Project Baccara and What It Means for West Valley Homeowners
On April 9, the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a military special use permit for Project Baccara, a 160-acre data center campus with an accompanying natural gas power plant. The site sits adjacent to Luke Air Force Base and just outside the city limits of Surprise and Glendale. The developer, Takanock LLC, is investing in multiple data center campuses across the country, and this is their first Arizona project.
The approval went through despite 225 opposition letters from residents. If you live in this part of the West Valley or are thinking about buying here, this is worth understanding. Let me walk you through the positives and the concerns honestly.
1. Why Data Centers Are Coming to the West Valley
Data centers follow three things: land, power, and proximity to infrastructure. The West Valley has all three. Loop 303 and I-10 provide the connectivity, APS has the grid capacity, and there are still large parcels available that are hard to find in the East Valley or Scottsdale. This is the same reason TSMC landed in north Phoenix and Amkor is building a $7 billion chip facility in the Peoria Innovation Core. The northwest Valley is becoming a tech and industrial corridor whether residents voted for it or not.
Project Baccara is not unusual. It is part of a much larger trend. Over the next five to ten years, you will see more of these approvals across Surprise, Glendale, Peoria, and Buckeye.
2. The Positives
Data centers are high-value tax generators. They pay significant property taxes that fund schools, roads, and public safety, and they do not put many kids in the school system because they employ relatively few people. From a municipal budget standpoint, cities generally welcome them.
They also tend to be quiet neighbors compared to warehouses or manufacturing. No truck traffic, no shift changes, no noise from loading docks. Once they are built, most people drive by without noticing them.
3. The Concerns Worth Taking Seriously
I would not be doing my job if I did not tell you the honest concerns.
Power and Water Use
Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and, in some cases, water for cooling. The accompanying natural gas power plant is there specifically to meet the power demand. For homeowners, the question is whether this kind of growth pushes utility costs higher over time. That is not a question anyone can answer with certainty today, but it is worth tracking.
Visual Impact
These are large, industrial-looking buildings. If you are buying a home with a view or in a newer development nearby, the sight lines matter. Check where the site sits relative to any home you are considering.
Noise From Backup Generators and Cooling Systems
Data centers are quieter than most industrial uses, but they are not silent. If you are within a half mile or so, it is worth visiting the site at different times of day before committing to a home purchase.
Construction Period
Big projects like this mean two to three years of construction traffic, dust, and activity. That is temporary, but it is real while it is happening.
4. What This Means for Home Values Nearby
Honest answer, it depends on the distance and the specific neighborhood. Homes directly adjacent to industrial or data center sites can see some softness in pricing compared to homes a mile or two away. Homes further out usually see no meaningful impact and may even benefit from the tax base improvements over time.
If you are looking at homes in established Glendale communities like Sierra Verde or newer developments like Stonehaven, the Project Baccara site is far enough away that it should not factor heavily into your decision. If you are looking at homes immediately west of Luke Air Force Base or in newer developments near the 303, that is where I would slow down and look at the specifics.
5. The Bottom Line
Data centers are coming to the West Valley. That is not a prediction, it is already happening. As your advisor, my job is to help you understand what is being built near any home you are considering, so you can weigh the tradeoffs honestly before you buy. Some buyers will be completely fine with a data center two miles away. Others will want more distance. Both are valid, and both are decisions I can help you think through.
If you want to talk through how a specific home sits in relation to this or any other planned project, reach me at 623-206-9936 or [email protected]. I have been helping buyers in the West Valley for more than 20 years and I track these developments closely because they matter.