Jan. 30, 2015 UBJ by Community Journals

JANUARY 30, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 5

2014 saw $100 million in new building permits in Greenvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;how will downtown change in 2015?

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NEWS

| GOVERNMENT | 3

New ozone guidelines could leave SC gasping Poor air quality could cost the state jobs, businesses if federal guidelines shift In 2014, areas such as Hilcrest and Cowpens, S.C., recorded 65 parts per billion, while Due West, S.C., recorded 61 parts per billion. Poor air quality in the Upstate A nonattainment designation cost could prevent new businesses and Birmingham, Ala., an estimated $5 business expansion in the region if the billion in economic development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency according to Ten at the Top Executive reduces allowable ground-level ozone Director Dean Hybl. The $5 billion levels from 75 parts per billion, acincludes lost jobs and an estimated cording to a state Department of loss of 15 manufacturing businesses Health & Environmental Control ofdue to the nonattainment status, acficial. cording to Alabama nonprofit organi“If EPA sets it at 60, I’m not going zation GASP. to say we’re doomed, but the state will “It’s not a big scary thing as long as be likely designated into nonattainyou’re not designated that,” said ment,” said Brian Barnes, who works Barnes. “Can it be an economic with air quality assessments for the problem? Yes, it can. Is it the kiss of state. A nonattainment designation death? Well, maybe not, but we’d would mean more approvals and rather not have it if we don’t have to.” regulations, and can make new develTATT has been organizing the opments, buildings and roads significommittee’s activities since 2012, and cantly more time-consuming and has since had a hand in outreach and expensive to implement, he said. education about reducing emissions “That would be a devastating anlocally. Reducing car idling time in nouncement to everyone in the air school pickup lines, encouraging quality planning area to try and meet carpooling and school bus use has 60,” said Barnes at a briefing with the reduced emissions by saving 5,300 Upstate Air Quality Advisory Comgallons of diesel fuel, 82,000 gallons mittee Tuesday. of gasoline Meeting the and 165,000 standard of 60 BY THE NUMBERS: hours of perparts per billion sonal vehicle would be a time, said problem for all Hybl. but a handful of current EPA allowable groundNo area in South Carolina level ozone levels South Carolicounties, while na has ever meeting a been desigstandard of 65 nated nonatparts per billion tainment, and problematic level for every Upstate county would be probBarnes says lematic for they’re not every Upstate expected to as county, he said. long as reducSpartanburg problematic level for most SC counties; tion efforts received an F EPA is considering this standard continue. rating while the “The time is rest of the right now if Upstate rewe can take action, and it will matter,” ceived C ratings for counties with the he said. “A lot of folks get caught up worst ozone air pollution in each state, by climate change and carbon … let’s according a State of the Air report just improve.” by the American Lung Association, ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

01.30.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5 Featured this issue: Iron Yard aims for 20 locations Cliff Rosen’s last building Tom Croft is one to watch

MONEY SHOT: President of Greenville Technical College Dr. Keith Miller, fourth from left, waves to the crowd gathered for the groundbreaking of Greenville Technical College and Clemson University’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation at the end of the ceremony. Read more on page 8. Photo by Greg Beckner.

WORTH REPEATING “Can it be an economic problem? Yes, it can. Is it the kiss of death? Well, maybe not, but we’d rather not have it if we don’t have to.” Page 3 “I am a proud governor today to know that we are pushing dirt for something that is going to help our people.” Page 8 “When you attack the big dog in town, you get kicked a little bit.” Page 6

TBA Word is Asada, the popular food truck that also has taken up residence at Mac Arnold’s Blues Restaurant in the Village of West Greenville, may soon be moving into its own space on Wade Hampton Boulevard.

VERBATIM

On infrastructure “My friends, the money is not going to fall from the sky. If we want better roads, we are going to have to pay for them. Anyone who tells you we can do this without new revenue is not serious about addressing the problem.” S.C. Sen. Joel Laurie, D-Richland, in the official Democratic response to Gov. Nikki Haley’s State of the State address last week.

5 6 12

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NEWS

Haley flips on gas tax Governor proposes 60% hike over 3 years with conditions ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

Gov. Nikki Haley’s plan to fix the state’s crumbling infrastructure includes a 59.7 percent increase in the gas tax over three years, a marked shift from what she has said to media and in public addresses. Haley proposed to increase the state gas tax by 10 cents to 26.75 cents per gallon over the next three years, in conjunction with lowering state income taxes from 7 percent to 5 percent and restructuring the state Department of Transportation. “We have a very real problem with the way our transportation dollars are spent. Our system screams out for reform and restructuring,” she said in the State of the State address last Wednesday night. “We have studied every option.” South Carolina is facing a $42 billion shortfall in funding for state transportation needs through 2040, and 46 percent of the state’s primary road system is in poor condition, according to the Department of Transportation. The three-part package—which Haley said would bring in $3.5 billion for roads over 10 years—is a significant shift from Haley’s previous position, which was that the state already had money to fix the roads. “We don’t have to raise taxes to do it,” she said to

the First Monday Club in Anderson last June. “The money is there.” Responding to Haley’s address afterward, Sen. Joel Laurie, D-Richland, called for collaboration and bipartisanship, but said infrastructure needs require more than $1 billion to make a difference in the state’s roads. “My friends, the money is not going to fall from the sky. If we want better roads, we are going to have to pay for them,” he said. “Anyone that tells you we can do this without new revenue is not serious about addressing the problem.” In her 2013 State of the State address, Haley said the roads and bridges were vital to the state’s economy, “But I will not—not now, not ever—support raising the gas tax,” she said. “The answer to our infrastructure problems is not to tax our people more, it’s to spend their money smarter.” In her address this year, Haley said lower income taxes would offset the gas tax hike, representing “one of the largest tax cuts in history.” Haley’s proposed budget includes $61.4 million to the Department of Transportation from vehicle sales taxes, and noted her support for a $1 billion road-funding bill that passed in 2013. S.C. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ted Pitts said in a statement the move supported the

| INFRASTRUCTURE & TECHNOLOGY | 5

interests of the business community, saying, “We appreciate the governor outlining a proposal and her willingness to lead in finding a path to providing more resources for our infrastructure and at the same time reducing the tax burden on South Carolinians.” Pitts spoke in Greenville in early January and advocated for a multifaceted funding approach that might include raising the vehicle sales tax from $300 to $500. “If you get to a sales tax and if you start to make those transportation costs too aggressive, businesses will stop coming and businesses will move.” said Haley at a groundbreaking event in Greenville on Monday. “We’ve worked too hard to let that happen.” Haley also contested the idea that raising the gas tax, in conjunction with an income tax cut, was a temporary fix. Under Haley’s plan, the gas tax will increase dramatically from $114 million in 2016 to $339 million in 2018, but will drop off by around $3 million each year after that. “I think any argument of that sort is an argument where they’re just trying to say no for the sake of saying no,” she said. “People who are saying that that’s not enough, they can be tax-happy, but that’s just not how we’re going to be in South Carolina.” The state’s gas tax—one of the lowest in the country—has not been raised in 27 years, and has seen steadily declining revenues since 2006 despite increasing motor vehicle registrations, according to a separate November report from the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs office.

Iron Yard could have 20 locations by 2016 aboncimino@communityjournals.com

After parting ways from its accelerator and cowork segments, Greenville-based code school The Iron Yard Academy is on the fast track. A year ago, the Iron Yard had four employees. Today, the company has 45 full-time and around 30 part-time employees, according to Eric Dodds, The Iron Yard’s chief marketing officer. The Iron Yard opened 10 campuses in the last year, has four in the works and could have as many as 19 or 20 by 2016, he said. Much of the growth has been because the company’s founders—Dodds, Peter Barth, Mason Stewart and John Saddington, according to its website— aren’t dividing their attention between three different segments, said Dodds. “Originally we didn’t intend to expand the code school side of The Iron Yard,” he said. “We started the code school to train developers who could work at the startups that were going through our accelerator. … There’s a much larger pool of available talent in New York and San Francisco. … If you raise money and are looking to grow and hire lots of people, it can be challenging in the Southeast.” Founded in 2012, The Iron Yard began in the NEXT Innovation Center as a startup accelerator

under the care of then-Manag“Now the partners of The ing Director Peter Barth. The Iron Yard, the founders of the company are almost 100 trifecta of the accelerator, the percent focused on growing intensive code school and the coworking location were more the code school,” said Dodds, cohesive in the beginning, and noting that the legal break of all essentially told the same the three entities was mutualstory about Greenville. But in ly beneficial and allowed 2014, something changed, the accelerator, cowork and said Dodds. coding school to flourish “We had insane amount of independently. “We basically demand in other cities in tech said, ‘Hey, this is a really great education. People really thing, but we’re trying to wanted us to expand our intenrun this national school and Eric Dodds, chief marketing officer, the Iron Yard sive code school, and so that it’s in neither of our best part of the business really interest to run this single costarted to take off, to the point where it became an working location or [the accelerator segment].’” overwhelming majority of what the employees at The Iron Yard operates academies in Greenville, The Iron Yard did,” he said. “It really monopolized Charleston, Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Houston, our time in the best way possible. ... It was just a Orlando, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Columbia, Austin natural time to say, ‘Hey, our team is working on and Washington D.C., and will be officially launchgrowing this nationally, so we need to allow our team ing four more—including Las Vegas, Little Rock, to focus on this 100 percent.’” Ark., Nashville and Indianapolis—in the first half And so last year, the trio went their separate ways, of 2015. breaking into the code school, which today claims “We have a list of other cities that we are to be “the largest code school in the country”; the evaluating for the second half of the year,” said accelerator, run by Greenville-based RidePost founder Marty Bauer; and CoWork. IRON YARD continued on PAGE 6 Photo provided

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

6 | TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT |

NEWS

IRON YARD continued from PAGE 5

Dodds. “There’s huge gap between how people are being educated in technology and what people are required to know in tech jobs, and … that gap is growing bigger.” Today, the coding school offers Web design, Python engineering, mobile engineering, Ruby on Rails engineering and front-end engineering, taught over the course of 12 weeks. Tuition is $12,000,

UBJ though the school offers diversity scholarships and financing, and guarantees graduates job-searching services if they request. “You learn a very tangible skill, and you can apply that directly to a job when you get out of the program,” Dodds said, noting many Iron Yard students are drawn to the simplicity of the concept. “It comes back to outcomes-based education.” The Iron Yard Austin has branched out even farther than the original vision, partnering with IBM Design to provide students with a view of what es-

01.30.2015

tablished companies are working on in terms of user experience and interface design. IBM Design is also talking with The Iron Yard about its curriculum in an effort to improve the skills of tomorrow’s tech workforce. “They are hosting our students and giving them exposure to the types of things they’re working on, and they’re also creating a hiring pipeline into their studio,” said Dodds. “They add a ton of value to our student experience, and on the IBM side, it gives them a great look at the talent coming up.”

‘This is my last building’ ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

Delegations from all over the world come

By “resources,” court files say that Rosen lost around $99 million in profits and fees from the development of the sale and real estate.

to see it. State legislators beam while talking about it. The 250-acre Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research is a magnet for business, a powerhouse of academia and industry at the center of the Southeast manufacturing revitalization, according to its supporters. But one name you might not hear in the story of CU-ICAR, one person who hasn’t been in area news recently, is Cliff Rosen, save for a lonely mention at the bottom of stories about a 106,000-square-foot workforce development project next to ICAR. That $25 million Center for Manufacturing Innovation—which broke ground this week and is slated for completion in 2016—is to be built on a 30-acre piece of land that represents Rosen’s final gift and contribution to the technology research center’s Millennium Campus. It also likely represents the Miami-based developer’s last project in the Greenville area. His contribution was made in the form of a bargain sale—when an owner sells for less than market value. Rosen’s bargain sale for the Center for Manufacturing Innovation sold the land for $4.4 million less than market. The Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System and much of the land CU-ICAR sits on was also gifted to the collective tune of $52 million, according to figures from Rosen. “This is my last building, and so I thought, if I don’t talk about it now, it’s never going to happen,” said Rosen in what he calls his first real interview. Rosen—who bought and financed the majority of the land on which CU-ICAR currently sits—says he feels ownership for CU-ICAR’s success, but says his public image was tarnished during a drawn-out lawsuit against BMW Manufacturing, alleging that the manufacturer and Clemson University conspired to force Rosen out of the project. “I didn’t make anything happen; it happened to me,” he insists. “But I was there in the front of it and spent my money and my effort and my executive abilities to garner the resources here.”

