AURORA, Ill. (WAND) — For months, communities across central Illinois have debated how to regulate large-scale data centers. In Aurora, residents say the CyrusOne facility produces a constant hum, making it the loudest neighbor on the block.
"You feel like it's the ground. You feel it in your bed at night when you're trying to sleep, but it's shaking the entire house," said resident David Szala.
Since 2016, the 109-megawatt data center has operated near the neighborhood. Laura Evans has lived in the community for more than a decade. She said the noise coming from the CyrusOne facility is unsettling.
"At its worst, it's like a helicopter. At its best, it's a low hum, a noise that will never stop," Evans said.
Neighbors compare the sound to having a train behind their homes every night. They say the noise is often worse overnight.
After years of complaints, CyrusOne has taken steps to reduce the noise. But residents say the sound remains disruptive.
"Instead of being a helicopter on a roof, it might be a helicopter coming from about 50 feet away," Evans said.
David Szala agrees. After measuring the sound levels, he said the data center has reached 80 decibels, which is about as loud as a running blender.
"We try to figure out how did this happen to us? You know, why would the city allow this to happen?" Szala said.
Now, residents are sharing their experiences with other communities considering similar projects.
They're also urging local leaders and data center developers to be mindful of nearby neighborhoods.
"Don't go for the quick buck. Recognize that there are detrimental effects from data centers that impact your community and your residents," Szala said.
"Don't ignore that it is going to affect their way of life, because it will if it's not done properly. Listen to what the people have to say," Evans said.
CyrusOne said it has installed a permanent rooftop sound wall to help reduce noise. The company also said it is working with ComEd on electrical infrastructure improvements to minimize generator run time and avoid overnight generator operation.
Copyright 2026. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
