Columbia Regional Business Report - March 2023

Up on the roof

Roofing products company picks Chester County for $363 million investment.

Page 5

A farewell to art

An eye-catching art installation bids goodbye to longtime home.

Page 7

Motel conversion

An accommodating change to an old motel brings affordable housing.

Page 8

Literary enterprise

Independent book store opens in Five Points.

Page 9

Golden Nail award

The conversion of a church into apartments lauded for preservation effort.

Page 22

INSIDE

Upfront .....................................................2

SC Biz News Briefs 4

In Focus: Architecture, Engineering & Construction 13

List: General Contractors 18

List: Engineering Firms 19

At Work 20

Viewpoint 23

SCOUTING PARTY

After beating out 74 other locations in the nation, South Carolina will become the new home of an old classic with a very modern twist. Page 6.

Columbia Under

Construction

See some of the latest large construction projects underway in the Midlands. Page 13

Fewer younger drivers stepping on the gas in the Palmetto State

Anyone who lives with a teenager knows that learning to drive a motor vehicle isn’t always a top priority. Decades ago, a driver’s license represented a chance at freedom, a day trip to the beach with friends or the first step toward a part-time job, but today’s Millennial and Gen Z teens don’t seem to have that urge to step on it.

An analysis of Federal Transportation Department Data shows a trend that while more pronounced in the 21st century, the trend started decades ago in the Palmetto State. South Carolina had about 2 million fewer drivers overall in 1981 than in 2021, but a much higher percentage of all drivers were between the ages of 16 and 24.

Federal data show 90,611 more drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 in 2021, the latest available data, compared to 1981, but they make up a much smaller percentage of drivers in South Carolina from 40 years ago.

In 1981, the 16-24 age group made up 21.7% of all drivers. In 2021, that percentage was down to 12.86%, even though more than 90,000 younger drivers were on the roadways. That’s a decrease of more than 40%.

SC Biz went back through decades of data to analyze a trend line using 10-year increments. Other Southern states show a similar trend, which follows national data, but South Carolina actually has a higher percentage of younger drivers than most other Southern states. Only Alabama had a higher percentage of younger drivers among licensed drivers at 13.37%, and Louisiana was the lowest at 7.83%.

Economists, anthropologists and futurists likely all have suppositions about why this is occurring, including changing demographic priorities, increased technology that allows for instant and inexpensive communication, but the impact on roads, schools and jobs will have a ripple effect across generations and decades as younger drivers become older drivers.

Younger drivers in Southeastern States

Percentage of drivers 16-24 years old compared to all licensed drivers in specific states.

Licensed drivers 16-24 in SC

Data from 1981 to 2021 shows the percentage of young drivers compared to all licensed drivers in the Palmetto State over 10-year increments.

-40.7%

Percentage change in drivers under 25 in SC since 1981.

Source: Federal Highway Administration, O ice of Highway Policy Information

“Today, we’re reimagining Scout’s original ingenuity and electrifying its future. We’re bringing the Scout spirit to South Carolina and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”

— Scott Keogh, president and CEO Scout Motors

IN THE

SC Biz News Briefs

Greenville GSA Business Report

First new F-16 presented to Bahrain

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Park an F-16 just about anywhere and someone’s going to take a selfie. It happened on Friday in Greenville, when Lockheed Martin chocked the tires of the first F-16 made in South Carolina. There on the sprawling aerospace company’s campus at the S.C. Technology and Aviation Center, Lockheed Martin allowed politicians, news media, engineers and technicians to sidle up alongside military leaders from two countries to take photos with the latest version of one of history’s most storied fighter jets.

The venerable F-16 is new again, the latest iteration known as the Block 70 and bound for air forces in nations like the Kingdom of Bahrain — countries the U.S. government says shares America’s interests and objectives.

This one — the first one — just a velvet rope away from its builders and buyers as cell phone cameras recorded the moment that Lockheed Martin unveiled the aircraft in dramatic fashion, complete with flashing lights, music and a fog machine. It was an impressive sight, even with its thunder silent.

The biggest smile may have been on the face of Maj. Gen. Hamad Al Khalifa, commander of the Royal Bahraini Air Force. Just moments before, he signed documents accepting the first Greenville-made F-16 on behalf of his kingdom. It is the first Block 70 for Bahrain but not the first F-16 — the country was the first in the region to operate the fighters in the 1990s — and it is not the last. The country has ordered a total of 16 and, with one in the books, Lockheed Martin has a growing backlog of 127 jets from five other countries. In addition, Jordan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for 12 jets and Bulgaria wants eight, the company said.

“The Royal Bahrani Air force is proud to be the first air force to own and operate the world’s first Block 70 fighter, an aircraft second to none,” Hamad said. “I would like to thank each and every one who worked hard to make this event a great success. … On behalf of the Royal Bahraini Air Force and myself personally I would like to extend the deepest appreciation and gratitude to every technician, specialist, supervisor and engineer who spared no effort on the production line to build our F-16. Lockheed Martin, thank you very much for a job well done.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was there for the original announcement about the Lockheed Martin contract with Bahrain, was back Friday to celebrate delivery. On both occasions he spoke of the need to make sure U.S. allies are prepared to defend themselves.

