Ahwatukee residents raise concerns over Menlo Digital data-center construction

Residents of Ahwatukee and the Ahwatukee Community Alliance raised concerns over noise, dust and other perceived impacts from Menlo Digital’s data-center construction during a public meeting hosted by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

The project is being built near residential development in Ahwatukee. It comprises five buildings on a 38-acre site and, according to U.S. Data Centers, is expected to consume 257 MW of electricity. That figure is described as expected energy consumption, not as commissioned data-center capacity or IT load. The project is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027.

At the meeting, residents cited construction noise and dust, as well as concerns over water use, health effects and potential pressure on the electricity system. These statements reflect residents’ reported experience and concerns; the available material does not provide independent technical, environmental or medical assessments of those claims.

Mayes had previously called on August 31 for a statewide pause on approvals and construction of future data centers. Her intervention does not alter the stated status of the Menlo Digital project, which is under construction, but it introduces additional uncertainty for subsequent development proposals in Arizona.

The source describes Arizona as hosting 182 data centers, with 16 under construction and 53 in planning. Against that pipeline, the Ahwatukee dispute suggests that project siting, community engagement, electricity availability and environmental concerns could become more consequential in permitting and development decisions across the state.