The Northland quietly became Kansas City's server-farm capital, and most homeowners only hear about one project at a time. Here is the whole board as of November 1, 2026.
Data centers
Project Mica (Google), I-435 and US-169, Clay County. Approved. About 500 acres, five buildings, roughly 1.56 million square feet. Port KC authorized up to $10 billion in bonds with a 25-year, 75% property tax exemption; Google has committed $1.5 million to Smithville schools and $250,000 to the Northland Career Center. Axios KC.
Project Kestrel (Shenandoah Computing), KCI 29, Platte County. Approved, not confirmed started. Up to six buildings, about 1.8 million square feet on roughly 380 acres, financed through Port KC with a $100 billion headline and a 35-year exemption. Industry reporting links it to Google; Google has never confirmed. The presiding county commissioner opposes the structure. First-phase construction was slated for 2026 and I can find no evidence it has begun. Axios KC.
Edged Kansas City, 3420 N. Arlington. Open since December 2024: 26 megawatts, about $143 million. This is the site behind Ordinance 260941, the $572.5 million equipment bond with a 50% abatement ask that the City Council held for two weeks on October 29. It returns November 12. I covered that fight in last week's updates and in the Northland Update email.
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Get the Free Northland UpdateMeta, Golden Plains Technology Park, NW 128th and US-169. Online since August 2025, reported at $800 million to $1 billion. KSHB 41.
Battery storage (the part nobody is watching)
Aypa Power BESS, 14600 N. 169 Highway, Smithville. Approved by the Board of Aldermen in late summer 2026 on a 4-1 vote (rezoning, plat, and conditional use permit), over resident fire and contamination concerns. A reclamation bond over $1 million is expected.
Nashua Energy Storage (NextEra), 13213 N. 169 Highway, Smithville. Approved 5-0 on August 4, 2026. Up to 300 megawatts on about 44 acres, operations targeted for 2029-2030, with a claimed $74.5 million in added Clay County revenue. City of Smithville.
What this means if you own a home up here
Three honest takeaways. One: these projects are tax-base engines, not job engines; the equipment fight at City Hall is about whether schools and libraries get the full benefit. Two: none of this builds neighborhoods, so do not price a boom into your sale that the comps do not show. Three: the battery sites along the 169 corridor are the sleeper issue for nearby property owners, and the approval record matters more than the Facebook comments. For what any of these means at your address, call or text (816) 914-1903.
Every project above is tracked with primary sources on the Northland Development Map.