‘A VERY COOL THING’ In January 2001, Rosen was approached by Ray Don Rice, then director of the Brooks Institute, about the possibility of building and developing an off-campus facility to be known as the Clemson University Center for Motor Sports Excellence. “He wanted to develop it, and it was his vision for a campus that one day would have some graduate engineering component, but it was a motorsports center for excellence,” said Rosen. “He interviewed builders and developers all over the place, and wealth people, and couldn’t find anyone to help Developer Cliff Rosen him build it, and he came to me. He said, ‘Would you be interested?’ and that’s how it started, with Donald.” never finalized, according to court documents. While The anchor of the project—which evenRice’s vision for the technology center was motor tually evolved into CU-ICAR—was to be a full-scale sports, plans shifted to a research technology park rolling-road, adaptive-wall wind tunnel, about a with BMW Manufacturing as the anchor tenant. $50 million building, said Rosen. The profit and Court documents show BMW proposed in May fees from the development and operation of the 2002 to make a major investment in South Carowind tunnel would have signified an additional lina, and identified the graduate center as one of $33 million, according to court documents. the infrastructure projects that would require the “I knew this wind tunnel would be a great atcompany to invest $400 million and create 400 traction that would start it,” said Rosen, who said jobs in the state. The move cleared the way for the he spent millions master-planning the project with state to provide infrastructure funding amounting blueprints and models. It was like building a project to $25 million earmarked for Clemson’s “graduate in Sim City, he said, to develop CU-ICAR. “I automotive engineering education and training thought it would have been great. It would have center.” been a very cool thing.” Ultimately, a federal judge ruled in BMW’s favor, Rosen handpicked the site for CU-ICAR, land writing that the manufacturer had a right under which he acquired through Hollingsworth Funds. the First Amendment to try to influence public Though stakeholders considered other sites officials, even if the means employed “can be termed throughout the process, according to court docuunethical,” according to documents. ments, Rosen kept pitching it. “It was so clear to Rosen, who has since been awarded the Order me that that was the spot, so I pursued it,” he said. of the Palmetto by Gov. Nikki Haley, in 2012, would “With Clemson’s approval, and that’s probably a not talk about “the lawsuit” to the Upstate Business big part of it. Clemson was by my side.” Journal, saying it was too negative to bring up. CHANGE OF PLANS “I’m not going negative on anybody or anything, But the tunnel was not to be, as the project was because what’s happened here is incredibly >>

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

Photos by Greg Beckner

The history of CU-ICAR is intertwined with story of Cliff Rosen

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NEWS

>> positive and I’m very, very thrilled to have had a position in it,” he said. “It was sort of like a dark chapter in the process of this great campus, and … having been there and done really good things for the community and the community reciprocating and doing really good things for me, ultimately, I’d like that to be the legacy.” ‘A LOT OF GIVING’ Rosen’s donations include $4.4 million to Greenville Tech, $4 million to the Greenville County School System, $6 million for the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System and $42 million for land associated with the Clemson University Foundation. The real estate developer—who also teaches yoga in his spare time—says while he is a businessman, he wants people to understand that when you give, you receive back tenfold or more. “Along the way, what occurred was in order to make things happen, I had to really take on and embrace the philosophy of gifting and philanthropy,” he said. “I did a lot of giving to make things happen, and my dream was to make this incredibly technologically forward-thinking innovative campus, which was the ICAR part.” Today, Rosen says the CU-ICAR project, along with developments he donated to, have exceeded his expectations, and he predicts they will only continue to grow in economic development potential and ability to bring innovative solutions to the state and its industries.

CHARLES FRASER LECTURE SERIES

| DEVELOPMENT | 7

“It is God’s race, not me, and if Don hadn’t called definitely slowed me down” in terms of his Greenme, and I hadn’t come to town and bought the site, ville ventures, he said. it probably wouldn’t be there,” he said. “It would “When you attack the big dog in town, you get kicked a little bit,” he said. “If none of that had be something, somewhere, but I don’t know what happened it would be a very different world. would have happened. It wouldn’t be there.” Greenville Technical College President Keith Originally I was the developer of the entire campus, Miller recognized Rosen’s contribution at the all of it, so that was the original plan. So I’d be groundbreaking this week, saying it would not have living here, and busy.” been possible in this form without him. “The location for our new CMI is an ideal location because of its proximity to Clemson University’s ICAR, as well as Dr. Fisher Middle School,” said Miller, who collaborated with Clemson University on the project. “Cliff helped make that happen.” Today, Rosen still owns around 35 acres surrounding the CU-ICAR site, all of Developer Cliff Rosen, right, talks with Clemson University President which are for sale. James Clements at the groundbreaking of Greenville Technical College and Clemson University’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation. The negativity of the BMW lawsuit “most

CLEMSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PRESENTS THE CHARLES FRASER LECTURE SERIES The series is a part of the Charles Fraser Endowment, established in 1992 to honor the legendary developer of Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island, S.C., who devoted his career to environmentally conscious development. Thursday, February 26, 2015 ONE Building, 5th Floor, 1 North Main Street, Greenville, S.C. 29601 5:30pm – Doors Open

•

6:00pm – Lecture

•

7:00pm – Reception

Special Guest Speaker David L. Rawle

“Why Charles Fraser Matters” To attend, email Amy Matthews at Matthe3@clemson.edu by Wednesday, February 25.

PRESENTED BY CLEMSON UNIVERSITY MASTER OF REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

David L. Rawle is the retired founder and chairman of Rawle Murdy, a marketing and communications firm based in Charleston, S.C. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, David knew and worked with Charles Fraser over a 27-year period. They worked together on Sea Pines, Kiawah Island and Palmetto Bluff. Other real estate developments David has worked with include Daniel Island and MeadWestvaco’s large-scale planned communities, East Edisto and Nexton, whom he continues to advise. His lecture, entitled “Why Charles Fraser Matters,” will discuss the current relevance and challenge of Charles Fraser’s pioneering accomplishments.

8 | WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT |

NEWS

UBJ

01.30.2015

Center for Manufacturing Innovation aims to bridge skills gap ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

The state and country’s shortage of high-skilled technicians in manufacturing compares to going without electricity, water or buildings, but a new training center could help counter that, said Bosch Rexroth Fountain Inn Technical Plant Manager Mike McCormick at the groundbreaking of the much-anticipated Center for Manufacturing Innovation. The new center will rise on the Millennium Campus adjacent to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. Construction is expected to begin soon, with a fall 2016 completion date anticipated. Gov. Nikki Haley and Greenville Mayor Knox White joined numerous industry, education and public leaders at Monday’s groundbreaking. The manufacturing center—a $25 million collaboration between Greenville Technical College and Clemson University—is aimed at increasing the number of skilled workers for the manufacturing industry, which McCormick noted has been plagued with persistent workforce problems. “We have to say that even before the recession, and during, and even today, one problem persists,” said McCormick to around 100 people Monday.

“High-skilled technicians are fundamental to our business. We can’t manage without any of those resources.” Clemson University President James P. Clements said the center would allow students to move from associate degree programs to bachelor’s degree programs, and provide workforce training and certificate programs to increase employee qualifications. “The economic development race will be won by communities that offer the services and have the trained workforce that manufacturers are looking for,” he said. “The CMI will help to meet that need.” Haley said the center would help prove to existing companies and businesses looking to relocate that South Carolina can meet changing workforce needs. She said the center would be a boon not only to the Upstate, but to other counties statewide. “I am a proud governor today to know that we are pushing dirt for something that is going to help our people. It’s going to help our businesses, but it is going to continue to help our reputation as a state that gets it,” she said. “We hope this gets duplicated.” In September 2013, Greenville County Council unanimously approved a $25 million bond issue for Greenville Technical College to build an enterprise campus. In November 2013, the presidents of Greenville Tech and Clemson University signed a memorandum of understanding for the project.

Gov. Nikki Haley speaks to the crowd gathered at the Millennium Campus for the groundbreaking of Greenville Technical College and Clemson University’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation. Photo by Greg Beckner

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THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS

| DIGITAL MAVEN | 11

What did Hollywood know, and when did they know it? If you’re searching for the futuristic tech from your favorite movie, just look around you By LAURA HAIGHT, president, portfoliosc.com “I, Robot” was on one of my 450 TV channels the other night. I’ve seen it a bunch of times, but what I found oddly disquieting was earlier that same day on the news I had seen a CNN report on next-gen robots that look like us and may be developed to be companions and helpmates for us. It got me thinking about whether art imitates life, predicts it or inspires it. Consider: In the 2002 flick “Minority Report” (based on a 1956 short story), Tom Cruise walks into a mall and is confronted with personalized advertising messages everywhere (“Those shirts you bought last time are on sale, John Anderton!”). While the individualized video streams may not yet be a reality, we know that the capturing of data points (a hot topic in this column) is leading to customized messages. The availability of iBeacon in mobile devices will move the vision of “Minority Report” much closer to reality. Hungry? Just dial up a snack, maybe a cup of Earl Grey—hot!—from your replicator. That’s what Capt. Jean-Luc Picard would do in 1987’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” 3-D printers don’t do food yet, but they have achieved the highest of coolness factors: saving lives. Doctors in the UK have implanted a bio-printed titanium pelvis for a man stricken with rare bone cancer. Another cancer patient in Beijing

printed from MRI scans, to develop a surgical strategy for repair and to save the infant’s life with one well-executed surgery. Or consider “Face-Off.” Back in 1997, the film revolved around the futuristic idea of an identity-swapping face transplant. Whew, good thing that’s not real, right? But it is. Medical technology, including the use of 3-D modeling, has made partial and, more recently, full facial transplants possible since 2005. For severely disfigured patients—victims of maulings, physical attacks and shootings—the ability to restore not just appearance, but the sense of smell, human touch and capability of speech, are incalculable advances. It’s also a hotly debated ethical issue. Cars are a truly unique American obsession. Faster, throatier, meaner have always been the most desired attributes. But millennials are reportedly less interested in the hot car and more inspired by cool tech—and

“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.” Roy Amara, futurist and engineer received a bio-printed spinal graft— the first of its kind ever recorded. Bio-printing organs—kidneys for transplant, for example—are being heavily researched. And just a few months ago, doctors at a New York City hospital printed a two-week-old infant’s heart. It was riddled with holes and structured abnormally. They used the modeled heart, which had been

there’s nothing cooler than autonomous cars. In 1990, “Total Recall” introduced us to robot-driven “Johnny Cabs.” Last month, a self-driving Audi made its way up the interstate (at up to 70 mph) to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Other carmakers like Volvo and BMW are on board. And, of

course, there is Google. Autonomous driving may be a lot closer to the masses than we think. Are you asking yourself, “Isn’t this the height of laziness?” Yes, until we think more expansively. A new world

of mobility can open up for the handicapped—even, perhaps, for seniors who often find that the first chink in their independence comes when they can’t drive anymore. (What tech is crammed into these cars? goo.gl/ ZSabIQ). In fact, many of the technologies that we marvel at in movies and play with on phones and tablets have life-altering, society-changing potential just a few years away. Roy Amara, a futurist and engineer who cofounded the Institute for the Future, is best known for this quote: “We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.” That said, there are plenty of examples of wasted technology that may not even get a movie cameo. The refrigerator that tweets and the toilet that you can flush using your smartphone, to name just two.