With publications in the

Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.

Lockheed Martin unveiled the first South Carolina-built F-16 to moving strobe lights, smoke and dramatic music at its Greenville site. (Photo/Ross Norton)

Jason Thomas, executive editor jthomas@scbiznews.com • 864.568.7570

Ross Norton, managing editor-content rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222

Andrew Sprague, managing editor-production asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.804.6104

Christina Lee Knauss, sta writer cknauss@scbiznews.com • 803.753.4327

Krys Merryman, sta writer kmerryman@scbiznews.com • 864.640.4418

Steve McDaniel, editor, Custom Publishing Division smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3121

Ohio-based company to invest $26M in Florence County operations

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

An Ohio-based building materials supplier will expand its South Carolina footprint with a $26 million investment into new operations in Florence County. The project is expected to create 80 new jobs.

Carter Lumber, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, is a privately held, family-owned company with more than 170 locations across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions, according to a news release.

In addition to lumber, the company sells a broad range of building supplies including decking, doors, kitchens, siding and windows.

With existing operations in Easley and Rock Hill, this will mark the company’s third South Carolina location and first facility in Florence County.

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

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Account Executives

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Events

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Accounting ar@bridgetowermedia.com

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“Carter Lumber has done business in South Carolina since the 1970s, and it has always been a pro-business state filled with opportunities to grow,” said company president Jeff Donley. “That same spirit exists in the state today, and we are excited to be opening this location to take advantage of those many opportunities. The manufactured products this new facility will produce are vital to builders in the region as it continues to grow. We look forward to partnering in that growth today and into the future.”

The company plans to renovate a

120,000-square-foot facility at 305 West Myrtle Beach Highway in Johnsonville. Once completed, the facility will be used to manufacture roof and floor trusses along with hanging interior door units, the release said. This location will also serve as a millwork warehouse for stock mouldings, and products from the Florence County site will be delivered to residential, commercial and multi-family job sites.

“The 80 new jobs that Carter Lumber will create will positively impact the Johnsonville community for years to come,” said Florence County Council Chairman

Willard Dorriety. “We look forward to supporting Carter Lumber as they begin operations in southern Florence County.” Operations are expected to be online by the third quarter of 2023. Individuals interested in joining the Carter Lumber team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $100,000 SetAside grant to Florence County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

Samsung names new CEO for South Carolina operations

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Samsung has appointed Jeremy Lee as president and CEO of Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America in Newberry.

Lee has been with Samsung for almost 30 years, according to a news release. Before joining SEHA, he served as president and CEO of Samsung Electronics in Hungary for two years.

Headquartered in Newberry, SEHA is a wholly owned subsidiary of

Samsung Electronics America Inc.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeremy Lee as SEHA’s new president and CEO,” said Thomas Komaromi, general counsel at SEHA.

“Lee’s extensive knowledge of the Samsung brand and decades of experience will help us usher in a new era. We look forward to the next chapter of innovation under Lee’s leadership.”

The Newberry facility is the company’s first U.S.-based home appliance manufacturing facility. The plant, which directly supports more than 1,400 jobs in the region, has produced more than 5 million washing machines, according to the release.

“What the SEHA team has accomplished in South Carolina is remarkable and I’m honored to step into this role,” Lee said in the release. “I look forward to building on the legacy of excellence established by SEHA leadership and harnessing the potential of this great team.”

The building materials company will mean 80 new jobs in the Johnsonville community. (Photo/Provided)

products

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Aroofing products company headquartered in Canada will invest $363 million in two manufacturing facilities in Chester County.

IKO will establish its first South Carolina operations with two facilities located less than one mile apart along the S.C. 9 industrial corridor in Chester County, according to a news release. The project will create an estimated 180 new jobs.

The company makes a broad range of products for commercial and residential roofing and waterproofing in addition to rigid insulations for roofing and walls, according to company material.

IKO plans to remodel an existing facility on Lancaster Highway to manufacture fiberglass while concurrently building a new 325,000-square-foot manufacturing plant on Cedarhurst Road to produce fiberglass mats for use in production at its U.S. shingle factories, according to the release. They will be IKO’s first wholly owned glass and glass mat facilities in South Carolina.

“IKO is very pleased to be opening its first wholly-owned glass and glass mat facilities in South Carolina,” said IKO’s CEO David Koschitzy. “This is just the latest of many significant investments IKO has made to support a

growing U.S. market presence.”

IKO plans to remodel a fiberglass plant at 1497 Lancaster Highway that was previously opened in 1996 by PPG Industries and later purchased in 2017 by Nippon Electric Glass. Nippon shuttered the plant in February 2020, displacing 145 workers.

our community since 1996, so I was saddened when the plant shut down in 2020,”

said Chester County Council Chairman Joe Branham. “We are delighted that IKO selected Chester County to not only reopen the fiberglass production plant but to also build a new mat plant here.”

England, Belgium, Holland, France and Slovakia. The company ships roofing products to 96 countries.

Operations are expected to be online by late 2025. People interested in join-

Two new facilities for Chester County will bring an estimated 180 new jobs to the community, according to the Commerce Department. (Photo/Provided)

Scout Motors will make historic investment in Richland County

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

South Carolina beat out 74 other locations to win a $2 billion investment from Scout Motors Inc. for a new plant to produce electric SUVs and trucks in Blythewood, according to the Virginia-based company’s president and CEO Scott Keogh.

