Microsoft puts largest data center in suburbs

Microsoft Corp. has started building a $500 million mega data center in Northlake -- the company's largest and most powerful -- that will house its growing Internet-related services for customers worldwide.

The high-tech, automated center is expected to start operations in June and will employ about 35 to 50 people, said Mike Manos, Microsoft's senior director of data center services.

"This center will be a key component to help us develop our Internet services and provide those services worldwide," Manos said.

The data center, along I-294, will house tens of thousands of computer systems that will handle instant messaging, Hotmail services, Windows updates and other programs.

Microsoft has several other data centers worldwide, but the Northlake facility will be its largest. The two-story structure is expected to be about 550,000 square feet -- equivalent to eight ball fields.

"It's been a challenge for us to build a structure of this size," said Manos. "It's almost impossible to keep it quiet."

Data centers, which house Internet-related files and Web services, need little human direction. They offer a bonanza for local contractors, Realtors and village taxes. Several have been built and more are expected in the suburban area. AT&T has centers in Lisle and Oak Brook that serve major corporations.

AT&T recently opened two more centers in Toronto and Piscataway, N.J. It also added more space to existing data centers in Mesa, Ariz., Irvine, Calif., Ashburn, Va., and ones in London, Amsterdam and Singapore.

"The addition of the new data centers last year and this year are a reflection of the booming global hosting business and we will continue to look for more opportunities," said AT&T spokesman Chris Combs.

Microsoft built its first data center about three years ago in tiny Quincy, Wash., in the middle of a former bean field. Quincy is about 2½ hours east of Redmond, Wash., where Microsoft is headquartered, said Manos.

"Yahoo and a lot of others followed us by building their own centers out there," said Manos.

The Northlake data center is owned by Ascent Corp. and The Koman Group of St. Louis. It was designed by Ascent, but the interior is being built out by Microsoft, which has a 15-year lease.