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12 | INNOVATE |

UBJ

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

01.30.2015

Mass customization: Making the choice Customers will pay a lot more to individualize their purchases—or better still, interact with making the products By BLAINE CHILDRESS, science fellow, Sealed Air Corporation; member, InnoVision Advisory Board

We value our uniqueness. We have an innate desire to put our brand on everything. Starbucks knows this, and so do large manufacturers. They know that customers will pay more, even a lot more, to individualize their purchases—or better still, to interact with making the items. Large-scale assembly lines use state-of-the-art controls to efficiently produce low-cost replicates. But such streamlined manufacturing is not intended to provide individual style expression. Enter the age of mass customization (MC)—a business model innovation that utilizes a company’s existing organizational excellence and process to enable truly differentiated product manufacture. This is the opposite of Henry Ford’s “car painted any color so long as it is black” mentality. It allows corporations to expand market share, secure customer loyalty and capture exceptionally high margins. How high? Depending on the item, 50 to 500 percent

more margin is possible. According to Professor Frank Piller, codirector of the MIT Smart Customization Group and technology and innovation director at RWTH Aachen University, “Whenever customers are not getting what they need, business opportunities are opened.” Piller cites the growing number of single households, changing demographic structure and new awareness of quality and functionality as reasons why products must correspond exactly to the specific needs of the purchaser. [mc-500.com] At the heart of MC are state-of-the-art supply-chain management, module-based components, robust product platforms and excellent 3-D computer graphic order processing. Successful firms retain economies of scale, yet give customers what they want, when they want it. While the term has been used since 1993, it is the rapid expansion of e-commerce and sophistication

of mobile devices that have enabled almost every company to participate. Harley-Davidson, BMW, Dell, Nike, Peterbilt and Mars are just a few examples of companies who have embraced MC. You can custom-style your Mini Cooper roof using great interactive graphics, configure the sleeper of a semi truck, or personalize a handbag and T-shirt. Moreover, customers can share their designs using social media, so customers become a marketing force. Let’s say it’s February and you have no idea what “original” present to buy your Valentine. No need to panic: mymms.com will let you design colored candies with personal messaging. In return for this interaction and just-in-time manufacturing (about seven days), Mars profits up to 1,000 percent—a nice return for pretty wrapping that says, “I have thought of you.” So, how does a company delight the individual customer? According to Piller, with the right digital

At the heart of MC are state-of-the-art supply-chain management, module-based components, robust product platforms and excellent 3-D computer graphic order processing. Successful firms retain economies of scale, yet give customers what they want, when they want it.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

toolkit. Successful websites provide fun, intuitive visual realism, and empower the customer with freedom to personally design “my” product. Customers need a simple and easy design template as a starting point, instead of a blank canvas. Piller esti-

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

mates that about 50 percent of additional willingness to pay can be explained by the online experience and feeling of co-design. [configurator-database.com] E-commerce opens the door to MC with simple user steps and delightful imagery; but it is a manufacturing process that postpones the point of differentiation, that enables the winning business innovation. Typically, a standardized portion of the product is produced during a first stage, while the “differentiated” portion is produced in the second, customer-integrated stage. Flexible automation is a common component. Digitalized additive manufacturing, robots with higher levels of versatility, and even process modularity (plug-andplay assembly robots) are being integrated into 21st-century MC portfolios. Mass customization provides a guaranteed sale.

| INNOVATE | 13

There is no finished goods inventory risk, because the product is produced after an order has been placed and paid for. Beyond the pre-sale revenue, there is often the customer loyalty benefit of post-sale add-ons. Consider Harley-Davidson; not only can one design a bike online, but HD reaps continuing rich profits from post-purchase custom accessories. There may be new thinking needed to implement modular manufacture on present lines, and provide customer-engaged design. But consider the number of upcoming consumers who play video games. This suggests MC business innovation should be a core competency and necessary part of your future success. Mass customization can deliver long-lasting competitive advantages through adapted products and custom services. Most firms are already directing large resources into the burgeoning e-commerce market. With the added advantages gained by MC, even small changes to one’s business model and manufacturing platform can deliver substantial benefits.

DEFINED Mass customization: The process of delivering wide-market goods and services that are modified to satisfy a specific customer need. Sometimes called “made-to-order” or “built-to-order.” Source: Investopedia

Strong local knowledge and talent National perspective and resources The Greenville office of Jackson Lewis is best known for its sophisticated employment litigation practice, its national ERISA practice, and its Fair Labor Standards Act work. We advise businesses on all aspects of employment law and regularly defend businesses in employment law disputes. To learn more about the services we offer in Greenville, please contact Office Managing Shareholder Stephanie Lewis at (864) 232-7000 or lewiss@jacksonlewis.com. With over 780 attorneys practicing in 54 locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Jackson Lewis provides creative and strategic solutions to employers in every aspect of workplace law. Recognized as the 2014 Law Firm of the Year in the category of Litigation – Labor & Employment, and ranked in the First Tier nationally in the categories of Employment and Labor Law on behalf of Management in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” our firm has one of the most active employment litigation practices in the U.S. To learn more about our services, please visit us at www.jacksonlewis.com.

JACKSON LEWIS P.C. 15 South Main Street • Suite 700 Greenville, SC 29601 • (864) 232-7000

14 | WHO’S WHO: ONES TO WATCH |

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tom Croft President, The Croft Company JENNIFER OLADIPO

SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER joladipo@communityjournals.com

Real estate developer Tom Croft has had a hand in some of the most notable projects in downtown Greenville in the past 15 years. He developed the first multistory high-end condo project downtown, at 400 N. Main Street. He also brought Field House condominiums to Fluor Field, and Park View to Cleveland Park’s Rock Quarry Garden. These days he is looking forward to developing a seven-story condo project, 121 Rhett, whose location on one of Greenville’s only hills will make it hard to miss. Croft feels fortunate to have been a part of downtown’s success, and said the real challenge is protecting and preserving for future generations.

government, environmentalists, etc. That, in hand with the opportunity for the governing entities to charge and collect up-front fees from developers, has created the biggest challenge. What is our community’s next great challenge or opportunity? The city has done a good job regulating design and conformity. I have some concern about density proposed for downtown. Can our infrastructure handle the rapid increase in demand and can our streets and neighborhoods handle the increase in traffic? As Greenville grows and more developers from outside the community move in, how does that affect your approach? I have always welcomed competition from developers who understand Greenville, want to be a part of the community, and have a long-term vision for their contribution and involvement. I am concerned about out-of-town developers who are here for one or two projects, sell out and are gone. This comes with the success and attraction Greenville is enjoying.

What’s the pie-in-the-sky dream project you would do if money, time and zoning were no obstacles? There is still one project I want to do: an upscale single-family community for empPhoto by Greg Beckner ty-nesters and retirees right in the middle of one of Greenville’s older downtown neighborhoods. I saw a project like this while visiting New Orleans some years ago. It was in one of New Orleans’ older neighborhoods—wide streets with a fountain and circular drive; classic, Regency-style homes on small well-landscaped lots. All I need is the property! What is the most challenging part of doing business today? First is finding affordable property that can be purchased in the right location. Second—and fast becoming the largest—are regulations and fees. States, cities and municipalities are under pressure from the federal

Tom Croft in his Greenville office. Renderings of one of Croft’s latest projects, 121 Rhett, a seven-story 31-unit condominium complex, can be seen behind him.

POINTS OF INTEREST: Age: 67 Education: B.S. in business, The Citadel, 1969 Biggest interest outside of work: Grandchildren, S.C. history First business: Southern Bank & Trust Co. 1970-1980 Family: Wife Beth (nee Watson), married 43 years; son Thomas Jr., 38; daughter Legare, 34. Best advice you ever got: “Be mindful of and responsive to the needs of others.”

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01.30.2015

What’s your work style? I guess you’d say I’m one of the original “dreamers.” I’ve always had a love of architecture and construction. I’m not a fast mover, nor am I a detailed person. I will think things out, ask a lot of questions and produce many sketches; most tell the story but none would get me any awards from the AIA [American Institute of Architects]. My son, Thomas, is the architect and has taken over that part for me. What have you learned from your son’s work? After Thomas finished undergraduate work and lived out west for a while, I tried to lure him back to join me in my development business. He admitted that development looked interesting but he much preferred the design end of the business. We have worked together on numerous projects and have both benefited from this experience. He designed both single-family projects that I developed recently, Park View and McBee Park. I have been impressed with his talent and especially his work ethic. We share office space now and we still speak. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to watch my son grow as man, a husband, a father and a business partner.

NOMINATE Know some good candidates for the 2015 Who’s Who class? Nominate them now at upstatebusinessjournal.com/ whos-who.

2015 NOMINATION FORM

2015 NOMINATION FORM W

AugustaRoad.com Realty LLC Joan Herlong, Owner/Broker in Charge

3 MINUTES CAN CHANGE SOMEONE’S CAREER. Nominate them now.

WHAT MAKES SOMEONE A WHO’S WHO? The UBJ Who’s Who recognizes 8 people in our business community who are committed to advancing their fields. Whether new to the scene or veterans in the trenches, they’re the professionals to look out for and look up to. Their names are on the tips of colleague’s tongues for making strides and pushing their organizations, their professions, and our community to the next level. They’re asking the hard questions and finding solid solutions. Many have gone uncelebrated. Until now. Areas of professional contribution include but not limited to: Accounting, Finance, Healthcare, Economic Development, Hospitality, Legal, Manufacturing, Politics/Government, Real Estate, and Tech/IT.

THE FINE PRINT:

NOMINATOR CONTACT INFORMATION Name___________________________________________________________ Title/Company___________________________________________________ Relationship to Nominee__________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________________ Phone__________________________________________________________

The 2015 winners will be honored at an awards celebration on March 26, 2015 and highlighted in special edition of the Upstate Business Journal that will publish that same night. The best candidates will quantitatively demonstrate business success (financial results, career growth), community involvement, leadership ability (public profile/reputation), and influence (impact on the Upstate region specifically). Nominees and/or Nominators may be contacted to provide further information. All submissions will be voted on by a neutral, 3rd party panel of Community Leaders. Please submit your nomination(s) by 11:59 pm on Friday, January 30, 2015. Nominees must be residents of the Upstate, South Carolina. Past winners are not eligible to win again.

NAMES DO NOT HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED FOR EVERY CATEGORY IN ORDER TO BE ENTERED. THE LEGEND – An individual with a long lasting impact on the business climate in the Upstate. Name_______________________________________ Title/Company______________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________ Phone____________________________________________________

THE YOUNG GUN – An up and comer. Name____________________________________________ Title/Company_____________________________________ Email_____________________________________________________ Phone_______________________________________________________

THE ENTREPRENEUR – An idea maker and trailblazer. Name______________________________________________ Title/Company_____________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________ Phone____________________________________________________

Title/Company______________________________

THE WILD CARD – Based on a pool of candidates identified by our Panel and voted on by our social media audience from February 16-22, 2015.

Email__________________________________________________

Name________________________________________________

Phone____________________________________________________

Title/Company_________________________________________

THE BOSS – A leader. Name_____________________________________

Email________________________________________________

THE CLOSER – A dealmaker.

Phone_________________________________________________

Name_____________________________________________ Title/Company____________________________________ Email_____________________________________________ Phone____________________________________________________

THE INNOVATOR – A mover, shaker, and disrupter

OTHER – Know a deserving candidate, but unsure which category best suits the nominee? No problem. Nominate them here and leave it to our expert panel of judges to determine the best fit. Name__________________________________________________ Title/Company_________________________________________

shaping our future.

Email__________________________________________________

Name____________________________________________

Phone__________________________________________________

Title/Company___________________________________ Email____________________________________________________

Please provide any other information (links to articles or web pages about nominees etc…) you’d like for us to reference here:

Phone____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

MAIL THIS FORM TO: COMMUNITY JOURNALS, LLC, ATTN: KATE BANNER, 581 PERRY AVENUE, GREENVILLE, SC 29611 OR COMPLETE NOMINATION FORM ONLINE AT: UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO

16 | COVER |

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UBJ

CRE reports show strong finish for 2014 SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com Fourth quarter 2014 commercial market

moving into 45,325 square feet at the SunTrust building, and UPS moving into 47,513 square feet at the Dillion building. Rental rates averaged $15 per square foot for all classes. This represents almost a 5 percent increase from quoted rental rates at the end of the third quarter 2014, when rents were reported at $14.33.

reports are out, and there aren’t really any big surprises. The Upstate market continues to see strong numbers in the office, industrial and retail sectors, with NOTABLE NUMBERS: OFFICE only minor fluctuations. But don’t take our word for NAI EARLE FURMAN: it. Here are excerpts from the Total net absorption for Class B fourth quarter 2014 market office space in Greenville’s reports from some of the suburban market is area’s leading commercial real estate companies. .

102,799

GO ONLINE To view the reports in their entirety, visit upstatebusinessjournal.com/news/ q4-2014-cre-reports.

OFFICE NAI EARLE FURMAN The company is still seeing a few large sublease spaces drag down the occupancy rate for the Greenville central business district (CBD), pushing the effective Class A vacancy up significantly. It appears likely that these sublease spaces will be slowly absorbed in 2015 with no new construction coming online until at least the fourth quarter of 2015.