Requirements for the proposed new plant will also lead state officials to seek more than $1.2 billion in funding from the legislature for infrastructure projects including a new railroad bridge over Interstate 77, a new interchange, other road improvements and upgrades to utilities.

That and other details about the historic economic deal for Richland County were recently discussed at an online roundtable featuring Keogh, Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey.

“We needed a state ready to do business when we decided to relaunch and reintroduce Scout, and South Carolina proved it was ready from the moment conversations started,” Keogh said. “It was just over two months from the time we started conversation until the decision was made. The state was very professional from the beginning.”

Scout’s historic investment in Richland County was announced March 3. The $2 billion project has the potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs, both of which would set new all-time records for a Richland County economic project.

Keogh said factors in choosing the manufacturing site in a Richland County-owned industrial park off I-77 included location, the available labor pool, prospective talent coming out of area colleges and universities, and the fact that South Carolina already is home to hundreds of companies that manufacture parts for the automotive supply chain.

Company officials hope to break ground on the Blythewood plant later this summer and begin production by the end of 2026.

The Scout deal is a true milestone in the history of Richland County unlike anything long-time residents have seen, according to Jeff Ruble, director of the Richland County Economic Development Office.

“This is truly a transformative moment,” Ruble told SC Biz News. “For years we’ve watched things like this happen for other communities and people have asked why and pointed fingers over why it wasn’t happening here. Now it is and it’s pretty rewarding to work hard for something like this and see some results.

Ruble said Scout first approached the county on Dec. 19, 2022, and consultants for the plan told him it was among the fastest deals they’ve ever completed.

“This was an intense fast process,” Ruble said. “Scout chose Richland County because of many factors including the location and the work force. Company officials wanted a place where they could feel at home and be a good fit for the community, and we think both Columbia and the Blythewood area are going to embrace them.”

The Scout plant will be located in the

southwest quadrant of a county-owned industrial park along Blythewood Road. The Blythewood Industrial Site spans 1,600 acres, and the Scout plant is expected to occupy 1,100 acres, according to figures released by the Richland County Economic Development Office.

Keogh said the need to begin building more EVs at a faster pace as the country prepares to make the massive consumer pivot away from internal combustion engines made speed a crucial factor in the decision to pick South Carolina.

“Some states were still shuffling paperwork after 60 days – the moment and the market do not wait when it comes to EVs, we wanted to move fast and the state did it for us,” Keogh said. “We are already filing for building permits right now and we hope to start site prep and work on the project within weeks. This project is going to be extremely aggressive.”

Before the plant can be built, massive work will also have to be done on infrastructure in the Blythewood area, prompting the request for funding from

the legislature, McMaster said.

“You always have to spend money to make money, and time has shown here that large investments of the past were wise decisions,” McMaster said. “One of the biggest examples is investments we made when BMW came here in 1992. That project put South Carolina on the map when it came to the automotive industry. It transformed the Upstate, and now Scout has the potential to bring that kind of transformation to the Midlands.”

Richland County also plans to make significant investments to support the project including funding to upgrade the Blythewood Fire Station. A package of incentives being considered by County officials would include stipends for childcare for Scout employees. Richland County Council is scheduled to give the total incentives package for Scout a third reading on March 21.

Supply-chain issues were also a large consideration for Scout officials in picking South Carolina, Keogh said. The state is home to more than 500 companies that manufacture parts for the automotive industry, and Lightsey said Scout’s announcement may prompt even more to move to the state.

South Carolina is also rapidly becoming part of what is being called the “Battery Belt,” with several large manufacturers of EV batteries planning facilities around the state. Keogh said no decision has been made yet about what type of battery will be used in Scout vehicles, but company officials do plan to select one made in the United States.

Originally produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, Scout was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of both off-road and standard family travel, according to company materials.

Headquartered in Tysons, Va., Scout was formed to build all-electric trucks and SUVS rooted in the same tradition that made the original Scout an American icon, according to a news release. Scout Motors is an independent U.S. company backed by Volkswagen Group.

After Volkwagen bought the defunct Scout brand, the company appointed Volkswagen Group of America CEO Scott Keogh to to lead the resurrection effort. (Photo/Provided)

Photo by: Kickstand Studio

‘Busted Plug’ says goodbye to downtown Columbia

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Downtown Columbia has a lot of traffic jams, but there’s never been one caused by a four-story fire hydrant before.

Until the morning of Thursday, Feb. 23, that is.

“Busted Plug,” a huge piece of public art in the shape of a fire hydrant, stopped traffic shortly before noon as it made its way from Taylor Street onto Bull Street on the back of a flat-bed truck.

The 675,000-pound sculpture by Columbia artist Blue Sky had stood along Taylor Street in the front of a parking lot for more than 20 years until it came down the morning of Feb 23. It was forced to move because of requests from a Maryland-based investment company that purchased the historic apartment building adjacent to the parking lot.

The job of moving the massive fire hydrant fell to local construction company McClam & Associates Inc., based in Little Mountain in Newberry County northwest of Columbia. Workers positioned cranes near the sculpture on Feb. 19 and work continued on moving the sculpture until the morning of Feb. 23, when it was loaded onto the truck.

