Skip to content
South Jersey news

What it’s like to live by a data center | Inquirer South Jersey

🚗 And you might get asked to track your daily trips.

The Vineland DataOne center, as seen in June, could be finished by the end of the year, developers have said.
The Vineland DataOne center, as seen in June, could be finished by the end of the year, developers have said.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

Good morning, South Jersey. Welcome to October. Hopefully, the sun will return and it won’t be as gloomy as September.

Vineland residents who are some of the first in the Philly area to know what it’s like to live next to a massive AI data center share their experiences.

And the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission wants to know where you’re headed every day — and how you get there.

Plus, Clementon Park & Splash World is back up for auction, and more news of the day.

— Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)

P.S. Submit a story idea via Curious South Jersey. Ask a question about the region, and the answer might just show up in a future article.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

When a data center is your neighbor

Several South Jersey municipalities are considering or have already passed data center bans before any ground broke. Those include Cherry Hill, Collingswood, Medford, Millville, and Monroe Township.

But a handful of local homeowners have the unique experience of seeing one from their house — the DataOne facility in Vineland.

They used to have more neighbors before the data center developers and associates bought several homes that now appear to be abandoned.

Multiple residents commented on the excessive sound.

“I think of a prison, and I’m the prisoner with the noise,” said a homeowner of more than 47 years. “You get up in the morning and you’re in a foul mood.”

Follow along as The Inquirer’s Erin McCarthy visits some of the few in the region with firsthand knowledge of living near a data center.

🚗 Tracking daily travels

The DVRPC wants to know just about everything about people’s daily travel habits.

No, this is not about surveillance. After 13 years, the commission needs an updated survey to help guide funding decisions for infrastructure projects and transportation plans for the nine counties it serves, which include Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester.

Since January, it has been recruiting participants by mail to randomly selected households. Sorry, you can’t nominate yourself.

Those who opt in will have to track their household trips for 24 hours using a phone app. It’ll also ask the household basics: size, age, income, etc.

But how exactly will the experts use this information?

Transportation reporter Thomas Fitzgerald has that answer and more.

What to know today

  1. Five years after Clementon Park & Splash World was purchased at a bankruptcy auction, the recently shuttered 119-year-old amusement and water park is going back to auction this month.

  2. Researchers have found microplastic pollution in every one of the 22 stream and river segments along the Delaware River tested in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. This includes Cooper River in Camden County.

  3. Willingboro will unveil its new 570-seat Performing Arts Center on Saturday with its first concert.

  4. New Jersey’s minimum wage will increase to $16.48 for most employees beginning in the new year.

  5. Residents in Camden and Cherry Hill should be aware of possible detours and prepare to take alternative routes because of roadway projects scheduled for this week.

  6. The Inquirer’s editorial board, which is separate from the newsroom, wrote that Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s call for now-former Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to resign set “an ethical example for a corrupt era.”

Enjoyed this story?

Get more South Jersey news on your homepage with one click.

🗓️ The best things to do this week

🔮 Boos & Brews Witches Market: Check out this witch-themed market full of themed vendors and activities. Stick around for food trucks, a costume contest, performances, and a beer garden. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 2, 5-9 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Rancocas Woods Events and Shops, Mount Laurel

📚 Collingswood Book Festival: The 24th annual festival is back spanning six blocks of Haddon Avenue. Come to meet booksellers and stay for author and poetry readings, performances, and workshops. ⏰ Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood

🎨 Cranberry Fest: The 36th annual cranberry fest returns with live music, a food court, a beer garden, and more than 100 artisans. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown

See more event listings here.

🧠 Trivia time

How many dispensaries were open on the day New Jersey first began recreational cannabis sales in 2022?

A) 25

B) 20

C) 12

D) 3

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re ...

🍿 Watching: Netflix’s reboot of A Different World.

🐕 Finding: A quality groomer.

📚 Choosing: My next read at Words Matter Bookstore in Pitman.

And that’s all I have for you today. Expect more news tomorrow morning. ☀️

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Taylor Allen
    I write and curate The Inquirer South Jersey daily newsletter. I deliver a quick hyperlocal overview of the most relevant news for our readers in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties so they can start their day informed, in just a few minutes.