Data Centers in Holyoke
Holyoke was built to be a city of industry with its powerful canals and many reservoirs. The land near the canals was always filled with mills. Homes were built in many locations of the city both for workers and managers. It had one of the first sewer systems in the nation. Its roads were built to maximize space since land would be at a premium. The city was one of the marvels of Massachusetts during the American Industrial Revolution. It was the one and only fully planned industrial city in the nation with all other industrial sites being only partially planned. The Holyoke Canal is the most powerful industrial canal ever built anywhere. It was the most powerful human built structure in the nation from the early 1870s to the late 1920s. Railroads fed into each mill from both sides. People came into the city from many other countries and from around New England. Mill owners spotted the opportunity and moved their mills here or opened new mills as they discovered a new need. There was no resistance from the people since they knew the country and state would prosper and that their own lives would get better.
The American Revolution led to a revolution in many fields – religion, philosophy, social, and economic. The American Industrial Revolution took over from the British Industrial Revolution by the 1790s and made it even better. The 1800s were a marvel of capitalism. The 1800s was the century of mills, that is, making production possible at a high level. Throughout the 1900s a third wave of the industrial revolution led to great steel production in the first half of that century and to computer and data revolutions in the latter half of the century. Massachusetts was the center of that Industrial Revolution. I have counted 80 power canals in Hampden and Hampshire Counties alone. In all of Massachusetts there could have been 400 canals for power.
Holyoke was a leader in the development of parks and playgrounds. They had the second best run trolley system in the state. Catholic schools were as well attended as public schools because the ethnic groups wanted to keep their culture intact. They did however know that they were becoming American. They were very proud of their new country as evidenced by the high enlistment rates into the military. It was not only an industrial leader but also a first class retail and banking commerce city.
In 1969 a paper conglomerate in Holyoke collapsed for the final time. The city was economically lost for the rest of the century. It did not have to happen but the city did not change in the correct direction through a mixture of lack of knowledge and lack of concern. The industrial city of Holyoke lost its grip on how to be industrial. That is what the city is best at since it was designed to be an industrial city. Since 1848 when the canal was started, Holyoke has distinguished itself in that manner. If no canal was built then Holyoke would have remained just farmland between two large cities – West Springfield and Northampton. Retail stores would have come in and Holyoke would have become like Hadley is – farmland north and south with a giant strip mall feel in between.
The Holyoke Water Works since 1873 has been the envy of water companies around New England. It was blessed with many pure water reservoirs and that water was needed not only for people but also for paper and other industries. It has delivered pure water for over 150 years. Its many reservoirs in Holyoke and Southampton have been maintained in great shape on a daily basis. It built enough reservoirs for a city with 100 thousand people and many mills since it had the forethought to project out the needs years ahead.
Same with Holyoke Gas and Electric born in 1902 from the purchase of some infrastructure from the Holyoke Water Power. The Holyoke Water Power itself had built up its electrical stations from a small unit in 1884 to its first power station using canal water in 1895. It built up three more medium sized stations after that and then in the 1950s built the first of two stations on the river. Holyoke Gas and Electric would take over these structures in the year 2000. They are still heavily used today. It is of note that the mills using the hydropower from the three level canal system could generate 100 MW of hydromechanical energy. The water power structures today can only develop about 45 MW in Holyoke. Thankfully HG&E through solar power fields can get about 30 MW more.
Since about 2005 Holyoke has developed itself more. Stores and restaurants have come into being around the city. This innovation is wonderful. The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computer Center (HGHPCC) is a fine structure that offer computer power for researchers. Race Street has moved from being an eyesore in the year 2010 to being a gem of the city in recent years. The canal walkways are gorgeous and will be expanded.
In 2026 a data center tried to come to Holyoke. The city is fit for such an industry. The computer and data revolution has taken the world by storm for a half century now. Holyoke has the land, the electricity, and the water for such a center. HGHPCC is one example – clean, quiet, and needing resources that Holyoke has plenty of. It using most of its electricity at night. The new data center will need a lot of daytime and nightime electricity. Nightime electricity is no problem. During the daytime it could be asked to sure use electricity but at a higher cost to them then the households of Holyoke. This higher rate to them could then be transferred to the households.
I have stood near the HGHPCC many times. It is quiet. The landscape around it is gorgeous. It is very clean. They are fine neighbors. Holyoke Gas and Electric gains a lot of revenue from HGHPCC. The same would be true for the new data center. The nearest homes or apartments are 600 meters away. Any sound would have damped out by 100 meters. There is no dirt associated with a data center. The HGHPCC is an example. Thus there are no quality of life issues with a data center. They would be a great source of revenue for the city.
Holyoke for decades has come up short in paying for its own bills. It depends upon the federal and state government too much. Those that depend too much on others become slaves to the system. Holyoke was once the envy of the region. Its power canals and mills led the American Industrial Revolution in the correct direction. Massachusetts was the greatest of all the states from 1850 to 1950. Lets get Holyoke back on track as a community and likewise with Massachusetts as a state. Progressive leaders believe that they can change the nation and people’s lives by spending. But that money needs to come from somewhere. Innovation in Holyoke mostly should mean industry. Thus I call on those people in Holyoke and also in the surrounding communities that want to make Holyoke great again to cast out their voices and support. Ask the city council and the mayor for more discussion. Such a complex issue as a new data center should not be solved as quickly as it was. Let the center explain itself and how it would fit into the city. Let them explain what they do. Decisions should not be based on mobs of Progressives that pounce on any issue without much thought.
Ask questions and get answers. Question the council members.
The data center needs to be part of the future of Holyoke.