Element Critical
Note: We are not affiliated with the data centers or companies listed below. Listings are compiled from public sources and have not been independently confirmed by us — please verify directly with the company before relying on this information.
Element Critical is a US colocation provider that sells retail cabinets, cages, private suites, and wholesale data halls to enterprise, hyperscale, AI and neo-cloud customers across a small, tightly clustered portfolio of Tier III-class facilities. As of late 2025, independent reporting confirms the company operates data centers in Austin and Houston, Texas, and in Wood Dale (Chicago), Illinois, after a 2025 recapitalization backed by 26North Partners, Mercuria, Arctos and Safanad anchored the platform around its two Texas sites. Its most distinctive current move is a 10MW, AI-purpose-built expansion (“Data Hall 5”) at its Houston One campus in Katy, Texas, explicitly designed for generative AI, AI inference, LLM training and HPC workloads, with 4.5MW slated online by Q4 2026. Founded in 2014 as Central Colo and rebranded as Element Critical in 2017, the company built its early platform on facilities in Silicon Valley (Sunnyvale, CA) and Northern Virginia (Vienna, VA), but the Northern Virginia site was confirmed sold to Serverfarm, and current company and press materials (as of December 2025) no longer list Virginia or Silicon Valley among its operating markets, creating some conflicting legacy information across older brochures, marketing pages and third-party directories still describing a five-market (Chicago, Austin, Houston, Silicon Valley, Virginia) footprint.
Element Critical has a confirmed data center presence at the following locations:
FACILITY OPERATOR
Phone: 888.298.5375 Email: [email protected]
Element Critical Data Center Locations
- Wood Dale, Illinois, USA Chicago One (CH1) TIER III CARRIER-NEUTRAL PENDING REVIEW
Chicago One and its sister facility Chicago Two sit about 1,000 feet apart in Wood Dale and were acquired from Sungard Availability Services in January 2019, with direct fiber routes to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the 350 East Cermak carrier hotel. - Austin, Texas, USA Austin One TIER III CARRIER-NEUTRAL PENDING REVIEW
Austin One sits on an 18-acre campus with room to grow to 26 megawatts of power and was acquired by Element Critical in September 2021 as its second Texas facility. - Katy, Texas, USA Houston OneAI DATA CENTER TIER III CARRIER-NEUTRAL PENDING REVIEW
Houston One, previously Skybox Houston One and acquired by Element Critical in 2021, is undergoing a 10MW, AI-focused expansion with a new Data Hall 5 announced in November 2025 for generative AI, inference, LLM training and HPC workloads, with 4.5MW expected online by Q4 2026.
By Continent
AI Data Centers
Element Critical's clearest AI-specific infrastructure push is at its Houston One campus in Katy, Texas, where the company is building a new data hall (Data Hall 5) purpose-designed for generative AI, AI inference, LLM training, and HPC workloads. The expansion is part of a broader 10MW build-out at the site, with roughly 4.5MW expected to come online by the fourth quarter of 2026, aimed at addressing a capacity shortage for high-density AI deployments in the Houston/Texas market. Company executives have framed the project as delivering "vital inventory for enterprise and AI-driven workloads" in what they describe as a power-constrained region.
- Katy, USA Houston One AI DATA CENTER TIER III CARRIER-NEUTRALPENDING REVIEW
Houston One, previously Skybox Houston One and acquired by Element Critical in 2021, is undergoing a 10MW, AI-focused expansion with a new Data Hall 5 announced in November 2025 for generative AI, inference, LLM training and HPC workloads, with 4.5MW expected online by Q4 2026.
Common Questions
Does Element Critical offer AI/GPU-specific data center infrastructure?
Yes. At its Houston One campus in Katy, Texas, Element Critical is building a 20,000-square-foot addition called Data Hall 5, explicitly described on the company's own site as a high-density environment built for Generative AI, AI Inference, LLM training and High-Performance Computing workloads, part of a 10MW expansion with 4.5MW expected online by Q4 2026.
How many data centers does Element Critical currently operate?
As of a December 2025 Data Center Dynamics report tied to the company's new investment platform launch, Element Critical operates data centers in Austin and Houston, Texas, and in Chicago (Wood Dale), Illinois — four physical buildings across three metro markets (two in the Chicago area).
Did Element Critical ever operate in Silicon Valley or Northern Virginia?
Yes, historically. Element Critical's original two facilities were in Sunnyvale, California (Silicon Valley One) and Vienna, Virginia, but industry sources confirm Serverfarm acquired the Vienna, Virginia data center, and current company materials from late 2025 no longer list Virginia or Silicon Valley among its operating markets, even though some older Element Critical web pages and third-party directories still reference those locations.
Who backs Element Critical financially?
Safanad has backed Element Critical for roughly a decade, and in December 2025 the company launched a new U.S. data center platform with additional backing from 26North Partners, Arctos and Mercuria, anchored by its Houston and Austin facilities.
Does Element Critical offer colocation services?
Yes — we've identified 3 facilities where Element Critical may offer colocation services. Please contact Element Critical directly to confirm current availability and terms.
Does Element Critical offer cloud services?
We haven't confirmed cloud services for Element Critical yet — this isn't a definitive no, since our research can miss things. Please contact Element Critical directly to confirm cloud availability.
Disclaimer: This page was compiled with a structured research and verification process from publicly available sources. A human decides whether each page is published, but individual facts — addresses, contact details, and whether a company operates in a given location — are not independently fact-checked by us. Where you see a “Verified” badge, it means multiple independent sources agreed, not that we personally confirmed it. Companies open, close, relocate, and change contact details without always updating public records, so treat everything here as a starting point, not a confirmed source. If you're making a business decision, verify directly with the provider. Notice something outdated or incorrect? You're welcome to let us know — this site is updated periodically.