Jersey City bans stand-alone data centers

The city updated its land use ordinance to exclude data centers as an acceptable use in the industrial district.

1 minute read

July 12, 2026, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Downtown Jersey City, New Jersey skyline.

Jersey City skyline. | Mariusz Lopusiewicz / Shutterstock

Jersey City's Planning Board changed its land use ordinance to prohibit "cyber hotels" and data centers in the city's industrial district, reports Chris Fry in Jersey Digs. The changes also clarify that the definition of a warehouse does not include data centers as an approved use. 

"Jersey City has a limited number of data centers, with all the currently built ones existing within office buildings as part of the larger development. According to a city-created report, there are five data centers in Jersey City and all of them date [sic] located Downtown." There are currently over 80 data centers in New Jersey.

Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Jersey Digs

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