Facebook considering expansion options in Fort Worth

Facebook says the extra land it bought near its far north Fort Worth data center site gives it the option to expand at some point in the future.

The social media giant, based in Menlo Park, Calif., already owns 110 acres at Texas 170 and Park Vista Boulevard, but in December acquired 39 adjacent acres at Texas 170 and Independence Parkway in the Alliance development.

The land buy came less than six months after Facebook broke ground on a massive billion-dollar data center complex. Facebook plans to build three 250,000-square-foot buildings.

The added land could be used to expand beyond the three buildings, said Facebook spokesman Michael Kirkland in an e-mail.

“The current site has room for three full-size buildings,” Kirkland said. “We’re working on the first one now, and will likely build a second. We’ll decide on whether we need a third as business needs dictate. The new land purchase provides an option for expansion beyond three buildings, if things were to eventually come to that.”

Kirkland said the company feels it’s better to hold the land and have the option to expand.

Under the entity PMN Partners, Facebook bought an additional 39.4 acres on Dec. 22 from AIL Investment LP, a Hillwood Property entity, deed records show. Hillwood is the developer of the 18,000-acre Alliance project.

The first building is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

Facebook has said its investment in Fort Worth could reach $1 billion, but that was before it bought the additional acreage. The company could hire as many as 100 employees when the data center complex is completed.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 10:14 AM with the headline "Facebook considering expansion options in Fort Worth."