Neighbors of Microsoft data center site in Conover say noise, work interrupting their lives

About five years ago, more than 200 acres behind Charcie Chavis' home were dotted by a few green fields divided by groups of trees.

Now, that land is the site of one of the four data centers Microsoft is building in Catawba County.

The field and trees behind her home and the homes of her neighbors on Smithfield Drive in Conover are gone. In their place are dirt, construction trucks and, to Chavis and some of her neighbors, headaches.

Microsoft and Catawba County, Conover, Hickory and Maiden announced an economic agreement in 2022. The agreement said the technology company would invest at least $1 billion and create at least 50 jobs in the county by building and operating data centers. According to the agreement, the cities and county would provide economic incentives in the form of tax rebates.

In a letter to the city of Hickory and Conover, Microsoft said it may forgo those tax rebates. No revisions to the economic development agreements regarding tax incentives have been announced as of June 9.

Contractors working for Microsoft broke ground on sites in Maiden and Conover in 2024. Those sites, and one of the two sites in Hickory, are adjacent to residential neighborhoods.

Chavis said she understands that with construction comes construction noise. Trucks rumble by her back fence multiple times per day, she said.

Chavis, who calls herself "the cul-de-sac Karen" because of the number of times she has called the city with complaints about the Microsoft site, said her main complaint is hours when contractors are working. Chavis said at the Conover City Council meeting on June 1 that contractors are working outside of the hours they are supposed to work.

"They poured concrete at 2 in the morning," Chavis said at the city council meeting. "They operate heavy machinery starting at 5 a.m. They work until past dark. All we've ever been told is to document it."

According to Microsoft's website about data centers in North Carolina, work at the Lyle Creek site "is expected to take place from Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Work hours will follow local permitting requirements."

The city of Conover has a section in its municipal code about building operations that mentions hours when work can occur.

The city's code about building operations says, "The erection, including excavation, demolition, alteration or repair, of any building in a residential or business district other than between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, except in cases of urgent necessity in the interest of public safety, and then only with a permit from the proper city officials."

Chavis said work at the site was being done at times outside of those hours. She said she documented instances of concrete pouring and other work at 2:30 a.m., 5:30 a.m. and other times.

"This has gone on for two years," Chavis said. "The construction, they're just making it unbearable."

City officials said they were only made aware of Chavis' concerns on May 18.

"Ms. Chavis first contacted the city about construction noise from the Microsoft site on May 18 around 7 p.m.," an email statement from the city said. "City officials acknowledge the issue and have been working to resolve it since the moment it was reported. Any narrative that the city has ignored or been unresponsive to a series of complaints over time is not accurate. The city immediately contacted Microsoft and they have since modified their construction schedule."

At the June 1 meeting, Microsoft representatives spoke to about a dozen residents about their concerns in the lobby of Conover City Hall.

Chavis said she did not stay to hear what Microsoft had to say. She said she spoke to Microsoft representatives in the past. Her take on their words was, according to Chavis, "Sorry, but we're not going to stop."

"We really hate Ms. Chavis was unable to speak to the Microsoft representatives present at the meeting Monday," Conover Human Resources Director and Public Information Officer Madeleine Epley said. "Those representatives were present specifically to address concerns from nearby residents and remained at city hall until approximately 7 p.m. to speak directly with anyone who wished to discuss the project. Our understanding is the Microsoft community affairs team was able to speak with Ms. Chavis Tuesday morning after the council meeting and we sincerely hope the conversation was positive."

Chavis did not feel the conversation was positive.

"I feel like it's ‘We hear you, we're so sorry,' but I feel I just keep screaming into the wind," Chavis said.

Others who live near Chavis also said they felt Microsoft and contractors working at the site had not been good neighbors.

"I can't sleep in my own bedroom, the noise is so bad," Stephen Willis said.

Some people near the site who do not have property abutting the 220-acre Microsoft campus said they feel they have been affected by work as well.

Bill Shelly said he used to be able to see stars from the property where he lives. He said lights at night at the data center site now sometimes prevent him from seeing stars. He is worried the light pollution will be worse once the data center is constructed.

"They're going to light that thing up like a spaceship," Shelly said.

Shelly said he felt dirt suppression techniques were not being used at the Microsoft site. Dirt was regularly coating his home and vehicles.

He said he would like to see Microsoft show more consideration for people who live around the data center.

"You want to be a good neighbor and not be a 500 pound gorilla," Shelly said. "We're not trying to be bad neighbors. We know we're not going to stop anything, it's too late."

The Hickory Daily Record sent questions to Microsoft asking if and why work was being done at the site outside of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. A Microsoft spokesperson provided a statement by email.

"Microsoft is committed to being a good neighbor in the communities where we build, own, and operate our datacenters. We are aware of the concerns raised by our neighbors in Conover and have been working with the general contractor to mitigate the issues and minimize construction impacts on the local community," the statement said.

In February on the company's website about data centers in the state, Microsoft said it had changed contractors at the Lyle Creek site. Maryland-based Whiting Turner has been working at the site since February or before.

Whiting-Turner said it would not respond to questions about the site due to corporate policy.

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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 5:45 AM.