LEE & ASSOCIATES:

In Greenville’s CBD, inventory is at 95 buildings with total

RBA of 4,636,813. CBRE:

Total market rentable area in the Greenville and Spartanburg suburban areas is

7,400,032. COLLIERS:

Market average asking rate per square foot for Class A space is

$20.57.

LEE & ASSOCIATES There were some strong CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | gains in the market as rental THALHIMER: rates steadily climbed Overall vacancy rate for Q4 2014 is throughout the year and the 9.0 percent, a market experienced strong absorption rates for two of the four quarters in 2014. Tenants moving into large blocks of space in 2014 from Q4 2013. include Esurance moving into 64,503 square feet at 1200 Brookfield Blvd., Greenville Hospital System

2.3 percentage increase

CBRE With over 200,000 square feet of space absorbed during this year, the unpleasant quarter of declining absorption and increasing vacancy did not prevent 2014 from being the strongest year of growth since 2008. Presently, there is only one property under construction, the conversion of the old Claussen Bakery into 44,000 square feet of Class A office space. Additional projects expected to start soon include a new 130,000-square-foot office building with advertising firm Erwin Penland as the anchor tenant, and a new 80,000 square foot Class A office building at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). COLLIERS The suburban submarkets showed greater activity than the CBD throughout the year despite a slight uptick in vacancy at year-end 2014. This increase in suburban vacancy was anticipated due to the consolidation of Fluor’s offices, which vacated space at Patewood Office Park. As a result, the vacancy rate was up to 17.59 percent at yearend 2014 from 16.79 percent at the end of the third quarter of 2014, but remains lower than the year-end 2013 vacancy rate of 19.31 percent. Given the tight office market and limited availability, the space vacated by Fluor

01.30.2015

will likely backfill quickly. Asking rental rates are trending upwards and averaged $16.58 at year-end 2014, up from $16.17 per square foot a year ago. CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | THALHIMER The market has also seen large blocks of space become available. CertusBank announced this summer it would place 120,000 square feet for sublease in its newly acquired corporate headquarters at 1 S. Main St. in Greenville. Fluor vacated 86,000 square feet at Patewood to consolidate on their main campus, adding large blocks of space in the suburban office market. The capital markets remain strong as investors continue to seek multi-tenant and single-tenant buildings in the Greenville/Spartanburg suburbs like Brookfield and Patewood Office Parks. In the Greenville CBD, local investors acquired several smaller buildings that represent valueadd opportunities. The company sees this as indicative of continued rent growth in the Greenville market at large.

RETAIL LEE AND ASSOCIATES Rental rates are up over previous quarter levels and up from their levels four quarters ago. Quoted rents ended the fourth quarter of 2014 at $9.60 per square foot per year. That compares to $9.28 per square foot in the third quarter as well as the end of the first quarter. This represents a 3.4 percent increase in rental rates in the current quarters and a 3.33 percent increase from fourth quarter 2013. During the fourth quarter 2014, 11 buildings totaling 165,225 square feet were completed in the Greenville/Spartanburg retail market. In addition to the fourth quarter 2014, seven buildings with 37,374 square feet were completed in the third quarter, four buildings totaling 36,100 square feet were completed in the second quarter and 147,880 square feet in six buildings were delivered in the first quarter. This equates to a total of 386,579 square feet of retail space that has been built in the market over the past four quarters alone. NAI EARLE FURMAN This could be the start of a market shift that, in the past several years, has seen lease negotiations driven by the tenant. Now, landlords are seeing the ability to drive those negotiations, especially in the areas of higher demand like Woodruff Road and Haywood Road in Greenville, Clemson Boulevard in Anderson and W.O. Ezell Boulevard in Spartanburg. The company expects to see more new retail development because supply, especially in established retail submarkets, is low and the cost of new development can be absorbed by the higher asking rents. Tenants should expect to sign longer initial terms and more competition for quality spaces for expansion. More landlords will be scrutinizing financials, use and any exclusives requested. >>

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be 750,000 square feet in the Spartanburg Interest rates, which have been flat for a number COLLIERS West submarket. of years and have encouraged some of the lower cap High retail occupancy and low interest rates rates, should remain stable in 2015. motivated investors to COLLIERS acquire shopping centers. NOTABLE NUMBERS: RETAIL LEE AND ASSOCIATES The overall vacancy rate for indusBig Shopping Centers USA Sales activity is down compared to the previous trial space in the Greenville/Spartanpurchased 85 percent interNAI EARLE FURMAN: year. In the first nine months of 2014, the market burg market was down to 7.0 percent est in Crosspointe Plaza for saw 37 industrial sales transactions with a total at the end of 2014 from 7.5 percent at $18.96 million as part of a Average asking rental rate is the end of the third quarter of 2014 volume of $56,227,500. The price per square foot venture with Realty Link and 7.6 percent at year-end 2013. The has averaged $21.74 this year. In the first nine LLC. The center is home to per square foot. Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg months of 2013, the market posted 32 transactions TJ Maxx, DSW, Joann industrial vacancy rates were 4.5 with a total volume of $65,509,579 with an average Fabrics and Crafts, Burke’s percent, 7.4 percent and 6.4 percent, price per square foot of $22.83. Outlet, Jason’s Deli and New space is continually being delivered to the respectively. Chipotle, among others. LEE & ASSOCIATES: Asking rates averaged $3.05 trimarket in an effort to keep up with the demand of The market is seeing For the fourth quarter, the ple-net (NNN) for new buyers and tenants considerable interest from retail market recorded a the market, up that are attracted to the regional and national retailNOTABLE NUMBERS: INDUSTRIAL positive net absorption of Upstate. During the fourth from the third ers. Both downtown and quarter of 2014, four quarter of 2014, suburban submarkets are NAI EARLE FURMAN: and year-end 2013 buildings totaling 557,967 experiencing activity as new Overall vacant space is average rates of square feet were completed restaurants and stores enter . in the Greenville/Spartan$2.91 NNN and or expand throughout the burg market area. $2.83 NNN, remarket. Retailers looking for spectively. The At the end of the fourth space in downtown Green. COLLIERS: quarter of 2014, there were highest rental ville have options in several still over 1.3 million square rates were found Gross retail sales in mixed-use developments, feet under construction. in Greenville Greenville County totaled while retailers seeking space LEE & ASSOCIATES: One of the biggest projects County, where in suburban submarkets are Vacancy rate is announced in the state is rents averaged finding space in redeveloped in October 2014 and the new Giti Tire Plant $3.19 NNN at centers. . accounted for year-end 2014, up in Chester, a proposed As occupancy increases from $3 the previ1.8 million-square-foot and quality retail space ous year. manufacturing facility becomes difficult to find, of Upstate sales. CBRE: Limited supply, with the first phase schedretailers are finding themcoupled with the uled to break ground in Availability rate is selves recycling and occupyJanuary 2015. delivery of new ing recently vacated space. . industrial buildings, is driving Retailers are redeveloping old restaurants and strip NAI EARLE FURMAN rental rates upwards, a trend centers into new retail. Additionally, the retailer Buildings totaling which is anticipated to continue shift from Haywood Road to Woodruff Road that 557,967 square feet were COLLIERS: into 2015. began in 2013 left big-box space vacant along delivered in the fourth The Upstate industrial space Haywood Road as retailers chose to locate in Magquarter with approximateCUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | market has 2,436 buildings with nolia Park. Much of the vacated space has since been ly 1,357,000 square feet THALHIMER occupied by new retailers. The company expects to see of new construction demand and growth in 2015 underway and several new given the amount of velocity that projects announced. INDUSTRIAL has been in the market. The new Notable deliveries for speculative space will create 2014 included a CBRE some opportunities for compa414,000-square-foot exCUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | Restraint for continued recovery and market nies that were struggling to pansion of BMW in Greer THALHIMER: growth has been a lack of product, especially Class identify quality space for their as well as a 272,000A properties featuring modern, functionally efficient Year-to-date leasing activity use. The company also expects square-foot Class A logisspace with high clear heights (greater than 28 feet for Q4 2014 was to see additional demand from tics facility developed for is preferable.) Regional and national developers, BMW suppliers as they ramp up Kimura Inc. who have been tracking opportunities in the Upstate, production for 2016 increasing The speculative market, have responded with a flurry of development. Cur. nonexistent in the recent their capacity by 50 percent. rently, there is over 2.3 million square feet of space The proliferation of manufacpast, has heated up. under construction in the market, 740,000 square turing demand will likely genLiberty Property Trust is feet of which is classified as “speculative,” when erate new demands for supportfinishing their project at construction begins before a tenant is secured. The ing warehouse space leading to more third-party Caliber Ridge with 156,000 square feet, Pattillo largest speculative building under construction is a logistics (3PL) business and additional leasing Industrial Real Estate is currently underway with 304,000-square-foot building at White Horse Inheading into 2016. The company plans to monitor their second project in the Upstate with an initial dustrial Park by Exeter Properties. the labor market, which remains tight, as well as delivery of 200,738 square feet, and Exeter ProperBuild-to-suit activity is increasing as well, led by projected rises in construction costs leading to more ty Group is also nearing completion of their first of the start of construction of a major manufacturing upward pressure on rental rates. two buildings at 306,000 square feet. facility for Tokyo-based Toray Industries, which will

$9.56

157,321 square feet

$1.3 billion 39.4%

12,732,083 square feet 7.0% 9.8%

177,463,610 square feet

5,851,786 square feet

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01.30.2015

10 developments to keep an eye on in Greenville’s city center University Ridge

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It’s no secret that development in downtown McDa

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cyber café, clubroom, billiard room, pet area, a swimming pool with a large deck and a bike barn with workshop space.

No. of units: 215 apartments Amenities: Workout facility, common area Wi-Fi with a

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the Design Review Board in March; developers hope to begin construction summer 2015, with completion in 18 months.

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being drawn, and Burt expects to start “standing walls” in early summer with an early 2016 completion date. No. of units: 175 loft apartments Amenities: Art incubator in development to create an opportunity for people to learn from each other and “feed off of the art energy in the area.” Amenities will also include a swimming pool and fitness center.

Address: Corner of Westfield and Academy streets Developer: Arlington Properties Projected start/completion date: Slated to go in front of

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Address: 25 Draper St. (Not on map) Developer: Pace Burt Projected start/completion date: Plans are currently

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PROJECT: GREENVILLE LOFTS

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Greenville is hot, and very soon the downtown skyline will look much different. The year 2014 saw a ramp-up in announced projects and 2015 is starting off with a bang. Last year, the city issued 128 building permits having a total value of $100 million, and that’s just a fraction of the total dollar investment. Projects already under construction include the 144-room Aloft Hotel, 292 rental units at the Main + Stone mixed-use development, a 156-room Embassy Suites Hotel at RiverPlace, 140 apartments at RiversEDGE, 360 apartments at South Ridge on Church Street, and many more. So what projects are worth keeping an eye on in 2015? What’s changed? Which projects are still in play? Here’s an update on 10 of the largest multifamily projects happening downtown this year.

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SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com

PROJECT: TRAVERSE

PROJECT: LINK APARTMENTS WEST END

spring 2015; construction to begin summer 2015 and will take about 12 months to complete.

February 2015; units ready to move into spring 2016.

Address: 110 Markley St. Developer: Development team led by David Miller Projected start/completion date: Pre-sales will begin No. of units: 24 condos with 3,000 square feet of office space

Amenities: Each unit will have some private outdoor

space designed around a common courtyard that will include an outdoor living area with seating, garden areas and a water feature. Clubhouse in the courtyard area.

Address: 25 River St. (Rhett and River streets) Developer: Grubb Properties Projected start/completion date: Project begins

No. of units: 215 apartments Amenities: Two courtyards, a dog park, swimming

pool, rooftop terrace, fitness center and clubroom. The apartment complex will also have a premium bicycle amenity with a maintenance stand and additional bicycle storage.

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7 8 9 5 6 10 PROJECT: DISTRICT WEST

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Prices for units currently released for sale vary by unit type and range from $495,000– $675,000. Phase I and II units are currently reserved. Phase 3 units have not been released for sale. Phase III is expected to be released for pre-sales in Q1 2016.

