1200 Graphics Drive

A 45-acre former chemical plant site located at 1200 Graphics Drive in Modesto, California, is being considered for a potential data center development. NorthPoint Development, a Kansas-based real estate company founded in 2012, is rumored to be the developer behind the project, having reportedly lobbied the Modesto City Council. The site, which was formerly an FMC chemical plant and has been disused since 1984, was remediated in 2007 due to contamination from barium, strontium, arsenic, and fuel. NorthPoint has filed an application to split the 45-acre parcel into two, which was deemed complete in December 2025. The potential data center development has generated considerable public outcry and opposition from local residents and some city council members, citing concerns over water and energy usage. Current municipal regulations in Modesto prohibit data centers as a land use, but there is discussion that these codes could be amended if an application is formally submitted. Modesto Irrigation District has indicated that any necessary infrastructure upgrades would likely be the responsibility of the developer or operator, and a study of the data center's demands and impacts on the city would be required prior to development.