Developer outlines 1,283‑acre 'Project Hazelnut' data‑center campus; council questions taxes, jobs and water use

Northpointe Development representatives presented 'Project Hazelnut,' a proposed industrial campus of roughly 1,283 acres in Hazel Township that the company said would include up to 15 data‑center buildings delivered in three phases.

Tom Williams, representing Northpointe Development, told Luzerne County Council the company expects the developed footprint to be less than 500 acres and proposed a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) schedule revised after infrastructure‑committee feedback: 90% abatement for years one through seven, 80% in year eight, 70% in year nine and 60% in year ten. Northpointe proposed a pilot payment of $2,500 per acre for each developed phase, split 50% at building‑permit issuance and 50% at certificate‑of‑occupancy. Northpointe estimated total county payments of about $1,180,000 over full campus development and projected roughly $14.6 million in county tax revenue over 20 years.

Williams described the three phases as approximately 210 acres (phase 1), 97 acres (phase 2) and 165 acres (phase 3). He and colleague Brian Stahl said phase 1 could be completed in late 2026, phase 2 in early 2028 and phase 3 in mid‑2029. Northpointe estimated about 900 construction jobs and roughly 900 permanent jobs at full build‑out, and gave industry examples for likely technical positions (data‑center operations managers and technicians) with projected salary ranges (operations manager around $99,000; technicians $60,000–$85,000), noting that an end user/employer had not yet been identified.

Council members pressed for more detail on several fronts: the nature and pay of the projected permanent jobs, the plan for electrical infrastructure upgrades (noting PPL and PJM would be involved), and the project's water‑use plan. Williams said the developer is pursuing a partnership with the Hazleton area wastewater treatment plant to convey treated effluent for cooling rather than relying on groundwater; he added that public water would be used for normal building operations (restrooms, etc.) but not for cooling. Council members also raised long‑standing questions about housing impacts and whether developers would contribute to local housing, and asked the developer to return with additional details before a future vote.

Several council members, including Councilman Haas, Councilman Sabatino and others, said they supported negotiating stronger upfront public benefits and welcomed the developer’s pilot payments and stepped abatement, while requesting more specificity about job quality and local hiring. Northpointe said it generally seeks local contractors and labor for construction but final agreements would depend on contractors and eventual occupants.

No final county action on the LERTA request was recorded at the work session; council discussion will continue before any vote.