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Greenville Multi-Family DRB Informal Review

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© 2015 Group 4 Design, Inc. : PLANS, DESIGN CONCEPTS, WRITTEN MATERIALS AND DRAWINGS ARE NOT TO BE REPRODUCED, ALTERED, COPIED IN ANY FORM OR MANNER, NOR ASSIGNED TO ANY PARTY WITHOUT OBTAINING WRITTEN PERMISSION & CONSENT OF Group 4 Design, Inc.

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demo will begin spring 2015 with an expected completion date by the end of 2015.

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PROJECT: 121 RHETT

Q1 2015. Three-phase development with phase one expected to be completed late Q4 2015.

Address: 806 Green Ave. Developer: TRV Development Projected start/completion date: Construction and

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Address: 1027 S. Main St. Developer: 1027 Partnership LLC | Trevor Ream Projected start/completion date: Site work to begin late

PROJECT: ELEMENTS WEST

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with views (depending upon location in development) of downtown, Fluor Field or the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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parking deck. The complex is slated to have an amenity terrace and courtyard that overlooks the Reedy River along with a pathway that links to the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail. Open spaces, courtyards, swimming pool and a social plaza are also planned. Units will be studio, one and two bedrooms.

No. of units: 18 townhomes Amenities: Each home has a private rooftop terrace

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ground in fall 2014, and developers expect to deliver some units late 2015 with project completion in 2016.

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No. of units: 365 apartments Amenities: Four- and five-story building with an on-site

FLUOR FIELD

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Developer: Flournoy Development Projected start/completion date: The project broke

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Address: 101 Reedy View Drive (@Westfield and West Broad streets)

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No. of units: 60 loft apartments Amenities: Exposed wood beams, stained concrete

floors and countertops; theater/lounge area, exercise facilities and swimming pool. There will also be a community garden and a 1/4-mile walking trail for residents. TRV expects to achieve LEED standards, and solar panels on the building will provide power for common areas of the building.

PROJECT: STADIUM FLATS

Address: 100 N. Markley St. (Rhett & Markley streets) Developer: Ron Cobb/MLM Construction Projected start/completion date: Construction slated to

Address: 121 Rhett St. (at Camperdown) Developer: The Croft Company Projected start/completion date: Construction is

expected to begin in March 2015 and will take approximately 14 months to complete.

No. of units: 36 condos with 1,200 square feet of retail Amenities: Balconies, private parking. Walkability

score 90+; adjacent to River Place, West End, Falls Park and Peace Center within a five-minute walk.

PROJECT: FOUNTAINS GREENVILLE

Address: 210 E. Broad St. Developer: Proffitt Dixon Partners Projected start/completion date: Construction to begin

Q1 2015, estimated completion Q1 2016.

No. of units: 210 apartments Amenities: Resort-style pool, courtyard, outdoor grills

and TV, commercial quality fitness center, upscale club areas and rooftop deck.

begin late spring 2015, expected to be completed by summer 2016.

No. of units: 70 condos—two-bedroom (1,200-1,350

square feet) and three-bedroom (1,400-1,450 square feet). Project was originally going to be apartments, but developer Ron Cobb said there is a greater need now for condos downtown and the financial institutions are once again lending for those types of projects.

Amenities: Clubroom with fireplace, open atrium with pool. Rooftop sitting lounge overlooking Greenville. Two covered secured parking spaces per unit. Trash chutes, bicycle parking, coffee bistro area and green spaces in the plaza area. Prices will begin in the low $300,000s, and pre-selling will begin in the spring.

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HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? We asked some of the area’s top brokers: Are there too many multifamily units being built in downtown Greenville?

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com New apartment project announcements are popping up each week, it seems. The city of Greenville currently has 516 apartments permitted and under construction, 1,043 multifamily units in the permitting process and 156 more that are planned and approved. So how much is too much? At what point are there too many multifamily units downtown? UBJ asked some of the area’s top brokers to weigh in on the question: Are there too many multifamily units being built in downtown Greenville?

FRANK HAMMOND, CCIM CPM, senior principal, Colliers International

The recent increase in the construction of multifamily housing in Greenville’s CBD and West End may have some people worried, but it is a growing Frank Hammond trend throughout the U.S. According to a recent industry report, the number of new units delivered in 2014 totaled a 14-year high of 238,000; but even with this record growth, the national vacancy rate was below 5 percent. Nationally, we are seeing a trend of densification and migration to urban areas due, in large part, to an increase in millennials entering the workforce and the downsizing of empty nesters. The trends we are seeing in downtown Greenville parallel those of our counterparts nationally. Of the units that are available, there is very little or no vacancy and a long waiting list. In addition to the waiting lists, there are several other apartment complexes, such as the Bristol or The Lofts of Greenville, outside of downtown that are full of people that couldn’t find housing downtown. The rapid absorption of new product in the market is evident and will most likely continue as more and more young professionals move to Greenville. The units proposed will be delivered over the next three to four years, which needs to be taken into account. The largest jump, about 1,000 units, will be after the completion of The Beach Company and Flournoy projects, and only the Flournoy project is within the CBD. As far as the notion of a moratorium goes, this is a knee-jerk reaction that can only be negative for Greenville. There may be some projects that start out slow because they are in a less desirable location or price point, but we are better off letting the market correct itself rather than interfering. Legislation can have many unintended consequences, and it is unlikely a drop in our housing needs downtown will occur anytime soon. A viable and thriving community requires a constant replenishment of housing stock to complement retail, office and restaurants. At times, one or more of those product types might well be in over supply, but these are merely the growing pains of one of the fastest-growing cities in the Southeast.

“[A moratorium] is a knee-jerk reaction that can only be negative for Greenville … we are better off letting the market correct itself rather than interfering.” Frank Hammond

CHARLES G. WHITMIRE JR., vice president, and BRIAN J. YOUNG, CCIM, SIOR, senior vice president, managing broker, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer

The simple answer may Charles G. Whitemire be that we don’t know yet, and may not know until after the current surge of building is completed and we see how they were absorbed and if rental rates have held up through the lease-up period. The residential developments over the past few years have been readily Brian J. Young absorbed and most of the apartment projects currently have waiting lists. However, what is being created now will close to double the housing stock in the downtown area in a very short time. Over the Great Recession there was relatively little development, with apartments being one of the few property types that could obtain financing. As we have come out of recession we see strong demand for apartments with concentrations occurring nationwide in the more urban areas. Greenville is following this national trend with increased demand for the amenities of the urban lifestyle and the walkability that it provides. Nationally, the homeownership rate used to be close to 70 percent. This has dropped off to the mid-60 percent range due in part to millennials postponing homeownership for both economic and lifestyle reasons. The recession made it more difficult for many to qualify to finance their homeownership. With more mobile young people not wanting the responsibility of ownership, apartments fill that current need. It is not just young people who are locating in our downtown area. Many of the apartment managers report that they have a significant portion of their residents over the age of 50. Older renters may not want to keep up with the maintenance of the traditional single-family home and are attracted to the same urban amenities as their younger neighbors. Downtown Greenville will continue to change as more housing is developed. There is certainly current demand, but we will have to wait to see if there is sufficient continued demand to absorb the current and expected development. In addition to an expanding local population, some new absorption should occur as the new medical school at GHS

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FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

ramps up and the Clemson MBA and MRED programs expand in downtown.

“We will have to wait to see if there is sufficient continued demand to absorb the current and expected development.” Charles G. Whitmire Jr. and Brian J. Young

GREENVILLE MULTIFAMILY STARTS (2008–2014) 3,500

3,068

3,000 2,500 2,000

1,444

1,500 BERN DUPREE, multifamily broker, NAI Earle Furman I’ve been asked this question many times over the past year. My first response is that we definitely need more units downtown. With historic rent growth and occupan- Bern Dupree cy downtown at virtually 100 percent, the market is telling investors to build more. But how much more is the big question. There is very little historical data for the downtown market because, quite frankly, it is a new submarket created by a demographic shift in both millennials’ and baby boomers’ living preferences. According to a 2014 Nielsen report, millennials make up 24 percent of the population nationally and they “prefer to live in dense, diverse urban villages where social interaction is just outside their front doors.” The resurgence of Greenville’s downtown over the past 15 years has created the perfect environment for millennials with high-quality retail, dining, nightlife, cultural and recreational activities, all within walking distance thanks to new housing options coming available in the market. Those willing to pay for urban core living have not had the option in the past due to limited supply and have been relegated to living on the periphery of downtown. With rents at historic highs, renters are paying a considerable premium to live downtown (between $0.60 - $0.70 per square foot). However, this premium is a little misleading for two reasons. First, new Class A developments, outside of the Greenville downtown submarket, are commanding between $1-$1.20 per square foot on average. Second, the units being built downtown are, on average, smaller than their suburban counterparts. Because of the demographic shift in living preferences, the Greenville market demand as a whole is commanding that new units be built downtown. Considering existing inventory, units under construction and deals proposed, the Greenville downtown submarket is still a relatively small submarket when looking at the total number of units in the Greenville market. One important factor should be considered when looking at supply and demand for new units in the market: During the period of 2008-2013, multifamily construction declined substantially. As a result, there is substantial pent-up demand for new units in our market.

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1,000 500

528

0 2008

486

346

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

*Reported by Carolina Real Data—Apartment Index, submitted by NAI Earle Furman

Are there too many multifamily units being built downtown? No, not yet at least. Are there too many new units being proposed? That is yet to be seen. We will know more in 12-18 months once we see how the market receives the 1,300 plus units expected to be delivered during that time.

“Are there too many multifamily units being built downtown? No, not yet at least. Are there too many new units being proposed? That is yet to be seen.” Bern DuPree

JUSTIN HIRSCH, senior associate | land, CBRE Since we are coming out of an unprecedented recession that hit most real estate sectors, it’s understandable that there would be a hesitancy to Justin Hirsch embrace what appears to be an unprecedented level of development. But we believe this is simply an amazing renaissance period for downtown that will positively catapult Greenville closer to becoming a 24/7 city. Large amounts of multifamily construction are not confined to Greenville. The multifamily sector is one of the most attractive vehicles for commercial real estate investment, and development is following suit. New multifamily development is considered a low-risk investment right now. So, what is causing this push for multifamily development? There is a perfect storm of economic and demographic conditions aligning, resulting in unprecedented demand for multifamily units. One of the longstanding results of the recession is a weakened perception of the single-family residence as an investment vehicle. As a result, more and more people, particularly those under the age of 35, are choosing to rent rather than purchase a

home. Additionally, despite low interest rates, the ability to qualify for home loans has increased in difficulty. Specifically in Greenville, there has been a significant amount of pent-up demand for downtown housing. Up until 2013, McBee Station was the only sizable apartment community in the area. The popularity and financial performance of that asset prompted others to follow suit. Now, residents finally have some downtown living options that were never available before, and the recent apartment deliveries have leased up very well. Combined, these three factors are driving multifamily development locally. So, how much is too much? In the early 2000s, the city of Greenville pushed for more multifamily development, feeling as though despite the success story that downtown Greenville had become, it needed the vibrancy that permanent residency could provide. Fifteen years later, developers have answered the call. [Compared to] Charlotte, Columbia, Greenville, Jacksonville and Raleigh … Greenville is woefully underserved. Of the five markets, Greenville has the fewest number of housing units, the fewest number of multifamily housing units and only 37 percent of the housing stock in the area consists of multifamily units. Combined, 46.8 percent of the housing stock in the other four cities consists of multifamily housing units. To bring the Greenville ratio to 46.8 percent, the data suggests that an additional 7,000 multifamily housing units would be required. Now, there are definitely some reasons to be conservative in the number of units the market can absorb, but given the success of every project built in the last two years, the economic and demographic shifts driving the demand, absorbing the number of units under construction is not expected to be a problem.

“We believe this is simply an amazing renaissance period for downtown that will positively catapult Greenville closer to becoming a 24/7 city.” Justin Hirsch

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FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

UBJ

THE COST OF DOWNTOWN LIVING Downtown apartment rental rates provided by the City of Greenville Department of Economic Development.

