Consultants met with complaints during first town hall on Armory data center proposal

St. Louis residents unleashed a salvo of concerns over a proposed data center project at the Armory during the first of two town halls Thursday night.

Steadfast City, a consultant working on behalf of the developers of the $1.5 billion project , hosted the town hall. Cecilia Dvorak, an executive planner with the consulting company, said the development would turn a vacant site into a more “active and secure investment” for the city.

However, of the more than 100 attendees who spoke during the Zoom meeting, few were enthusiastic about the project, citing concerns over electricity rates, its location, environmental issues and transparency.

“You asked what I'm excited about — nothing,” said Christina Miller, a resident in the 63108 ZIP code. “This isn't welcome here in my neighborhood.”