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Bettesworth Construction
data center permits

Valara Data Center Construction: What’s Happening on South Pine Street in Spartanburg

Construction is underway at the Valara data center site in Spartanburg, but the operator’s Q3 2026 opening target does not confirm that operations have begun. Here’s what is known about the permits and land-use case.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 3 min read
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Yes. The Valara data center project on South Pine Street in Spartanburg is under construction. South Carolina Public Radio reported on September 17, 2026, that work was continuing while a court considered how the development should be classified under county land-use rules. Construction activity does not mean the facility is already operating: the operator’s published target for initial operations was Q3 2026, and that target alone does not confirm an opening.

What is being built, and where?

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) identifies the project as Valara Holdings High Performance Compute Center and associates it with NorthMark Strategies. The operator’s site uses the name NorthMark Compute & Cloud and describes the facility as a high-performance technology center intended to support its own operations. The company says it acquired the former Kohler property in early 2025. SCDES’s project page and the operator’s South Pine Street project page provide the project descriptions.

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The site is on South Pine Street in Spartanburg. A Spartanburg County agenda search result lists the address as 4000 S. Pine Street, but the underlying agenda record was not available for confirmation; treat the street number as provisional unless verified against the county record.

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Is the facility open yet?

The operator’s published schedule targeted initial operations for Q3 2026, followed by a phased ramp-up, while construction was expected to continue through 2028. Those dates are company targets, not confirmation that the facility began operating. The operator also cautions that schedules may change because of weather, supply-chain disruption, or other factors. As of the operator website’s October 7, 2026 snapshot, the site still presents the timing as a target; the sources cited here do not establish an actual start of operations. NorthMark Compute & Cloud’s project timeline

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What air permits has the project received?

SCDES has issued air construction permits for equipment planned to generate power on site. These are air-permit decisions, not proof that every local and state authorization needed to begin operations is complete. SCDES says the facility needs certain environmental permits before operating, in addition to permits from other authorities.

Permit action Equipment and conditions stated by SCDES
September 17, 2025 Synthetic Minor Air Construction Permit CP-50000316 for 24 permanent natural-gas-fired generators rated at 2,103 kW each. The permit establishes federally enforceable limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), with selective catalytic reduction and oxidation catalyst controls.
April 21, 2026 amendment Added 21 temporary natural-gas-fired generators rated at 1,500 kW each. SCDES says they cannot operate at the same time as the permanent generators and cannot remain on site longer than six months.
September 18, 2026 SCDES approved a second Synthetic Minor Air Construction Permit for 11 simple-cycle combustion turbines, following review of application materials and public comments, including comments at a June 25, 2026 hearing.

The equipment counts and permit conditions above are from SCDES’s Valara project and permitting information. The September 18 turbine permit is an air construction permit; it should not be read as a complete operating approval.

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Why is the project facing a land-use challenge?

In a September 17, 2026 report, South Carolina Public Radio described the dispute as whether the development is “major” or “minor.” The classification matters because it determines whether decisions can be made by county planning staff or require public hearings through the County Planning Commission. The report said a state circuit court judge had deferred a decision and that other lawsuits sought to stop construction. That is the status described in the dated report; later court or county actions are not established here.

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What the operator says about jobs, power, and water

NorthMark Compute & Cloud reports approximately 1,445 workers at the site each day, with roughly one in three from Spartanburg County, and anticipates about 150 permanent on-site roles. These are company-reported figures, not independently verified outcomes. The operator also says 97% of the facility’s power will be generated on site using natural-gas equipment and that projected water consumption will stay within approved limits using municipal supply. These, too, are operator statements about plans and projections rather than audited operating results. Operator project information; NorthMark Compute & Cloud

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