01.30.2015

Rivers Edge • 140 units (studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms, penthouses)

• Rent: $850-$2,949/month • Located at 411 River St. • Hughes Investments Inc. go-edge.com

98 E. McBee

McBee Station Apartments

RiverWalk

• Fully leased until spring 2015 • 55 units (studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms) • Rent: $1600-$2600/month • Located at 98 E. McBee Ave. • 98 East McBee LLC 98emcbee.com

• 198 units (1, 2 & 3 bedrooms) • Rent: $1,314-$2,149/month • Located at 27 Station Court • Greystar mcbee-station.com

• 44 units • Rent: $725/month for 1 bedroom &

100 East

North Main Flats

Wells Fargo Apartments

• 48 units (1 & 2 bedrooms) • Rent: $1374-$1854/month • Located at 100 E. Washington St. • EOS Management Group 100east.net

• 23 units • Rent: $1,295-$1,495/month • Located at 233 North Main St. • Easlan Management mynicheapartments.com

• 22 units (1, 2 & 3 bedrooms) • Rent: $1350-$2300/month • Located at 1 S. Main St. • North Main Realty Northmain.net

400 Rhett

Prevost Apartments

West End Commons

• 150 units (studios, 1 & 2 bedrooms) • Rent: $1,050-$1,885/month • Located at 400 Rhett St. • Intermark Management Company 400rhett.com

• 12 units (1 & 2 bedrooms) • Rent: $1000-$1300/month • Located at 711 & 715 E. McBee Avenue • Clay Rainey prevostapartments.com

• 41 units (2 & 3 bedrooms) • Rent: $525-$650/month • Located at 111 N. Calhoun St. • Stone Properties Inc. stoneprop.com/residential/ west-end-commons-apartments

$962/month for two bedroom

• Located at 101 W. Camperdown Way • Hughes Investments hughesinvestments.com

GREENVILLE DEVELOPMENT STATS Hotels Three hotels are currently planned/ under construction: • Aloft (under construction) • Embassy Suites at RiverPlace (under construction) • Home 2 Suites at Elford and N. Main (planned)

Downtown hotel occupancy rate for Jan.-Nov. 2014 was 78 percent

Multifamily Under Construction

Multifamily in Permitting Process

516 apartments permitted and under construction: • South Ridge—375 units • Rivers Edge –141 units

1,043 apartments/condos currently in permitting process: • Main at Stone—226 units • District West—365 units • Holland Flats—18 units • Link West End—215 units • Fountains at Greenville—201 units • M West Townhouses—18 units

Multifamily Planned 156 apartments/condos planned (planning commission or DRB approved): • Stadium Apartments—105 units • 121 Rhett Condos—36 units • Alta Vista Place Condos—15 units

In 2014, there were 128 building permits issued in the downtown area having a total value of $100,313,974.

POINSETT

HOTEL

Wheel Well

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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Spaces for artists, seniors slated for Village of West Greenville TGHA announces plans for The Gallery, The Manor and The Haven SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ Studios for artists in the form of live/work spaces in the Village of West Greenville could become a reality if the Greenville Housing Authority (TGHA) moves forward with plans for The Gallery project. Located in the Westview community, TGHA is proposing to demolish seven existing apartments and a management building and convert the space into 12 one- or two-bedroom units with an art studio area for each. A new office/community building would be constructed and 66 current units would also be renovated in that community. The new community building at Westview could also be used for art shows and gallery space for artists to sell their work, said Cindi Herrera, spokeswoman for TGHA. “We wanted to open up some opportunities for artists in the area,” said Herrera. Plans are preliminary and TGHA is looking for community feedback on the concept, which has been well received in larger communities across the U.S. she said. The new community building at Westview could also be used for art shows and gallery space for artists to sell their work, Herrera said. “We want to throw the idea out to the community to see if it’s a concept that’s workable and viable.” TGHA has partnered with Arthaus, an artist-run collective advocating for a community arts center, and 10-4 Good City, a social entrepreneurship network, to seek community input on the concept, as well as possible qualifications for the artist lofts and other ideas, with a preliminary meeting held Jan. 26. Financing for the project has already been submitted and will come from low-income tax credits, so the artist live/work spaces would have rent income restrictions: $24,444 for one person and $27,936 for two. TGHA also has two new senior housing projects in the works in the Village of West Greenville:

The Manor and The Haven. The Manor at West Greenville, located at 430 Perry Ave., will be a new, three-story building with 55 new senior housing units. Construction at The Manor is expected to begin in March 2015 and be completed March 2016. The Haven at West Greenville will also be a new three-story building, but with 42 new senior housing units, to be located at 81 S. Textile Ave. Construction at The Haven is expected to begin June 2015 and be completed December 2016. Residences at both properties will have washers, dryers and dishwashers in each unit. Shared amenities will include a library, beauty salon, computer lab and common spaces. In addition, TGHA will be redeveloping the existing Brookhaven and Westview communities.

Brookhaven will receive a complete makeover of the 57 low-income housing units. A former Head Start building will be converted into new office/community space. Current residents of Brookhaven and Westview will either relocate to vacant public housing or receive Section 8 vouchers while the renovations are taking place. Those residents will have the right of first refusal to return to the refurbished communities, but past experience shows that most will not return, opting instead to keep on the voucher program and be able to live where they choose, housing officials said. Construction at both The Harbor and The Gallery is expected to begin in September 2015 with the renovations expected to be completed in December 2016. Residents will be relocated in April 2015. Rendering provided by Progress Design Studio, PLLC

Westview/Brookhaven– Repositioning Status Map provided

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

A YOUNG GUN BLAZING

24 | SQUARE FEET |

UBJ

01.30. 2015

Colliers moves into former Clemson at the Falls space

Photos by Greg Beckner

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ Commercial real estate company Colliers International has moved its downtown Greenville office into space on Camperdown Way left vacant when Clemson moved its MBA program offices into the ONE building last year. The 6,000 square feet of newly renovated office space on the second floor at 55 E. Camperdown Way, located across from the Liberty Bridge in Falls Park, will provide an increase in size (their current space is about 4,600 square feet), and satisfy Colliers’ need for a more efficient floor plan with open workspaces, allowing more collaboration

and an environment which prompts ongoing, productive communication between employees, said David Feild, CCIM, market president of Colliers’ Greenville office. “We are excited about this move not David Feild just for the look and location of our new office, but also the growth opportunities for our employees and our clients,” said Feild. “We feel the modern, open office environment will foster collaboration among our brokers, property managers and staff, increasing our team’s capabilities which will allow us to better serve each of our valued clients.” Colliers moved into its new location Monday, Jan. 26.

Fresh Market plans move forward Announced at the end of December 2014, plans are moving forward for a new Fresh Market grocery store on Woodruff Road in Mauldin. Located at the corner of Woodruff and Feaster roads, the 21,000-square-foot store would be the second one in Rendering provided by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting

Greenville County and eighth in South Carolina. James Dewey, director of real estate, Southeast for The Fresh Market, said he anticipates a grand opening this summer for the store. Hughes Commercial Properties is the developer.

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

low-VOC interior finishes were all important factors in obtaining LEED status. Additional LEED points were scored for using an existing building in an urban setting with close proximity to high-density residential and public transportation. Over the course of the renovation, 58 percent of all construction waste was diverted from landfills and recycling. The new floor plan includes state-of-the-art classrooms and labs suited to the highly flexible and technology-driven needs of today’s open, group learning environments, according to the architects. Most of the occupied areas were situated with views to the outside. The intact auditorium and gymnasium were also completely refinished for college and community use. This is McMillan Pazdan Smith’s 29th LEEDcertified project.

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Evans Building in downtown Spartanburg for the Spartanburg Community College Downtown Campus earned LEED Silver certification this month. McMillan Pazdan Smith, a Greenville studio-based design firm, converted the building into classrooms and administrative offices for the college. The three-story, 104,000-square-foot building was originally constructed in 1921. Energy-efficient and environmentally friendly strategies were central to the historic restoration strategy. The interior was rebuilt through the repair and replication of many architectural elements, materials and finishes, while reusing the original building structure and roof. Water-efficient irrigation and plumbing fixtures, custom-manufactured energy-efficient windows, water-sourced heat pumps, and

NOMINATE THEM NOW.

Renovations completed in July 2013 to the historic

MA NUFA CTURI NG • POLI TIC S/ GOV ERN MENT • REAL ES TATE • TEC H/ IT

Photo provided

ACCOUNTI N G • E CON OMIC D E VE LOP MEN T • FINAN C E • HEALTHC ARE • HOS PITALITY • LE G AL

SCC Downtown Campus earns LEED certification

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26 | DEALMAKERS |

UBJ

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IN THE UPSTATE

COLDWELL BANKER COMMERCIAL CAINE ANNOUNCED:

space at 101A Augusta Road, Greenville, to Eric Brown Design LLC.

Rick Cauthen represented the seller, Ameripride Services Inc., in selling 1.9 AC at 301 E. Broad St., Greenville, to Saad Resources LLC.

Pete Brett and Brian Sparks represented the landlord, Norris Real Estate Trust, in a 11,195 SF ground lease at 30 E. McBee St., Greenville, to TD Bank.

Graham Howle represented the buyer, CASE Investment Properties LLC, in purchasing a 28unit apartment complex at 207 Dunwoody Ave., Central, from Rehad Joudeh & Michel N. Wheibe.

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | THALHIMER ANNOUNCED:

Elliott Fayssoux and Michael Greer represented the buyer, Legacy Properties LLC, in Sammy DuBose represented purchasing 65,000 SF the landlord, the The Estate of industrial property at of John O. Alexander, in 1801 Rutherford Road, leasing 15,000 SF of retail Greenville, from Greenville space at 3719 Clemson Properties LLC. Blvd., Anderson, to The Salvation Army. COLLIERS Rick Cauthen represented the tenant, Pathway Hospice LLC, in leasing 1,472 SF of office space at 355 Woodruff Road, Suite 201, Greenville, from Gower Corporation dba Blue Ridge Corporation.

INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCED:

Rick Cauthen represented the landlord, Harpro Properties LLC, in the leasing 1,204 SF of retail

Richard Barrett and Michael Sease represented the landlord, R & J

Frank Hammond and Nick Reinhardt represented the sellers in selling 20 AC of property at 3136 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, to Wal-Mart.

Investments Inc., in the lease renewal of 4,000 SF of flex space at 524 Brookshire Road, Greer, to the tenant, Lodige USA, Inc.

tenant, Bieber Law LLC, in leasing 5,832 SF of office space at the Wells Fargo Center in Greenville, to the landlord, FM FRI Greenville LLC.

Frank Hammond and Nick Reinhardt represented the seller, TD Bank, in selling 41 AC of land at Blue Moon at Pinnacle Peak in Zirconia, N.C., to the buyer, Blue Moon Partners LLC.

Bob Shaw represented the tenant, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, in the lease renewal of 2,304 SF of office space at the Piedmont Center in Greenville, to the landlord, Piedmont Center LLC.

Frank Hammond and Nick Reinhardt represented the seller, TD Bank, in selling 21.35 AC of land at Peachtree Road in Chesnee, to the buyer, Smith Sanitation.

Bob Shaw represented the seller, Davis Family Properties LLC, in selling a 4,874 SF office condo at 200 N. Main St., Greenville, to the buyer, Honesto Properties LLC.

Frank Hammond and Nick Reinhardt represented the owner, W. R. Martin Corp., in the ground lease of 0.55 AC of land at 1800 Augusta St., Greenville, to the lessee, Lewis Plaza Partners LLC.

Bob Shaw represented the landlord, Century at Keith LLC, in leasing 2,060 SF of office space at Century at Keith, 5 Century Drive, Greenville, to the tenant, Inner Growth Group LLC.

Will Nelson represented the landlord, Big Cedar Properties LLC, in leasing 2,205 SF of retail space at 3010 E. North St., Greenville, to the tenant, Alexander Family Karate.

Bob Shaw represented the tenant, Maxim Health Care Services Inc., in leasing 6,447 SF of office space at Park Central, Greenville, to the landlord, OZRE Greenville LLC.

Richard Barrett and Michael Sease represented the seller, J.R. Kingman Inc., in selling 1,950 SF of office space at 230 Adley Way, Greenville, to the buyer, Journeys of a Lifetime Travel.

Frank Hammond and Nick Reinhardt represented the seller, Stenhouse Properties LLC, in selling 1 AC of land at 244 Stenhouse Road, Simpsonville, to the buyer, SAH Land LLC.