City of Columbia police cars escorted the truck as it started it slow movement

from Taylor Street onto nearby Bull Street. Workers had to be lifted up in cherry pickers to carefully lift utility lines as the hydrant passed under them.

Once the hydrant left downtown, it headed for its new temporary home on property owned by McClam & Associates off I-20.

Unveiled in 2001, the sculpture was part of “Busted Plug Plaza” located in the front of the parking lot of the former AgFirst Farm Credit Bank. The bank had commissioned

the sculpture from Blue Sky initially and then sold it to the City of Columbia when its offices moved to Main Street.

Columbia officials have been contemplating a move for the sculpture for more than a decade, but currently no new destination is planned. Proposals have included a site along the Congaree River or a place in Columbia’s main park, Finlay Park, which will soon undergo a massive makeover. City officials have indicated that the plans for

Finlay Park are no longer an option. Although “Busted Plug” is no longer part of the downtown landscape, another iconic artwork by Blue Sky can still be seen there. His 1975 painting “Tunnel Vision” can still be seen on the side of the former Agfirst bank building adjacent to where the fire hydrant once stood. That building, now on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to the Land Bank Lofts apartments at 1401 Hampton St.

“Busted Plug,” a four-story fire hydrant sculpture by Columbia artist Blue Sky, moves slowly by the intersection of Bull and Blanding streets in downtown Columbia on Thursday, Feb. 23. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Columbia motel to become affordable housing units for families

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Amotel on Two Notch Road in Columbia will be redeveloped into affordable housing for families with children.

United Way of the Midlands and Homeless No More announced on Feb. 23 the development of Grand Village, a new housing development to replace the existing Grand Motel and Apartments, according to a news release.

Grand Village will provide 40 efficiencies, two- and three-bedroom homes for families with children at affordable rates, according to the release.

“The range of income eligibility allows this new housing to serve as a launch pad for working families to improve their economic security,” said Lila Anna Sauls, president and CEO of Homeless No More. “The design is based on the history of the motel and the famous sign, as it’s been a fixture in the neighborhood for decades.”

Sauls is referring to the distinctive neon sign with a large star and the Grand Motel logo that is visible from Two Notch Road at the front of the property.

The gated community will use innovative design, serving as a new gateway to the Two Notch and Beltline corridor, according to the release. On-site services will be provided by Homeless No More and other community partners and include access to after-school

and mentoring programs, plus healthy cooking and employment advancement classes.

The development of Grand Village complements one of United Way of the Midlands’ goals of increasing options for quality housing through one-time seed funding.

“We know the Midlands lacks an estimated 50,000 units of attainable housing, and United Way of the Midlands can’t solve our current housing crisis alone,” said Sara Fawcett, President and CEO of United Way of the Midlands. “So, we’re

partnering with organizations like Homeless No More and investing in our community’s capacity to create attainable housing that is new and innovative, targeting people most in need.”

The $6.5 million project is also supported by S.C. Community Loan Fund, Central Carolina Community Foundation, and Richland County and is expected to open to its first residents by 2024. Funding supporting this partnership came from the generous gift of $10 mil-

lion to United Way of the Midlands from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. It is the largest gift from an individual donor in the organization’s history. In 2021, United Way’s Board approved a spending plan for the gift, including significant investments in innovative housing across the agency’s six-county region. United Way of the Midlands responds to community needs in Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg and Richland counties.

Winners will gather to celebrate their accomplishments at a party unlike any other and will be honored in special editions of SC Biz News publications.

Readers rejoice: Independent bookstore opens its doors in Five Points

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Book lovers have a new home in Columbia’s Five Points district.

All Good Books, the neighborhood’s first independent bookstore in many years, held its grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday, March 2.

Ryan Coleman, director of economic development for the city of Columbia, said the bookstore drew the best crowd for a business opening that officials have seen since they started hosting special opening events in support of new businesses.

The 3,000-square-foot bookstore is located inside a historic building at 734 Harden St. Known as the Hair Building, it was built in 1923 and previously housed the Parthenon, a popular Greek restaurant, and The Thirsty Parrot, a now-defunct bar.

Dewey Ervin Architectural of Columbia handled the design and McCrory Construction was the general contractor for the renovations on the building, which started during summer 2022.

Response to the bookstore has been overwhelming, with crowds steady since it opened its doors, said Clint Wallace, who partnered with his friend Ben Adams to open the store. Wallace said shoppers have been especially looking for children’s books and fiction, but

the store’s selection across the board is proving popular.

“I feel like people are really thirsty for a local bookstore, and this response has been really redeeming because it let us know it wasn’t just us who thought there should be an independent bookstore in town,” Wallace told SC Biz News.

The city’s desire for a new independent bookstore has been evident since Wallace and Adams first floated the idea for the store and launched a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funds.

Adams comes to All Good with previous bookstore experience. He previously

ran Odd Bird Books in the historic Arcade Building on Main Street in Columbia. He opened the store in February 2020 just prior to the pandemic and closed it in 2022 after deciding to explore the Five Points project with Wallace.

