Early Engagement and Collaboration Move PNK Group’s Pennsylvania Data Center to Approval

Beginning months before the first public hearing, PNK answered residents’ questions, adjusted the Allenwood project in response to local concerns and worked with Gregg Township to set clear requirements for how it will be built and operated.

ALLENWOOD, Pa., Oct. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Gregg Township Board of Supervisors has granted PNK Group conditional-use approval to convert part of an existing warehouse at the Great Stream Commons industrial park into a data center. The 3-0 vote on Oct. 27 followed an eight-month public review in which PNK answered residents’ questions directly, refined its design and worked with the township and independent specialists to set clear, measurable requirements for how the facility will be built and operated.

The approval covers Phase I of the project by PNK P2 LLC at 198 Enterprise Boulevard: an approximately 252,000-square-foot data center within an existing 478,000-square-foot building. It carries 31 conditions covering noise, water use, emergency response, landscaping and decommissioning. Land development approval and other permits are the next steps before construction.

Many communities are evaluating data center proposals for the first time, and residents of Gregg Township asked about noise, water, power and proximity to homes. PNK started the conversation early, kept it going throughout the review and treated local input as a reason to improve the project.

Engaging early and often

• Open House, April 2: More than three months before the first hearing, PNK team members and engineers from AlfaTech met residents in person to answer questions on construction, power, water, noise and traffic.
• Webinars: PNK held two public webinars on June 23 and June 30, 2026 so residents could ask questions from home.
• Direct Answers: PNK responded in writing to every question it received and, when residents wanted more detail, followed up with them individually.
• Public hearings: PNK presented testimony and took public questions during three hearing sessions on July 20, Aug. 25 and Sept. 14, totaling approximately 14 hours.

Adjusting the project to local input
PNK made changes to the project in response to community and township feedback.

• Substation: Moved its planned electrical substation farther from neighboring homes.
• Generators: Relocated approximately 40 backup generators inside the building, adding the building envelope to the noise barriers already planned.
• Independent review: Funded independent technical studies for the township, with local stakeholders involved in selecting the experts.

The project’s acoustical models were examined and discussed in detail by acoustical specialists and the Planning Commission and during the public hearings. Working with the township, PNK agreed to clear, measurable requirements, including:

• A noise study using township-approved methods and demonstrate that the project can operate within the township’s ordinance limits.
• A post-construction noise verification study by an acoustical professional within three months of the facility reaching 90% capacity, and correct any noncompliance within three months.
• At least 48 hours of sound monitoring when the township directs it in response to a complaint.
• Setbacks of at least 500 feet from sensitive receptors if fully enclosed, or 750 feet if not.

Other conditions require closed-loop cooling with no cooling water drawn from private wells or surface water, an emergency response plan, training for first responders, an annual fire-safety inspection, and a decommissioning plan backed by a performance bond equal to 110% of the estimated cost.

“The best time to engage a community is before positions harden, so we started early and stayed in the conversation,” said Anton Voronkin, Chief Development Officer of PNK Group. “Residents asked legitimate questions, and they deserved direct, specific answers from people with real expertise. When a concern pointed to a better design, we changed it: we moved the substation and brought the generators indoors. When it called for a firm commitment, we agreed to requirements we will meet and verify once the facility is operating.”

“Many townships are evaluating a modern data center for the first time, and doing that well takes real time and effort,” Voronkin added. “We respect the officials and residents in Gregg Township who invested that effort. Our role as a developer is to be a partner in that work, with clear explanations, technical expertise and funding for independent studies, so local decision-makers have a complete and accurate picture of what will be built and how it will operate. That kind of collaboration is what moves projects forward. Data centers are now core infrastructure for the businesses and public services people rely on every day, and a well-planned project can bring new investment and skilled jobs to a local economy.”

PNK will continue that collaboration through a community benefits agreement with the township. That agreement will formalize the commitments PNK announced on Oct. 27, including fire apparatus for local emergency response, workforce training funding and annual payments to the township in addition to applicable property taxes, once the facility is operating.

Next steps include land development review and remaining permits. Separately, the township is preparing a zoning amendment to set where and how data centers may be built in Gregg Township; PNK and the township have agreed to extend the deadline for action on PNK’s curative amendment to Dec. 14.

Project information and updates are available at allenwood.pnk.group.

Phase I at a glance

• Location: 198 Enterprise Boulevard, Great Stream Commons, Gregg Township, Union County, Pa.
• Type: Adaptive reuse of part of an existing 478,000-square-foot warehouse; approximately 252,000 square feet of data center space
• Planned IT capacity: 40 MW
• Cooling: Closed-loop system; no cooling water from private wells or surface water
• Approval: Conditional use, 3-0 vote, Oct. 27, 2026; 31 conditions
• Remaining steps: Land development approval and other permits before construction

About PNK Group
PNK Group is a vertically integrated engineering, manufacturing, and development company that develops its own technological innovations and applies leading global engineering solutions in industrial construction. The company’s approach is based on the use of high-precision large-scale prefabricated components, simplifying and accelerating the construction of industrial buildings.

Media Contact:
iMiller Public Relations for PNK Group
Tel: +1.866.307.2510
Email: pr@imillerpr.com

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