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Lehigh Valley data center push faces site limits and rising land prices

Developers are steering to other parts of Pennsylvania because the Lehigh Valley has limited available sites, high land valuations, and more resident resistance during entitlements.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Industry

The Lehigh Valley is attracting data center interest, but industry participants say the region may not be a good fit for the sector, citing a lack of developable sites and steep land valuations that make projects harder to justify, Bisnow reports.

Developers in the area are prioritizing other parts of Pennsylvania because most prime sites have already been built out, and asking prices have risen as the broader data center boom inflated demand for industrial land.

Bisnow also points to community pushback during the entitlement process, noting that some residents view the data center trend as part of a wider industrial transformation driven by the e-commerce warehouse boom.

The outlet cites Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. figures showing industrial inventory expanded 23% from 125.7 million square feet in Q1 2020 to 154.8 million square feet in Q1 2026, contributing to rising scrutiny of new development.

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