Bob Shaw represented the

Will Nelson and Frank

landlord, Century at Keith LLC, in leasing 1,500 SF of office space at Century at Keith, 5 Century Drive, Greenville, to the tenant, Premier Lighting and Control. Bob Shaw represented the landlord, Century at Keith LLC, in leasing 434 SF of office space at Century at Keith, 5 Century Drive, Greenville, to the tenant, Kelmardan International Inc. Lyn Tyner represented the seller in selling 7,980 SF of retail space at 5314 Wade Hampton Blvd., Taylors, to the buyer, 5314 Wade Hampton Blvd LLC.

01. 30. 2015

Hammond represented the seller, Big Cedar Properties LLC, in selling an 8-unit apartment complex at 3008 E. North St., Greenville, to the buyer, James Bennett. LEE & ASSOCIATES ANNOUNCED: Kevin Bentley represented the landlord in leasing 4,800 SF at 1310 Garlington Road, Suite D, in Greenville. Bryon Culbertson represented the seller in selling a 4,999 SF office building at 67 Creekside Park, Greenville. Randall Bentley represented the seller in selling a 9,600 SF flex building at 563 Woodruff Road, Greenville. The tenant, Carolina Mobility Sales, was an existing tenant that desired to own their own facility. Randall Bentley represented the landlord in a 2,800 SF lease renewal at 105 Ben Hamby Road, Suite G., Greenville.

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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IN THE UPSTATE

NAI EARLE FURMAN ANNOUNCED: Stuart Wyeth represented the landlord of Eastside Medical Center in leasing 3,297 SF of medical office space to Caroline R Price, MD, PA.

in The Bookends at 121 E. McBee Ave.

Stuart Wyeth and Paul Hartley represented Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering LLC in leasing a 6,141 SF office space at Roper Mountain Business Center.

Jake Van Gieson, Bill Sims and Gaston Albergotti represented the seller in selling a 14,759 SF multifamily investment property at Mae Drive and Orchid Drive, Greenville.

Tyson Smoak and Ross Kester represented Newbridge Bank in leasing 3,024 SF of office space in The Ogletree Building at 300 N. Main St., Greenville.

Andrew Babb represented the buyer in purchasing a 5,800 SF office building at 130 Magnolia St., Spartanburg.

Keith Jones represented the landlord of Green Gate Office Park in leasing 3,425 SF of office space to CLC and Associates. Jake Van Gieson, Bill Sims and Gaston Albergotti represented the tenant. Jimmy Wright, Ted Lyerly and Brendan Gower represented Palmetto Mobile LLC in leasing 1,073 SF of office space

Tim Roller represented the landlord of Anderson Station Shopping Center in leasing 4,500 SF of retail space to Susanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hallmark.

Glenn Batson represented the seller in selling a 24,000 SF industrial space at 255 Mill Street, Taylors, to PRO Sportsplex LLC. Jake Van Gieson represented the buyer in purchasing, a 4,999 SF office property at 67 Creekside Park Court, Greenville. Stuart Wyeth and Taylor Allen represented the seller of in selling a 7,010 SF industrial

property at 408 E. North St., Greenville, to Deacon Holdings LLC. Hunter Garrett and John Staunton represented the buyer. Ford Borders and Grice Hunt represented the seller in selling 180,700 SF of industrial property at 5670 North Blackstock Road. Tyson Smoak and Ross Kester represented Honesto Properties LLC in purchasing a 4,748 SF office space in Ivey Square at 200 N. Main St., Greenville. Glenn Batson represented the seller in selling 1.5 AC of land at 104 S. Hudson St., Greenville, to Asterisk Development LLC. Jake Van Gieson represented the seller in selling a 10,925 SF industrial property at 5 W. Main St., Greenville, to II M Properties LLC. Jimmy Wright and Ted Lyerly represented the buyer in purchasing a 12,108 SF industrial property at 321 Tandem Drive, Greer.

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John Gray and Drew Stamm represented the seller in selling a 4,000 SF office property at 8551 White Horse Road, Greenville, to Knights Templar of the US, Greenville Commandory. John Baldwin and Peter Couchell represented the seller in selling a 5,600 SF industrial property at 50 Littlejohn Glen Ct., Grennville, to HMG Holdings LLC. Peter Couchell and Robert Schmidt represented the seller Village Square in selling a 9,215 SF retail investment property at 242 W. Wade Hampton Blvd., Greer. Drew Stamm and John Gray represented the buyer. Tony Bonitati, Kay Hill and Bern DuPree represented the seller, Jo-An Properties LLC, in selling a 116-unit apartment complex at 501 Camelot Drive, Spartanburg, to the buyer, Two Bridges Asset Management LLC.

| DEALMAKERS | 27

KEYSTONE COMMERCIAL GROUP LLC ANNOUNCED:

3,481 SF retail building at 816 and 818 S. Main St., Greenville.

Jim Hopple represented the sellers, Peter Forwood and Mary R. McJunkin Estate, in selling 2 AC of land on Pelham Road to the buyer, Enigma Corporation.

M.S. Shore represented the seller in selling a 1,120 SF freestanding office building at 126 E. Broad St., Greenville.

Jim Hopple represented the buyer, Retina Consultants Holdings III LLC, in purchasing a 24,000 SF medical office at 435 Eptine Ave., Greenwood, from the seller, Mason Holdings LLC. M. S. SHORE COMPANY INC. ANNOUNCED: M.S. Shore represented the seller in selling an 8,400 SF retail building at 1609 Laurens Road, Greenville. M.S. Shore represented both the buyer and seller of a 9,100 SF Dollar General retail building at 5325 Hwy. 81, N. Williamston.

M.S. Shore represented both the buyer and seller of a 10,050 SF retail and industrial building on 2.32 acres of land at 164 S. Main St., Travelers Rest. M.S. Shore represented the seller in selling a 2,500 SF self-serve car wash on 0.8 AC of land at 2640 Poinsett Hwy., Greenville. M.S. Shore represented both the buyer and seller of 8.73 AC of land on New McElhaney Road, Travelers Rest. M.S. Shore represented the seller in selling a 10,000 SF warehouse at 6 Loop St. Greenville, to the buyer, City Welding.

M.S. Shore represented the seller in selling a

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28 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

ELECTED

Jennifer Sullivan Hincapie Named chair of the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate board of directors. Hincapie is a commercial broker with KeenanSuggs Insurance. She will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s 30-member board and monitoring and strengthening the programs and services within the BBB’s 10-county service area.

HIRED

01.30. 2015

HIRED

Gregory B. Ingram

Lauren Scoggins

Garrett Scott

Julie Newman

Named senior vice president of finance and chief investment officer at Pacolet Milliken Enterprises Inc. Ingram has more than 15 years of broad finance and real estate experience. Prior to joining Pacolet Milliken, Ingram was founder and managing partner of Foundation Real Estate Partners LLC.

Named director of investor and public relations at the Upstate SC Alliance. Scoggins previously worked as a community director for the March of Dimes, the director of development and communications at Pendleton Place for Children and Families, and as the director of development at the Institute for Child Success.

Joins Colliers International as a brokerage associate on the Colliers Industrial Team. Scott is a 1989 graduate of Clemson University and has worked in industrial real estate development for 27 years. The majority of Scott’s recent experience is centered around build-to-suit leaseback fulfillment centers.

Named mortgage sales manager for the Upstate for United Community Bank. Newman has 30 years of mortgage banking experience. She previously served as Upstate mortgage manager at SunTrust Mortgage, where she managed a team of up to six loan officers and the Legendary Homes account.

MCR DEVELOPMENT LLC COMPLETES RENOVATION AT RESIDENCE INN SPARTANBURG

Extensive renovations at the 88-suite Residence Inn Spartanburg, including modern upgrades to the lobby area and guestrooms and enhancements to the hotel’s exterior, including fresh paint and new stairwells, have now been completed by New York-based MCR Development. The hotel, located at 9011 Fairforest Road, has been outfitted with all-new furniture, including a centralized granite-top communal table that seats up to 20 people and is equipped with power outlets. MCR also removed the lobby’s fireplace to create more space, and redecorated the hotel’s guest suites. MCR Development manages a portfolio of 70 premium-branded hotel properties with approximately 8,300 rooms in 17 states.

EDUCATION David A. Eubanks was named assistant vice president for assessment and institutional effectiveness at Furman University. Eubanks currently serves as associate dean for Institutional Research and Assessment at Eckerd College. He serves as a board member and editor for the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education and as an on-site reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). At Furman, Eubanks will work with the director of the Office of Institutional Assessment and Research.

ENGINEERING aeSolutions hired Johann Cox as an application support specialist in the Software Products Group. Cox was previously with Stephen F. Austin University’s Department of Public Safety Technology and has more than 10 years of experience as a programmer and database administrator.

IT EDTS promoted eight professionals to leadership roles within the organization. Will McGee was named chief operating officer. He joined EDTS in 2000 and previously served as chief information officer. Delano Collins was named chief information officer. He joined EDTS in 2006 and previously served as director of network operations. Craig Tarkenton, formerly director of engineering, was named chief technology officer. Lynn Mays was

named director of communication technology. She previously served as communications technology manager. Doug Rankin was named automation services manager. He joined EDTS in 2010 as a network engineer. Stephen Luster was named service desk manager. He previously served as a network engineer. Shannon Person was named sales support manager from inside sales manager. Emily Logan was named client services manager. Formerly a professional service coordinator, she joined the organization in 2009.

MARKETING/PR Jeff Dezen Public Relations hired Emily Clever as an account executive. Clever will work on several accounts including do-it-yourself paint supply and hardware brands. Her main responsibilities include content development, strategic planning, media relations and program coordination. Clever joins JDPR after working for Infinity Marketing in Greenville as a marketing coordinator. Infinity Marketing added Holly Somero, Sharif Ali and Dawson Jordan as graphic design interns; Shannon Martin as a social media team intern; and Billie Meacham, Ellen Cannon, Kelsey Adamson, Ryan Wise, Tianna Brown and Sarah Williams as media department interns.

NONPROFIT The Home Builders Association of Greenville elected the following members to its 2015 board of directors: Susan Peace-Vernon, president; >>

CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

| ON THE MOVE | 29

VIP

Gregory L. Hudson Named senior vice president of strategic planning and business development at Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. Hudson will create an overall growth strategy and shape the tactical agenda of the health system. He most recently served as system director of planning and business development for Valley Health System.

>> Joe Hoover, president elect; Jon Statom, associate vice president; Scott Warren, secretary; Chuck Childress, treasurer; Mike Freeman, immediate past president; and Wayne Moore, Gus Rubio, Scott Presley, James Speer and Bob Barreto, directors. Jan Dewar has retired as volunteer coordinator at Meals on Wheels after 14 years of service. Dewar managed over 120 volunteers daily to ensure the delivery of 1,500 meals throughout Greenville County. Dewar began her career at Meals on Wheels in 2000 as the development associate.

STAFFING The United States Department of Defense awarded the Patriot Award for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to Ken Zwerdling, CEO of Foreign Staffing, for his commitment to hiring veterans for full-time positions and internships, and giving them paid time off for their reserve commitment. Zwerdling has a background of family members and employees who served in the military, including his father who served in the Korean War and two employees who served in the Army. In addition, he employed a Navy chief and a member of the Coast Guard, and currently has a human resources intern who served in the Navy aboard the nuclear submarine USS Montpelier.

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30 | THE FINE PRINT |

UBJ

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

Liquid Catering, Old Cigar Warehouse named top wedding venues Liquid Catering and The Old Cigar Warehouse received WeddingWire Bride’s Choice awards for catering and ceremony and reception space in South Carolina. The annual awards program recognizes the top 5 percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. This is the third year in a row that Liquid Catering has received the honor and the first for Old Cigar Warehouse, which completed its first full year of business in 2014. “I thank my great staff for providing the consistent commitment to excellence that made this award possible,” said Tammy Johnson, owner of both venues. WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards winners are determined solely based on reviews from newlyweds and their experiences working with the venues. As Bride’s Choice Awards winners, both businesses are highlighted within the WeddingWire Network, which is comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.

Fairway Media sold to GTCR ACON Investments and MidOcean Partners completed the sale of their portfolio company, Fairway Media Group LLC, to investment funds affiliated with GTCR, a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout. Fairway, based in Greenville, is one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in the United States with approximately 20,000 bulletin, poster and digital displays reaching audiences in 20 states, according to a release. The company primarily focuses in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest regions. Fairway was acquired by affiliates of ACON in October 2009 and merged with Olympus Media Group, a portfolio company of MidOcean, in June 2012. “We congratulate the Fairway team led by Mark Moyer on the successful sale of the company to GTCR,” said Ken Brotman, founding partner of ACON. “We are proud of the progress we made at Fairway during our investment … and believe this new partnership with GTCR represents an exciting next chapter for the company’s growth.”

