Digital Realty Further Expands Mediterranean Presence with Strategic Land Acquisitions in Milan
MWN-AI** Summary
Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the leading cloud- and carrier-neutral data center platform globally, has announced its strategic entry into the Milan market, underscoring its expanding presence in the Mediterranean region. This move enhances Digital Realty’s leadership in digital infrastructure, connecting vital hubs including Athens, Marseille, and Sofia, while also paving the way for new developments in Barcelona, Crete, and other key areas.
The company has acquired two adjacent parcels of land in Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan’s center, strategically located along a crucial subsea traffic corridor linking Milan to important coastal cities. This new campus is set to develop a vibrant interconnection community, enhancing resilience and diversity in the local digital ecosystem. The proximity to existing hyperscale regions positions the Milan campus for future expansions driven by increasing demand for cloud computing and AI services.
Initially, Digital Realty plans to construct an 8-megawatt (MW) facility, expected to be operational by 2028, focusing on colocation and interconnection services tailored to Milan's burgeoning digital market. The campus has the potential for a total capacity of 84 MW to meet the growing needs for AI, cloud, and enterprise deployments.
Digital Realty already has a foothold in Italy with its ongoing construction of the ROM1 facility in Rome, anticipated to be one of the largest data center campuses in the country upon completion. This strategic positioning within Italy’s top connectivity hubs allows Digital Realty to effectively support the increasing demand for digital services across Italy.
With its developments in Milan and Rome, Digital Realty is well-positioned to facilitate Italy’s digital transformation while enhancing its comprehensive data center offerings in the region.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Digital Realty's recent expansion into Milan represents a strategic move to strengthen its presence in one of Europe’s most digitally dynamic regions. This move aligns with the company's broader goal of enhancing digital infrastructure across the Mediterranean, catering to the rising demand for cloud and AI services. With its acquisition of land in Abbiategrasso, just southwest of Milan, Digital Realty will establish a critical data center campus designed to serve as an interconnection hub benefitting from existing subsea traffic corridors and dense terrestrial fiber routes.
Investors should view this expansion as a positive signal of the company's growth trajectory. The planned 8-megawatt (MW) facility, targeting a phased rollout by 2028, lays the groundwork for future scalability with potential capacity reaching up to 84 MW. Given the anticipated growth in sectors like cloud computing and AI, this infrastructure investment positions Digital Realty to capture market share effectively and meet increasing enterprise demands.
Milan's status as Italy's business capital, paired with its burgeoning tech ecosystem, creates a favorable landscape for Digital Realty’s services. The strategic location enhances connectivity not only within Italy but also to key Mediterranean markets, reinforcing Digital Realty's position as a critical player in the digital services landscape.
From a financial perspective, potential investors could view Digital Realty favorably, particularly as the company executes its growth strategy in key markets such as Milan and Rome. The long-term resilience and capacity of its facilities will likely serve as a robust hedge against market volatility. As Digital Realty leans into this market expansion and is supported by evolving digital transformation trends, it may be prudent for investors to consider stock positioning to capitalize on future growth opportunities.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
LONDON, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the world’s largest cloud- and carrier-neutral data center platform, today announced its coming entry into the Milan market, marking a significant expansion in one of Europe’s most economically powerful and digitally dynamic regions.
Digital Realty’s expansion into Milan strengthens its leadership in digital infrastructure across the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, connecting key hubs in Athens, Marseille, and Sofia, with new sites underway in Barcelona, Crete, and other key markets. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, this region is emerging as a vital digital interconnection point, and Digital Realty remains committed to delivering the digital infrastructure needed to support the growth in digital transformation, cloud and AI throughout Southern Europe and beyond.
Digital Realty has acquired two parcels of land strategically located in Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan’s city center and just one kilometer apart. The new campus to be developed will sit at a critical nexus, positioned on the southwest subsea traffic corridor that connects Milan to Genoa and Savona, and will offer access to dense, diverse terrestrial fiber routes across the region.
The Milan campus will be designed to foster a new, vibrant interconnection and content community, strengthening diversity and resilience within the local digital ecosystem. Located in close proximity to two existing hyperscale regions, the campus will be well-positioned to facilitate future expansion, driven by the fast-growing demand for cloud and AI services. This is expected to ensure long-term capacity and resilience for digital services in Northern Italy and beyond.
"We’re excited to enter Milan, Italy’s business capital with a dynamic tech ecosystem," said Paula Cogan, Managing Director, EMEA, Digital Realty. "By expanding into Milan, we are providing much-needed infrastructure to support the city’s growth as a digital hub, fostering new content, interconnection, and cloud communities while assuring long-term capacity for AI and hyperscale deployments."
Digital Realty plans to initially deliver an 8-megawatt (MW) facility, bringing scalable colocation services and improved interconnection options to Milan’s fast-growing digital marketplace. The first phase is targeted for readiness in 2028, focusing on retail colocation and interconnection requirements. To meet ongoing demand for AI, cloud, and other enterprise deployments, Digital Realty plans further expansion on the larger plot, enabling up to 84 MW of capacity.
Digital Realty’s expansion into Milan complements its existing presence in Rome, where the company is currently constructing its first facility in this metro, ROM1, which is expected to become operational in early 2027. When fully built out, Digital Realty’s Rome campus will become one of the largest data center campuses in the country, further reinforcing Digital Realty’s commitment to supporting Italy’s digital transformation at both regional and national levels.
With plans underway in Milan and a forthcoming presence in Rome, Digital Realty is positioned to become the only global data center platform with a footprint in Italy’s two most important connectivity hubs, uniquely positioned to support growing demand across the country.
About Digital Realty
Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation, from cloud and digital transformation to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 55+ metros across 30+ countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.
For Additional Information
Media Contacts
Will Reynolds
Digital Realty
+44 7469 695775
wreynolds@digitalrealty.com
Investor Relations
Jordan Sadler / Jim Huseby
Digital Realty
+1 214 231 1350
InvestorRelations@digitalrealty.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the company's development plans, company strategy, including its strategy in the Mediterranean, and customer demand. For a list and description of risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
FAQ**
How does Digital Realty Trust Inc. DLR plan to leverage its entry into the Milan market to enhance its existing infrastructure and services across Southern Europe?
What strategic advantages does Digital Realty Trust Inc. DLR see in acquiring land in Abbiategrasso for supporting cloud and AI services in Milan?
In what ways does Digital Realty Trust Inc. DLR intend to position its Milan campus to foster a vibrant interconnection and content community?
How does Digital Realty Trust Inc. DLR plan to ensure the scalability of its 8 MW facility in Milan to meet the growing demand for digital services in the region?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Digital Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: DLR).
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