To create the clearances necessary for new mechanical and electrical infrastructure, the existing 1,050-foot-long structure was raised approximately 2 feet, 4 inches while preserving the integrity of the building. This approach allowed the team to retain the existing structure while creating space for an entirely new generation of mission-critical systems.
Reinventing Helios for the Next Generation of AI Infrastructure
Transforming existing infrastructure into one of the nation’s largest AI-ready data center campuses.
The Helios site in Afton, Texas, began its life in 2022 as a 180MW bitcoin mining facility. Today, under new owner Galaxy Digital, it’s being converted into one of the most advanced AI and high-performance computing campuses in the country, with an initial 133MW of liquid-cooled critical IT load destined for AI cloud provider CoreWeave, and a gigawatt-scale build-out already in motion.
Clayco was brought in to help deliver that transformation, and the scope was as demanding as the ambition behind it: more than 100 integrated power assemblies, upwards of 90 chillers and associated piping, an on-site batch plant to support massive slab and foundation upgrades, and structural steel to hold it all together while on a live, phased campus.
Rather than demolishing the existing facility, the project team identified an opportunity to build upon its existing infrastructure by preserving the structural shell while completely reimagining the systems required to support today’s AI workloads.
Delivering in a Remote Environment
Constructing a project of this scale in rural West Texas required careful planning beyond the jobsite itself.
To support a peak workforce of approximately 1,350 craft professionals, the project included temporary workforce housing, RV accommodations, and an on-site concrete batch plant that supplied the extensive foundation and structural work required throughout construction.
These investments allowed the team to maintain productivity while delivering a complex mission-critical project in a remote location.
Building Through Prefabrication
To accelerate delivery, Clayco’s Systems & Equipment Innovations team leveraged extensive prefabrication and off-site manufacturing.
More than 120 prefabricated electrical houses, complete with switchboards, transformers, UPS systems, panelboards, and variable frequency drives, were manufactured, tested, and delivered ready for installation. The project also included 95 prefabricated chiller skids and 10 modular pipe racks fabricated off-site before arriving in Texas.
By advancing engineering, procurement, and fabrication early in the project, manufacturing progressed alongside civil, structural, and site work, allowing multiple workstreams to move forward simultaneously instead of sequentially.
Every assembly underwent quality assurance and functional testing before arriving on-site, improving installation efficiency while supporting the reliability expected of mission-critical infrastructure.
Reimagining Existing Infrastructure
Adapting the facility for AI required more than replacing equipment. It required fundamentally changing how the building performs.
The result demonstrates how adaptive reuse can create new opportunities for complex data center development while reducing the need for complete demolition and reconstruction.
Results
The integrated delivery approach produced measurable benefits throughout the project.
- 133MW of liquid-cooled critical IT capacity delivered in the first phase.
- Approximately 952,000 labor hours completed through controlled off-site manufacturing.
- A six-month schedule acceleration compared to a traditional field-built approach.
- Approximately $24.5 million in labor savings through prefabrication.
- Construction completed in approximately 18 months, from demolition of the original cryptocurrency infrastructure through energization and commissioning.
Helios demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be transformed to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving AI industry.
Through adaptive reuse, prefabrication, and integrated project delivery, the team created a scalable foundation for one of the nation’s most advanced AI campuses. As demand for AI infrastructure continues to grow, projects like Helios illustrate how collaboration, innovation, and execution can accelerate delivery while preparing facilities for the next generation of computing.