01.30. 2015

During ACON and MidOcean’s ownership period, Fairway achieved growth through organic initiatives that included digital conversions and a variety of revenue-driving operational improvements. Moelis & Company LLC served as financial advisor to Fairway, and Hogan Lovells LLP served as its legal advisor. Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Kirkland & Ellis LLP advised GTCR. GTCR partnered with Adams Outdoor Advertising in the transaction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Wells Fargo gives $300,000 to SC Community Loan Fund Wells Fargo recently approved a $300,000 equity equivalent investment (EQ2) to the South Carolina Community Loan Fund (SCCLF) for use within its Revolving Loan Fund. As a U.S. Treasury certified CDFI, SCCLF is able to receive low-interest rate loans from financial institutions, foundations, businesses and high-wealth individuals, and provide both a social and financial return on that investment. Investors receive quarterly interest payments and repayment of their principal upon the loan’s maturity, and low-wealth communities gain access to needed capital to fund critical development projects. EQ2s are patient capital in the form of below-market-rate loans and are reserved resources for Well Fargo nonprofit community development partners that are working to expand affordable housing, job creation and economic development.

iMAGINE Upstate partners with Duke Energy iMAGINE Upstate announced Duke Energy as a presenting partner for the upcoming festival and weeklong series of crowdsourced science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) events. Through a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, Duke Energy will help support educational programs. In conjunction with the partnership, iMAGINE Upstate and Duke Energy also

105.9 FM 1330 AM

NFL

Cov

upstatebusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

announced a series of free educational events during the week of iMAGINE Upstate called “ENERGIZE Your Mind.” These events are to be held at the World of Energy education center at the Oconee Nuclear Station in Seneca, S.C. The education center will play host to a series of daily STEM activities such as hands-on workshops and interactive exhibits designed to foster student development in science and energy. “Every dollar we contribute to education is an investment in the future of the Upstate,” said Clark Gillespy, Duke Energy’s president for South Carolina. “Supporting effective education programs and initiatives that emphasize STEM is a critical focus for Duke Energy.”

Brains on Fire opens LA office Local marketing agency Brains on Fire (BOF) is expanding to Los Angeles. The agency acquired and merged with Los Angeles-based design and digital consulting agency Animal Volcano Design. “[T]here are advantages to having offices on both coasts,” BOF president Robbin Phillips said in a release. “Not only does BOF LA give us a longer workday and the ability to better service our clients, it also gives us more firepower in the world of video storytelling and creating digital platforms that connect people, which are both powerful tools in much of the work we do.” Benjamin Hart, former owner and founder of Animal Volcano, will lead the Los Angeles office. “Over the years, we have had the opportunity to partner with Brains on Fire on several projects and a number of mutual clients,” Hart said. “The harmonious working relationship between our teams made joining forces a natural fit and an easy decision.” BOF won the top engagement award from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) at the WOMMY Awards in Hollywood last year for the agency’s “Yeah, THAT Greenville” campaign for VisitGreenvileSC.

CreatiVasc and Sealevel work to help dialysis patients

| THE FINE PRINT | 31

ture the electronics required to operate and monitor CreatiVasc’s Hemoaccess Valve System, which allows blood flow in a dialysis graft to be selectively turned on and off. The system is designed to improve the lives of patients and reduce the need for certain repetitive surgeries, potentially saving billions of dollars in Medicare costs. Steve Johnson, president and CEO of CreatiVasc, said in a release, “We started out working with companies in Ohio and Massachusetts, but found better capabilities with Sealevel right here local to Greenville.” Sealevel, founded in 1986, designs and manufactures industrial computing solutions in addition to a variety of communications and I/O products used in medical, process control, military and other mission-critical applications. The Hemoaccess Valve System was originally developed by Greenville vascular surgeon David Cull, CreatiVasc’s founder. “The system is one of three nationwide selected for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Innovation Pathway, designed to accelerate the process of approval without compromising patient safety,” according to a release.

SCRA affiliate to work on composite structure in Michigan Construct, SCRA Applied R&D’s architectural structures affiliate, won a competitive contract to build a 42-foot recycled carbon fiber composite “orb” staircase enclosure for Lawrence Technological University. The structure will be an all-composite, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 285-certified staircase enclosure, which is supported from the side and hangs over a reflection pool. Construct will be working with DeMaria, the general contractor for the project in Southfield, Mich. “We are delighted to bring our expertise in composite structures to this exciting project,” said SCRA vice president and Construct general manager David Humphries. “The opportunity to offer our unique advanced materials proficiency using recycled carbon fiber will help bring this distinctive design to life and will be a beautiful focal point for the building.”

CreatiVasc Medical has partnered with Sealevel Systems Inc. to design and manufac-

L SUPER BOWL XLIX vs

verage starts at 2pm Sunday

32 | MENTOR MONDAY |

UPSTATE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE

UBJ

01.30. 2015

Work and play with Fostering Great Ideas JENNIFER OLADIPO

and trauma is one of the hardest—and most fulfilling—things you’ll ever do.

SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER joladipo@communityjournals.com

WHY YOU’RE NEEDED: Being a consistent, supportive presence in a foster child’s life can do a great deal address the trauma that is often a reality of foster care.

entor

LEARN MORE: fgionline.org and facebook.com/FGIonline

onday

CONTACT: David White, chief idea officer, 864 567-5216 OPPORTUNITY: Help a foster child without being a foster parent.

The Movement has started.

ORGANIZATION: Fostering Great Ideas COMMITMENT: Long-term, while a child is in foster care. Meet face-to-face, twice a month or more. IDEAL FOR: People who like to play and have fun, because you’re helping a child experience true childhood. People who can listen, and who can stick around even when it gets tough. People committed to staying in the Upstate for two or more years.

Welcome to our weekly installment of ways for the business community to step up, get engaged and start mentoring. Each week UBJ will present an opportunity for you to use your talents in a mentorship capacity. We hope our readers will spend some time over the weekend thinking about how they can be ready to jump in next week with Mentor Monday.

WHAT IT’S LIKE: Having as much fun as you can while knowing that dealing with loss

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

| NEW TO THE STREET | 33

Open for business

Photos provided

Pinnacle Bank opened its third branch location at 6501 Calhoun Memorial Hwy., Easley. Lobby hours are 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and drive-thru hours are 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. For more information, visit pinnaclebanksc.com.

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

KNOW THE FACTS! GOS Competitive Pricing Next Day Delivery Minimum Order Charges Local Account Managers Upstate Owned & Operated Local Customer Service Community Involvement Office Coffee Service Full Service Print Shop Company Employed Drivers Local Janitorial & Cleaning Specialist

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34 | PLANNER |

UBJ

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

FRIDAY JANUARY 30 ECONOMIC FORECAST BREAKFAST Campus Life Center at USC Upstate, Spartanburg; 8-9:30 a.m. SPEAKER: Tim Quinian, economist with Wells Fargo

TOPIC: Business Principles Guaranteed to Create Success SPEAKER: James Carter, Empire Ltd. COST: Chamber members $39/class or $199/series, nonmembers $49 or $230 RSVP: 864-862-2586

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6 FIRST FRIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES Clemson at ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville; 5-6 p.m. SPEAKER: Andy Monin, founder and former CEO of Vendormate COST: Free

COST: Chamber members $25, nonmembers $35

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 4

MONDAY FEBRUARY 9

OpenWorks, 2 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1 p.m.

SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN OF GREENVILLE LUNCHEON

TOPIC: Re-Humanizing Our Work: Putting People Back Into Customer Engagement COST: $10 REGISTER: bit.ly/ designthinkers-jan2015

Stax Grill, 850 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville; 11:30 a.m.

Please join us for LiveWell Greenville’s

Healthy Workplace Roundtable: “Financial Health” Thursday, February 12 11:45 am-1:15 pm The YMCA Metro Office

greenville

(Behind the Caine Halter YMCA) 723 Cleveland Street, Greenville SC

Our February 2015 Healthy Workplace Roundtable discussion will focus on what we, as employers, can do to help our employees combat financial stressors and to improve their overall well-being, workplace productivity and satisfaction.

Discussion Panelists: Bonnie Brown, Manager of Employee Assistance Program at Greenville Health System Bob Sinclair, Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Clemson University

$10 per person (A healthy lunch is included) SPACE IS LIMITED. Please register at your earliest convenience. Visit us online to register for this event:

class or $199/series, nonmembers $49 or $230 RSVP: 864-862-2586

members $39, nonmembers $49 RSVP: 864-862-2586

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11 SPARTANBURG ANGEL NETWORK INTEREST BREAKFAST Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, 105 N. Pine St., Spartanburg; 7:30-9 a.m.

COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ sa-feb2015

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20 FINANCIAL SERVICES BIZ BOWL Star Lanes, 740 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville; 6-8 p.m. Team bowling competition to raise money for Junior Achievement programs COST: $500 per team

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 12 MASTER ENTREPRENEUR SERIES Clemson at ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1:30 p.m. SPEAKER: William Bradshaw COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ master-series

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m. TOPIC: Marketing Your Small Business SPEAKER: Marty Flynn, Greenville Technical College COST: Chamber members $39/

WEDNESDAY MARCH 4 DESIGNTHINKERS DESIGN TALK OpenWorks, 2 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1 p.m. TOPIC: The Best Story Wins: Storytelling as a Solution Design Tool COST: $10 REGISTER: bit.ly/ dt-feb2015

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23 PIEDMONT SCORE SMALL BUSINESS START-UP WORKSHOP NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greevnille; 6-8 p.m. COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ score-feb2015

TUESDAY MARCH 3 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m. TOPIC: Networking: How It Can Increase Your Sales

TUESDAY MARCH 17 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m. TOPIC: Technology: A Business’s Friend SPEAKER: Randy Oneal, CCT Business School COST: Chamber members $39, nonmembers $49 RSVP: 864-862-2586

SPEAKER: Meredith Noon, BNI COST: Chamber

livewellatworkfebruaryroundtable.eventbrite.com For more information contact Lori Burney at lburney@livewellgreenville.org

01.30.2015

RSVP: bit.ly/ bpw-feb-lunch

Learn about plans for 2015

DESIGNTHINKERS DESIGN TALK

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3

TOPICS: Retirement savings, paying for education and staying on track in 2015

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST

| SNAPSHOT | 35

One of the most adventuresome building projects of the early 20th century was the construction of the Davenport Apartments on the corner of East Washington and Church streets. This was Greenville’s first large-scale apartment complex. The three-story complex was built in 1915-1916 for G. D. Davenport by real estate developer Eugene A. Gilfillin. Designed by local architect J.L. Lawrence, the U-shaped structure has a central court with a Jacobean-style gable at the end. Refrigerators line the sidewalk waiting for installation.

Historic photo provided

The Davenport Apartments at the intersection of East Washington and Church streets are today the Davenport Condos. The exterior still looks very much as it did in the early 20th century.

Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis

MARKETING & EVENTS

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

PRESIDENT/CEO

ART & PRODUCTION

UBJ PUBLISHER

ART DIRECTOR Whitney Fincannon

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Kristy Adair, Michael Allen

MANAGING EDITOR

CLIENT SERVICES Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER

STORY IDEAS:

Jennifer Oladipo

ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

STAFF WRITERS

EVENTS:

Ashley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris

events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

INTERNS

onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com

PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Sarah Anders, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehman, Pam Putman, Maddy Varin, Emily Yepes

jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years

1988

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design. Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series. “In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.” Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft

MARCH: INTERNATIONAL ISSUES How the Upstate does business with the rest of the world, and vice versa.

Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

Amanda Cordisco, Natalie Walters

UBJ milestone

1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

Emily Price

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

UBJ milestone

Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or aharley@communityjournals.com

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NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS: UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.

publishers of

u UP NEXT FEBRUARY: FOCUS ON HEALTH CARE The big business behind getting better.

Kate Madden

DIGITAL STRATEGIST

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MARCH: WHO’S WHO 2015 Meet the latest class of professionals to look out for and look up to. Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

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