The short answer: The PW Digital Gateway, the data center campus planned along Pageland Lane next to Manassas National Battlefield Park, is no longer moving forward. Developer QTS withdrew its last appeal on July 2, 2026, and after a July 29, 2026 Virginia Court of Appeals order, Prince William County says the rezonings are void and the land has gone back to its earlier zoning. The county's Comprehensive Plan amendment for the corridor is still in place, though, so a future project would need a brand-new rezoning with public hearings. For owners of rentals in Gainesville and Haymarket, nothing about your lease, your tenants, or your rent changes overnight. Price your home on current comparable rentals, not on headlines.
What happened, in order
Here's the timeline, drawn from Prince William County's Digital Gateway page and WTOP's July 2026 report, republished from InsideNoVa:
- November 1, 2022: The Board of County Supervisors adopted Comprehensive Plan Amendment CPA2021-00004, creating a technology corridor along Pageland Lane for data center uses.
- December 2023: The Board approved three rezonings: Digital Gateway North, Digital Gateway South, and the Compass Datacenters campus.
- August 2025: A Prince William Circuit Court judge ruled the rezonings void because of improper public notice before the hearing.
- March 31, 2026: The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld that ruling.
- July 2, 2026: QTS, the last developer still in the case, withdrew and said it had terminated the project.
- July 29, 2026: A Court of Appeals order took effect, and the county changed its zoning maps back.
At full buildout, WTOP reported, the campus would have had more than 22 million square feet of data centers on about 2,000 acres.
What changed, and what didn't
According to the county's August 5, 2026 update:
- Zoning reverted. The rezoning approvals are void, and the properties are back in the zoning districts they had before December 2023.
- The plan amendment stands. The Court of Appeals upheld the Comprehensive Plan amendment, so the corridor is still designated for technology uses in the county's long-range plan.
- Any new project starts over. A future rezoning would go through the normal application process, with staff review and public hearings at the Planning Commission and the Board of County Supervisors.
- Assessments are being redone for the affected parcels. The county's Real Estate Assessments office is reassessing those individual properties and updating tax bills, including reviewing any applicable penalties and interest.
If you own one of the parcels in the corridor itself, contact the Real Estate Assessments office listed on the county's page. Most rental owners in Gainesville and Haymarket don't own those parcels, and their own assessments aren't part of that review.
What it means for rental owners
We've heard plenty of guesses about what the end of the Digital Gateway will do to the neighborhood. Here's how we look at it for owners.
1. Don't reprice on a headline. Whether a large project nearby helps or hurts rents is a question for local data, not for the news cycle. We haven't seen verified figures that show the Digital Gateway's end moving Gainesville or Haymarket rents in either direction. When we prepare a rental analysis, we use current comparable rentals near your home, along with condition, layout, and timing. We suggest a rent range, and you decide.
2. Expect tenant questions, and answer with facts. Renters near Pageland Lane, Route 29, and Sudley Road may ask whether construction is coming. The accurate answer today is that the county reverted the zoning, and any new proposal would need a new rezoning with public hearings. Point them to the county page rather than guessing.
3. Keep an eye on the corridor. Because the Comprehensive Plan amendment remains, the corridor could see new applications. The county offers PWC Alerts sign-ups on the Digital Gateway page for Planning Office notifications, and rezoning cases are posted to its ePortal. If you own near the corridor and plan to sell, refinance, or renew a long lease, check for new filings first.
4. Hold your decisions to the usual tests. If you've been deciding whether to keep renting, sell, or move back in, the same questions apply as before: your current rent versus carrying costs, the condition of the home, your tax situation, and your timeline. Our rent vs. sell calculator is a reasonable place to start before you talk to your tax professional.
Gainesville and Haymarket, briefly
Both communities sit in western Prince William County, near the Pageland Lane corridor and Manassas National Battlefield Park. That's why the Digital Gateway was such a local story here, and why owners in these neighborhoods have followed it more closely than owners in Manassas, Dumfries, or Woodbridge. The end of one proposed project, on its own, doesn't tell you what your home should rent for.
How pmi commonwealth helps
- Rental analyses based on current comparable rentals, with a suggested range and you making the final call
- Clear, factual answers for tenants about local news that affects them
- Lease, renewal, and turnover planning built around your goals, whether you plan to hold, sell, or move back in
- Local management for Gainesville, Haymarket, Manassas, and the rest of Prince William County
Full-service management is a 10% monthly management fee plus a $1,000 leasing fee when we place a tenant. See our pricing page for details. Start with a free rental analysis, or learn more about our Gainesville property management and Haymarket property management services.
FAQ
Is the Digital Gateway data center project canceled?
QTS withdrew its final appeal on July 2, 2026, and said it had terminated the project. After the July 29, 2026 court order, the county voided the rezonings and restored the original zoning.
Could data centers still be built along Pageland Lane?
Not under the old approvals. The Comprehensive Plan amendment remains, so a developer could apply again, but a new rezoning would need staff review and public hearings.
Will my Gainesville or Haymarket rent go up or down because of this?
We haven't seen verified data showing an effect either way. A rental analysis based on current comparable rentals is the best guide.
Is my property tax assessment changing?
The county is reassessing the individual parcels that were rezoned for the Digital Gateway. If you don't own one of those parcels, this review doesn't cover your property. Questions go to the county's Real Estate Assessments office.
Where can I follow future proposals?
The county's Digital Gateway page links to its ePortal for rezoning cases and to PWC Alerts for Planning Office notifications.
