building survey. We measure slab flatness and thickness, scan reinforcing and check the roof framing for equipment loads, since a rooftop chiller or air handler can be heavier than the original design assumed. Clear height decides how much cable tray, ductwork and containment fits above the racks.

Dock doors that suit a distribution tenant are not needed for a data hall. We close or reuse them as secure receiving points, and we review column spacing for the raised floor or cold aisle containment layout. Where columns fall in the wrong place, we show the owner the cost of changing the rack plan against the cost of moving structure.

Haltom City is surrounded by Highway 26, Highway 377, SH 121, SH 183 (NE 28th Street) and Interstate 820, which gives us several approach routes for deliveries. We stage from Fort Worth, with Arlington and Grand Prairie as additional routes when a closure or event affects the main roads.

Oversized loads are routed before the shell is ready, and each haul is permitted separately. The route study names the bridge ratings, turns and overhead clearances, and it gives the owner an alternate if the first choice closes.

Beyond the envelope, scope includes the equipment pads, the electrical room structure, the generator yard foundations, underground duct banks and the access roads for trucks. Trade partners perform each package, and we schedule, supervise and inspect their work against the delivery plan.

We separate shell and core from the data hall fit-out in the contract so that each has its own price, schedule and acceptance test. The dividing line is written in the scope, with a list of who owns the items that fall between the two, such as slab penetrations, firestopping and temporary power.

Reusing an industrial shell saves structure, but the power system, cooling plant and fire protection are still new. Roof strengthening, slab repair and new utility service are the items that change the budget. We price them from survey data and show the choice between upgrading and replacing.

Fiscal 2025 permitting included Triad 820, a trio of buildings totaling 137,000 square feet, and the city counts the year's new private industrial space at above 700,000 square feet with more than 1,100 jobs created. Active industrial construction means competition for trades and materials, which we price into the schedule.

Many Haltom City projects combine tilt-wall and precast shells for new construction with retrofit and expansion of existing buildings. Both rely on a flat, strong floor and an accurate survey.

Long-lead equipment procurement begins when the survey is complete, so the pad design matches the gear and so submittals are approved before the factory slot is lost.

Industrial neighbors have trucks, forklifts and shifts that run at all hours. We establish separate gates, marked routes and communication with adjacent tenants, and we schedule noisy or dusty work to limit conflicts.

Inside the building, we control dust, protect existing fire systems and use permits for hot work and impairments. A fire watch is posted whenever a system is out of service, and the fire authority is told of every planned outage.

Enterprise users choose conversion to reach a date quickly, while developers study it to find a second use for a building. The city's 2024 financial report puts Birdville ISD first among employers at 3,103, then Tyson Foods at 800; Medtronic Midas Rex, the city government and GST Manufacturing follow at 350, 289 and 220.

Those employers show a mix of public, manufacturing and medical users, and the same variety appears among tenants who could use nearby edge capacity. Real estate owners weigh the same questions of slab, roof and power before offering a building for data use.

Send the address, the building plans if you have them and the target load. We will review slab, roof, clear height and utility service, then return a plan with upgrades, cost ranges and a schedule.

Can a Haltom City warehouse become a data hall?

Often, depending on slab flatness and thickness, roof capacity, clear height and the electrical service available. We survey the building and report which upgrades are required and what they cost.

How tall should the clear height be?

Taller is better, because cable trays, cooling and containment need vertical space. Buildings with 30 to 36 foot clear heights give a designer room for overhead systems and high racks.

What happens to the dock doors?

They can be closed with insulated walls or kept as controlled receiving points for equipment. The decision depends on the operator's security plan and the layout of the yards.

How do you protect equipment from construction dust?

We separate work zones, use sticky mats and negative pressure, and clean on a schedule. Equipment is wrapped and stored in clean spaces until the room is ready.

How quickly can a conversion be completed?

The schedule depends on the survey results, permits and long-lead gear. Utility power and switchgear delivery often decide the date, so we plan them first.