Massena considers code committee as data center proposal advances
Massena is considering a code committee focused on proposed projects, including a potential large-scale data center at the former Alcoa East site, while town officials review zoning and related rules.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
Massena is considering a code committee to address proposed projects, including a potential large-scale data center at the former Alcoa East site. The development could affect how the town handles zoning, permits and other reviews for data centers.
The project involves a planned expansion by New York Digital Investment Group, or NYDIG, of a Bitcoin-mining operation at the site. The facility has been idle since 2014 and previously hosted North Country Collocation Services. Coinmint, NCCS’s parent company, later entered a strategic partnership that included millions of dollars in investment.
The town’s Planning Board has said data centers are not currently authorized in Massena’s industrial zone. The board asked the Zoning Board of Appeals whether a large-scale data center would be a permitted use there. Planning Board Chair Vance Fleury said the town was reviewing its code at the same time.
The Town Board also approved a $100,000 escrow agreement to cover town review costs. Town and county reviews of the proposed project are continuing, and a January hearing considered whether data centers should be allowed in industrial zones.
Proposed moratorium
A draft six-month moratorium dated Sept. 16, 2026, would prevent the town from granting special-use permits, site plans, variances, building permits or certificates of occupancy for data centers during the pause. It would also direct the Planning Board, with consultants, to recommend standards for data centers.
The draft moratorium is not a confirmed law. The Sept. 16 vote on the proposal was 3-2 against it. Deputy Supervisor Sam Carbone, Adrian Taraska and Jared Hollander voted no. Supervisor Ray Lancto and Kristy Baker-Dubrey voted yes.
Canton has passed a moratorium and formed a data center committee. The Massena proposal is part of a broader local discussion about how communities in the North Country handle large-scale data center projects and their land-use reviews.
What happens next
Massena residents can check the town’s Agenda Center and News Flash page for updates about the committee, public meetings and related town actions. Information about the Planning Board is also available through the town website.
The Planning Board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m.; the next meeting was listed for Nov. 19, 2026, subject to confirmation through the town’s agenda calendar. Code Enforcement can be reached through Patrick O’Brien at 315-769-3588, extension 11.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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