2-million-square-foot Brookwood Project in major US market linked to Applied Digital's hyperscale AI data center campus expansion.
State environmental records reveal plans for an enormous industrial development near Brookwood Middle School that would encompass approximately 2 million square feet and disturb nearly 137 acres during construction, offering the clearest picture yet of Applied Digital's expanding footprint in eastern Tuscaloosa County.
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has granted construction stormwater permit coverage to APLD BHM-01 LLC, an Applied Digital affiliate, for what permit documents describe as the "Brookwood, AL Industrial" project. The permit became effective July 20 and authorizes stormwater discharges associated with construction through March 31, 2031.
The permit application describes a proposed industrial building of roughly 2 million square feet on a site where 136.89 acres will be disturbed during construction. The permitted work includes mass grading, utility installation, paving, erosion controls and construction of multiple sediment basins. Construction is expected to begin in late July 2026 and conclude by the end of 2028.
The project is planned along Brookwood Parkway, just north of Brookwood Middle School, on property adjacent to 17300 and 17490 Brookwood Parkway. ADEM records describe the development area as part of a 1,292.61-acre property, with 136.89 acres covered under the current construction permit.
A review of Tuscaloosa County GIS records found that Applied Digital owns hundreds of acres along Brookwood Parkway, suggesting the permitted construction may represent only one phase of a much larger development strategy.
Brookwood Mayor Joe Barger emphasized in a statement that the city's role in the permitting process is limited. "The permit application that has received attention was submitted to the State of Alabama and is administered through the state's permitting process. It is not an application that comes before the City of Brookwood for review or approval. Likewise, private real estate transactions are not conducted or managed by the City."
Nick Phillips, the company's executive vice president of external affairs, said: "Applied Digital continually evaluates potential sites in many locations. No decision has yet been made whether or not to proceed with a project at that particular location."
Although the legal permittee is listed as APLD BHM-01 LLC, the project is repeatedly identified with Applied Digital throughout the engineering and permit documents. Jason Zhang is listed as the responsible official for APLD BHM-01 LLC using an applieddigital.com email address, while Brian Hasemann of Applied Digital Corporation is identified as the project manager, emergency contact and site operator. Civil engineering firm Kimley-Horn, led by Professional Engineer Ransom Creech, prepared the environmental plans.