Data center campus confirmed to be part of Pickett Road development proposal

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The proposed annexation of 130 acres of property at 6321 SE Pickett Road would bring a campus of four data center buildings into the City of St. Joseph.

According to a release by the City, the property, co-owned by Capstone Technology Campus LLC and Steve Craig, under Craig Realty Group, will also be referred to as the STJ Data Center LLC.

The potential development won't only include the four data center buildings to start, but will also feature accessory administrative, electrical, storage and associated infrastructure. It will also feature surface parking areas and will house up to 200 employees.

In a statement via a news release, the City said it has requested additional information about the use of the land, in particular for data centers at the location; however, the City said it continues to wait for more information.

The City also said it is known that there are no tax incentives offered or requested, and the developer has agreed to a community meeting about the project. A specific date has not been set, but a meeting is expected to occur in mid-July.

Additionally, the City has not been asked to enter into a non-disclosure agreement regarding the project.

Questions follow a hearing at the May City Council meeting, where a public hearing about the proposed annexation of the Pickett Road property allowed councilmembers and the public alike to share their thoughts and opinions on the annexation.

In the release, the City said:

"The question of annexation is separate from the future use of the property. Under the City code, annexation and zoning are distinct processes. Annexation determines whether the property becomes part of the City of St. Joseph, while zoning determines what uses may be allowed on the property and what conditions may apply to future development."

A zoning request would undergo a separate review process that would evaluate the land-use compatibility, infrastructure impacts, utility capacity, environmental considerations and opportunities for public input before any decision is made.

The petition for voluntary annexation of the property came to the City in early April 2026; however, a request for an LLC was submitted to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins' office in February 2025 for the STJ Data Center and was approved.

Now that a public hearing for annexation has been held, the City said it does not have any additional hard deadlines it has to meet in regard to the proposal. As part of the annexation, the City is required to address the zoning of the property "concurrently" with the annexation.

The City said last week that an application was received from the property owner to have the property rezoned to a manufacturing district. Initially, the rezoning request was scheduled to be heard by the Planning Commission at its meeting on June 25.

After further discussion and consideration, the City and property owner decided to postpone the rezoning request until the July 23 Planning Commission meeting.

The Planning Commission is a recommending body only. After the July 23 meeting, it will forward its recommendation to the City Council for its review.

The first reading on the ordinance on annexation and the ordinance on rezoning will tentatively occur on Aug. 17, with a second and final reading on both issues to occur on Aug. 31. A public hearing on the rezoning request will also occur during the Aug. 17 meeting.

The City said, based on conversations with elected officials, they will demand full disclosure and transparency as the project progresses.

"We understand the level of public interest surrounding this potential project. City staff and elected officials are committed to a transparent process that provides residents with meaningful information and opportunities for engagement before any decisions are made," the City said.

The City said that as additional details become available, they will be shared with the public.