Elon Musk's giant Texas microchip factory will be the largest building on earth - and the neighbors HATE it

Elon Musk's plan to build what could become the world's largest building has sparked fears among residents who say the sprawling project could transform their quiet Texas community.

The Tesla and SpaceX billionaire plans to build a massive semiconductor facility known as Terafab in Grimes County, roughly 70 miles northwest of Houston.

The 100-million-square-foot complex is expected to manufacture chips for Musk's self-driving vehicles and Optimus humanoid robots, while also incorporating natural gas-fired power plants and artificial intelligence facilities, according to a tax-abatement agreement with Grimes County.

Musk has described Terafab on X as 'the largest and most valuable building on Earth by far.' The facility would be roughly the equivalent of 2,300 football fields, according to Realtor.com.

But the project's enormous scale has alarmed some of the roughly 30,000 people who live in Grimes County.

Residents have formed the Grimes County Citizens for Responsible Development, led by local resident Marie Egyed, to push for greater oversight of the development.

Egyed told Realtor.com that she moved to the county from Houston eight years ago in search of a 'nice, peaceful rural life.'

She said she first learned about the project in March, when local officials discussed the possibility of a data center coming to the area.

Less than two months later, Musk announced plans for the semiconductor facility.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has welcomed the project, describing it as a 'significant expansion' of Musk's presence in the state and saying it could bring about 3,000 jobs to the county.

Yet residents say the economic benefits could come with a steep price.

Egyed said that locals are concerned about traffic, road construction, thousands of incoming construction workers, new RV parks and gas stations, as well as pressure on water, emergency services and roads.

The citizens' group has proposed a 12-point plan calling for measurable protections for the county's infrastructure and resources.

'We're not going to stop it. But maybe we can minimize the negative impact,' Egyed said, warning that 'corporations are more powerful than the government.'

The development has already prompted at least one neighboring family to sell its property.

Danny Cross, who has lived in the county for 22 years, owns a 31-acre property that borders the Terafab site and shares roughly 4,000 feet of fencing with Musk's land.

As clearing work began, Cross and his wife decided to sell the home they had planned to keep for the rest of their lives.

'We were building what we thought was our forever house,' Cross told local news station KBTX. 'Money doesn't replace that, those memories, you know?'

Egyed said other residents are facing the same dilemma as the development moves forward.

'What about our dreams?' she asked Realtor.com. 'We saved up our entire lives to buy this property out here to live out in the country.'

The controversy is another example of the growing tensions surrounding Musk's expanding footprint across Texas.

His companies already have major operations in the state, including SpaceX's launch and testing facilities, Tesla's headquarters in Austin and The Boring Company's base in Bastrop.

Residents near SpaceX's Boca Chica facility have also sued the company, alleging that rocket launches and engine testing caused damage to their homes. Two lawsuits filed in April represent more than 150 Texas residents.

For Grimes County residents, however, the immediate concern is what Terafab will mean for the rural community they have spent years building.

Egyed said the group is not opposed to development itself, but wants residents to have a voice in how Musk's project changes the area.

'We just want proper oversight and transparency - and a seat at the table,' she said.