I did not grow up in western Massachusetts. My family moved here from New York in 1992, and over the years I have lived in seven different states. I chose to stay here for the same reason tourists keep coming here every year: mountains, rivers, small towns with actual Main Streets, and places where people still know each other. Shelburne Falls, Greenfield, Turners Falls, Deerfield. These places feel human.
But there is a challenge we all see. Many of our young people leave because they cannot find careers that allow them to build a life here. Beauty alone does not pay a mortgage. We preserve historic buildings, but too many sit underused while the next generation quietly wonders whether it can afford to stay.
What if the next chapter of western Massachusetts looked different?
People hear the phrase “data center” and picture the worst examples from other parts of the country: giant campuses, heavy water use, noise complaints, higher electric demand, and local communities receiving very little in return. If the deal is outsiders get rich while we get the burden, we should say no.
But that is not the only model.
The future of digital infrastructure may not belong only to massive facilities in distant states. Smaller edge facilities, located closer to the communities they serve, could offer a different path. One built around adaptive reuse, local hiring, and community benefit.
Western Massachusetts may be uniquely positioned to explore that possibility. We have educational institutions like Greenfield Community College and Franklin County Technical School that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. We have existing commercial and industrial buildings that could potentially be adapted for new uses rather than building on open land. We have communities that understand reinvention because they have done it before.
If communities choose to explore opportunities like these, the benefits should be tangible.
Good local jobs. Career pathways for Franklin Tech and GCC graduates. Work for electricians, HVAC technicians, fiber specialists, facilities operators, and local contractors. Existing buildings brought back into productive use. Municipal revenues that support public services. Opportunities to explore innovative ideas such as waste heat recovery where practical and beneficial.
Imagine a Franklin Tech graduate finding skilled work close to home instead of moving away. Imagine an electrician buying a first house in Franklin County. Imagine an older building becoming active again, supporting local businesses and strengthening the tax base. These are the kinds of outcomes that help communities thrive.
This only works if communities write the rules first.
Protect water resources. Address noise concerns honestly. Prioritize existing buildings before open space. Require local hiring commitments. Make sure the benefits stay local. If companies are unwilling to partner on those terms, they can build somewhere else.
Western Massachusetts does not have to choose between preserving what we love and participating in the future.
Previous generations built mills and manufacturing centers that sustained families for decades. Our responsibility is different. We have the opportunity to adapt the assets we inherited for an economy that is still taking shape.
Can western Massachusetts become a place where innovation strengthens communities instead of displacing them? I believe it can.
The talent is already here. The buildings are still standing. The values that define this region remain strong.
What if western Massachusetts became a national example of how communities can welcome emerging industries while protecting the very things that make people want to live here?
The fiber is already lit. The people are already here.
What are we waiting for?
Daniel Sonntag lives in Shelburne Falls.