SOUTH BEND, Ind. & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (“1547”), a leading developer, operator, and owner of highly-interconnected, custom-designed data centers in North America, in partnership with Harrison Street, one of the leading investment management firms focused on alternative real assets with approximately $55 billion in assets under management, today announces the acquisition of the Global Access Point Union Station data center located in South Bend, Indiana. This acquisition is part of 1547’s ongoing strategy to expand its connectivity-focused portfolio of data centers and increase its presence in strategic markets across the United States, with proximity to major metropolitan data hubs.
The Union Station data center, which sits atop the transcontinental fiber system connecting Chicago to the East Coast, has been a cornerstone in the technological growth of South Bend. Situated in the historic Union Station in Northern Indiana, the South Bend data center is ranked among the top U.S. carrier hotels and critical network hubs, offering access to over 20 unique telecommunication network service providers.
"We are excited to bring the South Bend data center under 1547’s umbrella of highly connected facilities," said J. Todd Raymond, Chief Executive Officer of 1547. "This acquisition aligns with our strategy to expand our connectivity-focused portfolio and enhance our service offerings across the Midwest. Not only is South Bend a critical market for customers given its proximity to major Chicago data hubs and its growing, tech-driven economy, but the facility itself is deeply networked, making it ideal for businesses and enterprises with robust connectivity needs."
“Sitting at the convergence of some of the largest fiber paths nationwide that provide connections for more than 20 carriers, Union Station offers robust existing infrastructure that is well suited to address the needs of high-demand users in a region with limited existing supply,” said Michael Borchetta, Managing Director in Transactions at Harrison Street. “We are thrilled to further our partnership with 1547 with this acquisition and look forward to continuing to expand our data center footprint nationwide.”
The Union Station data center in South Bend has become a pivotal location for technological advancements in the region and is expected to remain an essential interconnection point in this fast-growing Indiana market. Key industry players have announced significant investments in hyperscale and AI campuses in the region, emphasizing the rising significance of the Union Station data center as a critical connectivity hub. With 1547’s planned capacity and facility upgrades, the Union Station data center will be well-equipped to seamlessly meet its customers' growing interconnection needs.
"This acquisition not only expands our footprint but also enhances our ability to deliver state-of-the-art data center and connectivity solutions to our customers in this thriving Midwest market," added Raymond. "We are committed to investing in our facilities and ensuring our infrastructure is second to none."
The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
For more information about 1547 Critical Systems Realty and the Union Station data center, please visit https://1547realty.com/.
About fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty
fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (“1547”) is a leading developer, operator, and owner of highly-interconnected, custom-designed data centers with over 1.25 million square feet of data center space under management throughout North America. 1547 selects sites, designs facilities, and manages developments to optimize returns for all stakeholders across new and interconnected properties. With interconnection in the company’s DNA, 1547’s connectivity-focused portfolio of data centers includes carrier hotels and core connectivity hubs designed to deliver customized mission-critical solutions from concept to connection. To learn more about fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty, please visit: https://1547realty.com/.
About Harrison Street
Harrison Street is one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets. Since inception in 2005, the firm has created a series of differentiated investment solutions focused on demographic-driven, needs-based assets. The Firm has invested across senior housing, student housing, build-to-rent, healthcare delivery, life sciences and storage real estate as well as social, utility and digital infrastructure. Headquartered in Chicago and London, with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia, the Firm has more than 280-employees and approximately US $55 billion in assets under management on behalf of institutional investors across the globe. Harrison Street was awarded Best Places to Work by Pensions & Investments for nine years (2014-2020, 2022, 2023) and since 2019 has won 15 awards from PERE, including three for the 2023 Awards: Alternatives Investor of the Year – Global, Data Centers Investor of the Year – North America, and ESG Firm of the Year – North America. For more information, please visit www.harrisonst.com. (Assets under management ("AUM") reflects AUM for the Firm’s investment advisory and asset management clients, and is inclusive of the Firm’s regulatory AUM reported in its Form ADV.)
