San Antonio’s high-tech industry is getting on track in a big way with the building of a massive data center for Microsoft.  The 470,000 square foot center broke ground in April, and is expected to open in Dec. 2008.  This giant project will contain thousands of servers for the company, and will be responsible for assisting with storing information and managing the accounts of Microsoft’s millions of customers.  The project, in which Microsoft has already invested over half a billion dollars, may only be the first chapter.  The company is looking at the possibility of opening another identical center as well, which would bring the investment to $1 billion.

Although the center will only employ about 75 full-time employees, the main benefit is certainly the name recognition of having Microsoft located San Antonio.  In fact, other companies have followed Microsoft’s lead, and have begun moving data centers in also.  Already this year, the National Security Agency, Christus Health, Lowe’s, and Stream Realty have all announced plans for opening data centers.  These companies should be only the beginning, as numerous others are working on deals as well.

Another real benefit for having these new centers will be the construction investments made in building them, and the support structure and upkeep that will need to keep them running.  Already CPS Energy has announced that it will have to build a substation to provide energy, and other deals will have to be made with other utilities. 

Like many of the more modern office and business centers being built in San Antonio, this new project will use recycled water to cool the buildings, lowering costs, as well as helping protect the environment. 

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