Questions, answered.

The Frederick Digital Campus is a 2,122 acre master planned data center campus located at the former Eastalco Aluminum Smelting Plant in Adamstown, Maryland. The campus was approved by the Frederick County Planning Commission in December of 2021.

The masterplan is intended to restore the Tuscarora Stream Valley, utilize existing electrical transmission infrastructure from the former smelting plant, and restore an economically productive site to benefit all of Frederick County.

Data centers are buildings that house the hardware and equipment that power the digital services that you use every day. When you do anything that requires online connectivity — whether it's accessing medical records, making online banking transactions, streaming movies, posting on social media, or video chatting with your family — you are relying on data centers to make that possible.

Catellus Real Estate Development, L.P. (Catellus) is the master developer of the campus. A master developer is responsible for initial planning approvals and construction of the backbone infrastructure required to serve the overall campus (water, sewer, power and telecommunications infrastructure). For over four decades, Catellus has been a national leader in mixed-use real estate development and has amassed significant experience revitalizing former brownfield sites. Visit Catellus.com (opens in a new tab) to learn more.

Catellus has partnered with Rowan Digital Infrastructure and Aligned Data Centers on various parcels throughout the Campus. Rowan and Aligned have been responsible for constructing the data center buildings and their ongoing operations.

The campus is located in Frederick County, Maryland, on the site of the former Eastalco Aluminum Smelting Plant, which permanently closed in 2010.

Given the site's prior heavy industrial use, it was best suited for commercial development. With years of experience in turning former industrial sites into thriving commercial developments, Catellus was primed to turn the long dormant Eastalco site into a renewed economic engine for Frederick County. Once constructed, the Frederick Digital Campus will ensure that this site can safely support future businesses and be used to once again support the economic vitality of the Frederick community.

The Frederick County government has taken decisive action to make sure that the Frederick Digital Campus reflects the interests of the community.

The Frederick Digital Campus is governed by local, state and federal environmental laws designed to limit noise, water usage, traffic, and pollution. To learn more about the standards enacted by Frederick County, read Bill No. 25-05 (PDF) (opens in a new tab).

Construction on the Frederick Digital Campus is estimated to be completed in 2035.

Over its expected construction timeline, the Frederick Digital Campus is estimated to support 8,100 jobs annually, generating $8.84 billion in direct labor income in the county. In total, the development of the campus will create more than $23 billion in economic output over the duration of construction.

Once fully operational, the campus will create an estimated 9,800 annual jobs, covering multiple fields of work and generating an estimated $5 billion in total annual economic output for Frederick County. Catellus is committed to promoting opportunities for well-paying, long-term jobs that span career pathways, especially those that do not require four-year degrees.

Read the HR&A economic impact report (PDF) (opens in a new tab)

To date, the Frederick Digital Campus development has already generated more than $55 million in new tax revenue for the County through real property taxes and taxes on land purchases. During the remaining construction period, development is projected to generate an additional $139 million in fiscal revenue for the county.

Once fully operational, the Frederick Digital Campus is estimated to generate close to $215 million in fiscal revenue for Frederick County on an annual basis. This includes:

• $195 million in real property taxes on improvements.
• $13.2 million in real property taxes on land.
• $4.74 million in personal income taxes by on-site employees living in the county.
• $2.04 million in stormwater management utility fees.

This nearly $215 million in new annual county funding will ensure Frederick can support its residents through robust investment in public schools, new county infrastructure, or reduced taxes. In short, the economic impact of the Frederick Digital Campus can grant the county fiscal freedom and flexibility, allowing meaningful investment in the future of the community.

In September 2026, Catellus announced the largest Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) negotiated between a data center developer and a host community. The agreement stipulates that Catellus will contribute over $110 million in direct investments to fund major, community-driven initiatives and public projects across Frederick County and donate land for permanent environmental conservation. This funding is in addition to and on top of the 9,800 permanent jobs the campus will create and nearly $215 million in tax revenue the site is expected to generate annually.