“I was on Main Street but wasn’t super enthusiastic about the location because I always thought Five Points was the best shopping district for a family enterprise like a bookstore that could offer something for all ages,” Adams said. “I enjoyed Odd Bird but it was challenging trying to run a store on my own. Clint had always talked about wanting to

open a bookstore so we took the opportunity to work together.”

Adams said his goal at All Good Books is the same one he had with Odd Bird – to offer an independent bookstore experience with selections that appeal to as many different readers as possible.

Ruth Smyrl, manager at All Good Books, has many years of experience working in bookstores, including one previously located just blocks away. In the 1990s, she managed Intermezzo Books, an independent bookstore with an eclectic selection and clientele located adjacent to Goatfeather’s in Five Points.

“It feels like coming home to be back here in Five Points selling books,” Smyrl said. “This is a dream come true for all of us.”

All Good Books offers a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction for all ages, including a large selection of books for children and young adults. The expansive, airy store features gleaming hard wood floors, space for browsing and reading, and a children’s story hour space featuring a mural by local Columbia artist Marie DeFelice. Store owners hope to offer a wide variety of events including book signings and discussions.

All Good Books will be open 10 a.m. to 7 pm. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

All Good Books at 724 Harden St. in Columbia’s Five Points opened on March 2. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

New Riverbanks aquarium and conservation center opens its doors

Through the facility’s new terrestrial lab, Foley said people will get a close-up perspective on many of the zoo’s conservation efforts, including work to save South Carolina’s endangered gopher frogs as well as geckos from around the world.

“This has been quite an amazing trip over the past year and a half – transforming the building has been an incredible process,” Foley said in an interview with SC Biz News. “This gives us a great chance to show off the conservation efforts we’re

doing here that many people didn’t ever get to actually see before.”

Foley and other zoo staff members mixed with community leaders and visitors from around the state at the official opening, which also drew Gov. Henry McMaster.

In a whimsical moment, zoo officials gifted Susan Boyd of the Boyd Foundation with a large plush octopus. Boyd’s favorite animal is an octopus, and, in her honor, a Pacific octopus named Susie will

A multimillion-dollar effort transformed the aquarium into a state-of-the-art animal care and conservation

Lexington Medical Center and USC break ground on new nursing facility

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Anew era in nursing education in the Midlands got underway as Lexington Medical Center and the University of South Carolina broke ground Feb. 21 on a new facility to train nurses.

This project will grow a public-private partnership between the university’s College of Nursing and Lexington Medical Center. A 52,000-square-foot stateof-the-art nursing simulation center and teaching space will be built on the hospital’s campus in West Columbia to provide clinical training for the University of South Carolina’s growing nursing student population, according to the release.

“Our partnership with the University of South Carolina will ensure that we can help teach skilled, compassionate nurses who want to keep working in South Carolina and take care of our families, friends and neighbors in the future,” said Tod Augsburger, president and CEO of Lexington Medical Center. “This partnership will improve the health of our communities for generations.”

Lexington Medical Center will build the new nursing facility and provide clinical instructors, while the university will fund equipment needed for the simulation center as well as equipment and furnishings for classroom spaces, according to the release. The new facility is expected to be complete in 2024.

Officials at the university and the medical center say the new nursing facility will help to address a growing shortage of nurses in South Carolina. Currently the USC College of Nursing graduates about 220 nurses from the Columbia campus each May. Officials estimate that the new facility will enable the university to eventually graduate 400 nurses per year in the Midlands.

“This partnership with Lexington Medical Center will provide advanced clinical training for our nursing students in a stateof-the-art learning environment,” said University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis. “It demonstrates the commitment of our combined leadership to work together to improve health care and patient outcomes in the Midlands and across the state.”

The new building will be used primarily for clinical training of the university’s third- and fourth-year nursing bachelor’s students as well as master’s program students. The university’s health sciences interprofessional education program also will use classroom space. The facility is expected to open for the first cohort of nursing students in fall 2024.

A public-private partnership between the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing and Lexington Medical Center will lead to a 52,000 square foot simulation center and teaching space at the hospital’s campus in West Columbia. (Rendering/Provided)

In Focus

ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING/ CONSTRUCTION

LISTS: General Contractors, Engineering Firms, Pages 18, 19 and 21

NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS: Information Technology

New buildings bring life to Columbia’s BullStreet District

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Every day when Joann Turnquist comes to work at the First Base Building in Columbia’s BullStreet District, she sees something different outside her windows.

Turnquist, president and CEO of the Central Carolina Community Foundation, a Midlands nonprofit, has been a tenant at BullStreet since 2019, and she has been able to witness the daily growth and transformation of the historic 181-acre former campus of the South Carolina State Hospital into a mixed-use district that offers something for visitors and residents of all ages.

“The vibrancy of the community really appeals to me – I see people of all ages every day, from senior residents at Merrill Garden to moms who have a planned stroller walk to college students and young professionals living in the Babcock building,” Turnquist said. “When the foundation moved here we were excited to be one of the pioneers of what promised to be a vibrant and engaging community, and now we’re in a place that has an energy unlike anywhere else in Columbia.”

