Edged US Tops Out Its Second AI-Ready Chicago Data Centre

The second building on Edged US’ Chicago data centre campus is topped out, meaning it is now structurally complete.

This completion marks the latest addition to a site that is being built to meet growing demand for AI infrastructure.

Located in Aurora, Illinois, the facility will deliver 72MW of capacity and is already fully pre-leased ahead of its planned 2027 opening.

The milestone comes as operators continue to expand capacity for AI training and inference workloads, with power availability, cooling performance and sustainability being key considerations in construction.

Located at 2835 Bilter Road in Aurora, the facility is designed specifically for high-density AI deployments and forms part of Edged’s wider North American expansion strategy.

AI demand shapes infrastructure expansion

The topping out marks the completion of the building’s structural framework, with construction continuing alongside FCL Builders.

The facility is scheduled to become operational in the second quarter of 2027.

The development comes as data centre providers scale infrastructure portfolios to support growing AI requirements.

High-density deployments place increasing pressure on power and cooling systems, making efficiency a central consideration for new facilities.

Commenting on the milestone, Mitch Fonseca, Chief Operating Officer of Edged US, says: “As demand for AI infrastructure accelerates, speed, efficiency and sustainability must advance together.

“Reaching this milestone in Aurora reflects the strength of our partnerships, the dedication of our construction teams and our commitment to delivering high-performance infrastructure designed for the future of compute.

“We’re proud to continue investing in the Chicago region with infrastructure that supports innovation while dramatically reducing environmental impact.”

Aurora is the second-largest city in Illinois and has become an expanding technology hub within the wider Chicagoland region, attracting new investment in digital infrastructure.

Waterless cooling in focus

A defining feature of the facility is its use of closed-loop, waterless cooling technology.

According to Edged, the system is expected to save more than 277 million gallons of water annually compared with conventional data centres.

Cooling is one of the most important factors in AI-ready facilities. As rack densities increase, operators are looking for technologies that can support larger compute loads while limiting environmental impact and reducing pressure on local resources.

The Aurora site uses cooling systems developed by ThermalWorks.

By operating without consuming water for cooling, the facility aims to support expanding digital infrastructure demand while conserving local water supplies.

The focus on water conservation reflects a wider industry discussion around sustainability in regions where communities and operators compete for access to critical resources.

Building a larger North American footprint

The new development forms part of Edged’s broader expansion strategy across North America.

The company’s first facility on the Chicago campus opened in February 2025, creating a multi-building site designed to serve growing enterprise and AI requirements.

Beyond Chicago, the Edged platform includes data centre locations in Atlanta, Columbus, Council Bluffs, Dallas, Des Moines, Kansas City and Phoenix.

Alongside construction activity, Edged US continues community engagement efforts in the Aurora area through partnerships with local organisations including Hesed House and other non-profit programmes.

Edged's topping out in Aurora adds another AI-ready facility to a growing portfolio while bringing waterless cooling technology and high-density infrastructure to one of the Midwest’s expanding technology markets.