This follows two county-led listening sessions in February and March of 2026 and additional input from residents across the county. The Frederick County Council will review the proposed agreement during a public meeting; in addition, the Council will hold an additional public hearing where members of the public will have the opportunity to present comments on the agreement.

Key funding priorities include the development and construction of new academic, recreation, and workforce development projects, such as:

• $30,000,000 for the design and construction of renovations to Carroll Manor Elementary School
• $30,000,000 for the design and construction of improvements to an Adamstown Regional Park
• $10,500,000 for agricultural preservation easements on 1,312 acres of land
• $14,500,000 to fund the design and construction of a Workforce Development Training Center
• $10,000,000 to fund the design and construction of Carroll Manor Recreation Council Youth Recreation Facilities
• $10,000,000 for the construction of perimeter berming and hiker/biker trails
• $5,000,000 to fund a Community Solar Project on land provided by FDC
• $1,000,000 to fund a New Carroll Manor Fire Department engine

Once recorded, the agreement will bind not only the current developer, but also any future owners of the property. Required public improvements will be backed by financial safeguards, including bonds or letters of credit, and the Frederick Digital Campus will remain responsible for County impact and water and sewer fees. The agreement gives Frederick County the flexibility to direct community-benefit funds toward the public projects and priorities that will deliver the greatest value for residents.

The Frederick Digital Campus is committed to being a partner to the Frederick Community and that means operating with transparency. Residents will have the opportunity to give their input on the CBA at an upcoming County Council public hearing.

The sound levels related to the operations of the site will be maintained at or below 55 decibels at the edge of the property, equivalent to the sound of a running refrigerator or moderate rainfall. Read Bill No. 25-05 (PDF) (opens in a new tab) for the full standard.

Data centers are unique in that they generate relatively low traffic; they generate 71% less traffic than an industrial park and 90% less traffic than general offices.

Yes — in fact, it will protect it. Bill No. 25-09, which created the Critical Digital Infrastructure (CDI) overlay, upon which the Frederick Digital Campus sits, includes a provision that requires that every one acre zoned for development be matched by five acres preserved for farmland. This proposal turns the Frederick Digital Campus into one of the largest single acts of land preservation in Frederick's history, helping to carry forth Frederick's agricultural legacy.

The Frederick Digital Campus has been thoughtfully designed and constructed to support the community, its residents, and their future. The Frederick Digital Campus has already invested approximately $200 million to secure power supply and develop the fiber, water, and sewer infrastructure needed to serve the site.

The Frederick Digital Campus is proposing environmental measures that go beyond existing requirements, including a large-scale water-reuse system designed to reduce the campus's demand for potable water. Together with permanent protection of the Tuscarora Stream Valley corridor, these commitments reflect a practical, forward-looking approach — conserving water, preserving natural land, and putting durable environmental safeguards in place.

The Frederick Digital Campus has been thoughtfully designed and constructed to support the community, its residents, and their future. The Frederick Digital Campus has already invested approximately $200 million to secure power supply and develop the fiber, water, and sewer infrastructure needed to serve the site.

Catellus recognizes that there are concerns about energy costs and is committed to ensuring participating businesses — not taxpayers — are responsible for the campus's data center energy and infrastructure needs. The recent passage of Governor Moore's Utility RELIEF Act (opens in a new tab) establishes a new structure requiring data centers to fully cover the cost of their electricity usage, helping ensure that residents are not burdened with higher energy bills. The Frederick Digital Campus and its partners support this legislation under the principle that data centers should be responsible for meeting their own energy demands.

The CBA protects more than 850 acres of land from ever being developed, including more than 250 acres dedicated to community-serving uses and a 443-acre conservation easement. The protected land would remain available for parkland, nature conservation, recreation, and community use for generations to come. The 443-acre conservation easement will also establish a wildlife corridor and nature reserve along the Tuscarora Stream Valley, helping safeguard an important natural resource, support local habitat, and preserve the area's character for the future.

Thank you for your interest. Please contact our press team at frederickdigital@touchstonestrategygroup.com.

For further inquiries please reach out at frederickdigital@touchstonestrategygroup.com.