Since groundbreaking on the district in January 2015, the BullStreet District has become known as one of the largest urban redevelopment projects on the East Coast. The area is anchored by Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies minor league baseball team, and also includes a wide variety of businesses including REI Co-Op, Capgemeni, Founders Federal Credit Union and Publico Kitchen and Tap, as well as Page Ellington Park, a 20-acre public park. The District also includes Merrill Gardens, an active senior community and the first four

phases of TownPark at BullStreet, a complex of 28 townhomes.

Besides the First Base Building where Turnquist’s office is located, the district also includes the innovative WestLawn Building. Unveiled in 2022, the structure holds retail and Class-A office space and is built from sustainable cross-laminated timber.

Although it is already home to all this, change is still ongoing at BullStreet. Master developers Hughes Development Corp. is taking the site into its next phase with work on projects designed to fulfill the District’s goal of providing homes near downtown Columbia for people from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of income levels.

“This is the most exciting time to be at BullStreet because you can stand anywhere on campus and see the vision taking shape,” said Chandler Cox, BullStreet project manager for Hughes Development “We’ve had such a good partnership with the city of Columbia and it’s been nice to see it continue to grow since the beginning.”

Work is currently ongoing at the site on housing for everyone from young professionals who might be drawn to apartments in the renovated, historic Babcock Center to those seeking a luxury apartment, who will be able to find those as well as retail space at the much-anticipated Bennet at BullStreet.

Further down the road are plans for MidTown at BullStreet, a 90-unit apartment and townhome complex adjacent to Page Ellington Park that will be attainably priced, which means pricing for rents will be affordable for those who make roughly 60-70% to 120% of an area’s median income.

Ground was broken in September 2021 for the Bennet,a 280,000-square-foot luxury apartment community that will eventually house 269 luxury apartments and house

more than 500 residents, according to figures released by BullStreet District. The complex is by far the most visible construction on the campus, located between Boyce Street and Pickens Street and just behind the Westlawn Building. The Bennet is also notable because it includes not only the luxury apartments, but 45,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

The developer for the apartment segment of the Bennet is Proffitt Dixon Partners out of Charlotte, a multifamily investment and development firm specializing in luxury apartment communities around the Southeast, with a focus on the Carolinas and Tennessee. Once complete, the Bennet at BullStreet will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 550 to 1,600 square feet, and a wide variety of onsite amenities including a saltwater pool, sun decks, heated spa, grilling areas, an entertainment pavilion and two dedicated dog parks.

The project also includes a 350-space parking garage, which will be in addition to two other parking garages already underway on the campus, officials said. Once these garages are complete, BullStreet will have more than 1,300 structured parking and 1,100 surface parking spaces accessible to residents, workers and visitors.

Axiom Architecture out of Charlotte is the architect for the Bennet project, while Charlotte-based Samet Corporation is the contractor.

Hughes Development Corp. will be handling the retail segment of the Bennet, and the goal is to attract retailers and restaurants that will complement nearby tenants REI, Starbucks and Iron Hill Brewery, which is currently under construction.

The goal is to have Bennet at Bull-

Street open later in 2023.

Construction is ongoing at The Babcock Building, by far the most recognizable historic structure on the former State Hospital campus. The 254,000-square-building is being transformed into 200 apartments by Clachan Properties out of Virginia, a company that specializes in massive historic renovation projects. And massive is the word for the Babcock project.

Originally built in 1885 as the central building of the S.C. State Hospital, the Babcock is best known in many long time residents’ memories as a place for the treatment of mental health patients, and is listed on the National Register of Historic places.The brick building with its high domed cupola came to symbolize the State Hospital and its history, and it sat falling into disrepair over many years. The iconic cupola’s dome was destroyed in a September 2020 fire.

The building started to literally rise from the ashes after federal funding was secured in December 2020.

The first phase of construction on the project is complete and some tenants have already moved in, while work is ongoing on other sections. Builders have followed strict guidelines to preserve the building’s distinctive lines, and historic windows are being refurbished.

The Babcock will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with distinctive layouts and modern amentieis, as well as special features such as a lounge area for residents, a yoga studio, game room and yoga studio.

A bit of the “old” look of BullStreet also will return later this year when the refurbished historic dome is returned to the top of the Babcock cupola, with a special ceremony in the works for its placement.

For years the site of a hauntingly intriguing structure in decline, the BullStreet District is starting to bustle as people and businesses embrace one of the largest redevelopment projects in the country. (Image/Provided)

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Beverly 1525 Bull Street

Developer/owner: Cason Development Group; Cohn Construction

Architect(s): Garvin Design Group

General contractor: Cohn Construction

Estimated completion date: Late 2023

Estimated total cost of project: $5 million

General contractor: Tyler Construction Group

Project manager: GMK Associates Architectural Division

Engineer(s): GMK Associates Engineering Division (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection); The LandPlan Group South (civil); ADC Engineering, Irmo (structural); F&ME Consultants (environmental services); WM Building Envelope Consultants (roofing system design)

Estimated completion date: Summer 2024

All Good Books

734 Harden Street

Developer/owner: All Good Books

Architect(s): Dewey Ervin Architectural

General contractor: McCrory Construction

Engineer(s): Felkel & Hastings (mechanical); Engineering

Technologies (electrical); Swygert & Associates (plumbing)

Estimated completion date: First quarter 2023

Project description: This historic restoration of the Hair Building, constructed in 1923, has converted the space into a 3,000-square-foot independent bookstore—the most recent tenant was the Thirsty Parrot. The stucco has been removed from the facade and plans call for the restoration of the historic brick appearance. New storefronts will reflect the 1965 look of the building. Roofing repairs will be made, and extant windows will be reopened and restored.

