Hivelocity: 350 East Cermak Data Center

The 350 East Cermak Data Center, known as the Lakeside Technology Center, is an expansive colocation and interconnection hub located at 350 East Cermak Road, in Chicago's Prairie Avenue District on the Near South Side. Operated by Digital Realty Trust, it stands as one of the largest data centers in the world, spanning over 1.1 million square feet, and serves as a premier carrier hotel, offering unmatched connectivity in the Midwest. Strategically positioned minutes from McCormick Place, Chicago’s financial district, and both O’Hare and Midway airports, the facility benefits from exceptional accessibility and proximity to major transport and business hubs. As a critical national interconnection node, it combines both telecom and financial ecosystems, housing enterprise, cloud, content, and network ecosystems in one location 

⚙️ Facility Highlights

• Gross Building Size: Approximately 1,133,000 sq ft over 8 levels 
• Utility Power Capacity: ~109,000 kW (109 MW) 
• UPS Power Capacity: ~70,000 kW, supporting N+1 and 2N redundancy
• Generator Power Capacity: ~48,900 kW and noted in other sources and up to 150,000 kW
• Power & Cooling Redundancy: Cooling systems with N+1 redundancy and in-room cooling redundancy of N+15%; heat rejection redundancy N+1 
• Max Power Density: Ranges between 140–300 W/sq ft 
• Load-Bearing Capacity: Roof uses membrane and reinforced concrete decking; floor loading rated up to 250 lbs/sq ft 
• Fiber & Building Entry: Features multiple diverse fiber entrances through several fiber vaults

🔐 Security & Compliance

• On-site Security: Maintained 24×7 with security personnel, CCTV with 90-day backup, biometric and photo badge access controls 
• Certifications & Compliance: Holds certifications including SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI-DSS, and mapping to NIST 800-53, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 

🌐 Connectivity & Carrier Access

• Ecosystem Richness: Home to 95+ enterprises, 25+ cloud providers, 10+ content providers, 35+ IT providers, and 90+ network providers 
• Carrier-Neutral / Interconnectivity: Functions as a major carrier hotel with multiple fiber vaults, meet-me rooms, and diverse fiber entries for seamless interconnection services

💼 Who It Serves

• Enterprises & Financial Institutions: Ideal for finance, trading firms, and enterprises requiring ultra-low latency, high connectivity, and robust infrastructure. Its proximity to CME, ICE, and the financial district makes it particularly attractive for market data and trading operations 
• Cloud, Content & Network Providers: Designed to support cloud platforms, content delivery networks, and ISPs, given its high-density power and interconnectivity capabilities.
• Mission-Critical Applications: Suits businesses demanding high reliability, redundant power and cooling, and strong compliance credentials.