Latisys Expands Chicago-area Data Center

Colocation and managed services provider Latisys completed Phase 1 of an expansion project at its data center in a Chicago-area suburb. The provider added about 9,000 square feet of raised floor at its Oak Brook, Ill., facility and said 70 percent of the additional space had been sold as of Monday. The data center now has about 70 customers, according to a Latisys statement.

The provider said demand for space at its Oak Brook facility was mainly driven (besides various services the company provides) by need for additional power and space by Chicago-area organizations and the building’s proximity to downtown Chicago. The building’s total footprint is about 56,000 square feet, according to the company’s Web site. It provides a ground level loading capacity of 500 pounds per square foot and is capable of cooling more than 150 watts per square foot.

Since the beginning of the year Latisys has doubled the size of its staff at the location and expects to add about 30 percent more within the next six months. The company has begun Phase 2 of the expansion project, which will add about 13,000 square feet of raised floor. Latisys plans to complete Phase 2 by the third quarter of this year.

The provider has two more data centers in Irvine, Calif., and Denver, Colo. Both facilities are available to Oak Brook customers for back-up and disaster-recovery purposes.