Project description: Renovation of the Beverly Apartments is underway. Built in 1913 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 2021, the building was part of the early 20th century construction boom, according to The Post and Courier. The developers plan to renovate the interior of the building with new plumbing and electric work, replace the windows and doors, and build spiral staircases to a rooftop deck.

Estimated total cost of project: Approximately $9.2 million Project description: Originally completed in 1894, the Columbia Mills Building is recognized as one of the state’s largest historical artifacts and is believed to have been the first textile plant in the nation to be operated by electricity. The plant closed in 1981, and the building was later donated to the State and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. GMK is leading design efforts for ongoing renovations (roof systems, windows, atrium area, exhibit areas).

Columbia Mills Building–Historic Renovation and Atrium Remodel/Addition

301 Gervais Street

Developer/owner: South Carolina Department of Administration

Architect(s): GMK Associates Architectural Division

DNR Construction Office Building

475 Wildlife Road, Lexington

Developer/owner: Powers Investments

Architect(s): Chapin Commercial Construction Design

See CUC, Page 14

Consultants

General contractor: Chapin Commercial Construction

Project manager: Chapin Commercial Construction

Engineer(s): Chapin Commercial Construction design

consultants

Estimated completion date: March 1, 2023

Project description: This design and construction of a new office/shop building for DNR Construction includes a preengineered metal building with energy-efficient building systems and specialized equipment.

Dunkin’

2223 Augusta Road, West Columbia

Developer/owner: TBGFAC

Architect(s): GK+A Architects

General contractor: Chapin Commercial Construction

Project manager: Chapin Commercial Construction

Engineer(s): GK+A Consulting Engineers

Estimated completion date: April 15, 2023

Project description: An existing dry cleaners is being converted into a “next-generation” Dunkin’.

CONSTRUCTION

Architect(s): GMK Associates Architectural Division

General contractor: Leitner Construction Company of the Carolinas, Rock Hill

Project manager: GMK Associates Architectural Division

Estimated completion date: February 2024

Estimated total cost of project: Approximately $2.6 million

Project description: This project consists of design services for replacement of window systems in the Brown Building and the Dennis Building located in the state capitol complex. The new window systems will be fixed storefront windows with low-e insulated glass and integral blinds. The frame profiles of the new windows were selected for higher efficiency but are very close in appearance to the original windows to maintain architectural integrity.

Gateway One

180 Trade Zone Dr., West Columbia

Developer/owner: Magnus Development Partners

Architect(s): Seed Architecture

General contractor: Landmark Builders of South Carolina

Engineer(s): Arrowood + Arrowood, Greenville (structural)

Estimated completion date: Early third quarter 2023

Project description: This project is a 252,720-square-foot tiltwall speculative industrial building in 803 Industrial Park. The building features 32-foot clear heights, up to 57 dock-high doors, 72 trailer drop spaces, 50-by-54-foot bays, early-suppression–fast-response fire protection, and LED lighting. It can be subdivided for multiple users and features a 190-foot deep truck court.

Window Replacements

1205 Pendleton Street & 1000 Assembly Street

Developer/owner: South Carolina Department of Administration

ElectroSpec

307 Industrial Dr., Lexington

Developer/owner: ElectroSpec

Architect(s): Chapin Commercial Construction

General contractor: Chapin Commercial Construction

Project manager: Chapin Commercial Construction

Engineer(s): Chapin Commercial Construction’s design consultants

Estimated completion date: March 15, 2023

Project description: Chapin Commercial Construction handled the design and construction of a new 10,000-square foot preengineered metal building manufacturing addition as well as a new 3,000-square-foot office building.

Gateway Three

180 Trade Zone Dr., West Columbia

Developer/owner: Magnus Development Partners

See CUC, Page 15

Designs that Enrich our Communities

To learn more, visit ssoe.com.

SSOE Group enriches communities through designs that are smart, innovative, and culturally significant. From concept to occupancy, we provide imaginative solutions that meet your specific needs. Our designs creatively integrate your identity into the built environment, enhancing the experience for all who utilize the space.

Edgar A. Brown Building & Rembert C. Dennis Building

Medical University of South Carolina’s James E. Clyburn Research Center

Architect(s): Seed Architecture

General contractor: Landmark Builders of South Carolina

Engineer(s): Arrowood + Arrowood, Greenville (structural)

Estimated completion date: Early third quarter 2023

Project description: This project is a 252,720-square-foot tilt-wall speculative industrial building in 803 Industrial Park, matching Gateway One. The building features 32-foot clear heights, up to 57 dock-high doors, 72 trailer drop spaces, 50-by-54-foot bays, early-suppression–fast-response fire protection, and LED lighting. It can be subdivided for multiple users and features a 190-foot deep truck court.

University of South Carolina College of Nursing

150 Sunset Ct., West Columbia

Developer/owner: Lexington Medical Center

Architect(s): LS3P

General contractor: Landmark Builders

Engineer(s): Buford Goff & Associates (MEP), Timmerman Structural Engineering Group (structural), Alliance Consulting Engineers, and Grimball-Cotterill Landscape Architects

Estimated completion date: Fall 2024

Project description: The University of South Carolina is partnering with Lexington Medical Center to expand their College of Nursing. The new facility, spanning three stories and 52,000 square feet, will accommodate 800 junior and senior students. Educational spaces include flexible multisized classrooms, a high-fidelity simulation suite, clinical simulation exam rooms, a home-health learning center, and three 16-bed skills labs. The third floor comprises administrative and faculty offices, conference rooms, and a roof terrace. Finishes include brick veneer, curtain wall, premanufactured canopies, aluminum batten screen wall and trellis, and roof pavers.

Publix Super Market at North Pointe

10128 Two Notch Road

Developer/owner: Publix Supermarket, Lakeland, FL

Architect(s): Little Diversified, Charlotte

General contractor: McCrory Construction Company

Engineer(s): Brandt Engineering, Midlothian, VA (electrical, mechanical, plumbing); Little Diversified, Charlotte (structural)

Estimated completion date: Second quarter 2023

Project description: Interior renovations to an existing Publix store are underway during ongoing operations. Included are the addition of a family restroom, a new prototype pharmacy, updates to the deli kitchen, and energy-efficient upgrades and overall cosmetic upgrades to the store. The project also includes enclosing the loading dock and concrete slab/ramp modifications.

See CUC, Page 16

QuikTrip

567 Spears Creek Road

Developer/owner: QuikTrip, Tulsa, Okla.

Architect(s): Tobin, Charlotte

General contractor: McCrory Construction

Engineer(s): Hoss & Brown, Lenexa, KS (electrical, mechanical, plumbing); Freeland & Kauffman, Greenville (civil); Norton & Schmidt, North Kansas City, MO (structural)

Estimated completion date: First quarter 2023

Project description: This 5,025-square-foot convenience store and gas retailer is the fifth groundup project that McCrory has done for national retailer QuikTrip. Located near the intersection of I-20 and Spears Creek Road, the store will feature an industrial kitchen, high-end finishes throughout, and a complete landscape package

South Carolina State House Complex-Central Energy Plant Projects

1221 College St., Columbia

Developer/owner: South Carolina Department of Administration

Architect(s): GMK Associates Architectural Division

Project manager: GMK Associates Engineering Division

Engineer(s): GMK Associates Engineering Division (mechanical, electrical, plumbing); Mabry Engineering Associates, West Columbia (structural); WM Building Envelope Consultants (roofing system design and hazardous materials inspections); McCarter Mechanical, Spartanburg (mechanical equipment contractor); DNB Electric, West Columbia (electrical equipment contractor); Walker White (re-roofing mechanical contractor)

Estimated completion date: April 2021 through spring 2024

Estimated total cost of project: $5.5 million (total all projects)

Project description: Since 2016, GMK has assisted the Department of Administration with multiple upgrades to the central energy plant facility that serves the state house complex.

See CUC, Page 17

COMING

IN

NAVIGATING CHANGE: Supply chain

Receiving and exporting goods is the lifeblood of South Carolina’s economy. In the May/June issue of SCBIZ Magazine, key industry stakeholders reveal how the Palmetto State, on the heels of a record 2022 at SC Ports, is navigating global supply chain challenges with homegrown innovation to carry South Carolina into the future.

Aiken County will be in the Spotlight, along with a Power List of Logistics and lists of 3PL and warehouse services.. Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your brand to 80,000+ high-level business executives and site selectors.

DEPARTMENTS SPECIAL SECTIONS

• Upfront

• SC Delivers - Port Impact

• The South Carolina You Don’t Know

• County Spotlight: Aiken

• Power List: Logistics

CUC, from Page 16

Projects include replacement of chiller number four, cooling towers numbers two and three, associated electrical systems, and simultaneous roofing system replacement. Other work entailed rebuild of a failed chiller compressor motor and replacement of steam pipe expansion joints. In late 2022, GMK was retained to provide full designs for replacement of chiller number three by 2024.

StretchLab

4623 Forest Dr.

Developer/owner: StretchLab Cardinal

Architect(s): WLA Architects

General contractor: Chapin Commercial Construction

Project manager: Chapin Commercial Construction

Engineer(s): WLA Architects

Estimated completion date: May 1, 2023

Project description: This project consists of retrofitting an existing space into a new StretchLab exercise facility.

LEADS & DATA CENTER

Williams Insurance Team

581 Old Chapin Road, Lexington

Developer/owner: Williams Insurance Team

Architect(s): Chapin Commercial Construction

General contractor: Chapin Commercial Construction

Project manager: Chapin Commercial Construction

Engineer(s): Chapin Commercial Construction

Estimated completion date: March 1, 2023

Project description: This project consists of 3,000-plus square feet of office space with custom exterior and interior finishes and related energy efficient building systems.

General Contractors

Ranked by No. of Contracts in 2022

29169

vices.com

Murphy Contracting Inc. 111 Reed Ave. Lexington, SC 29072

803-957-4541

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

recoating, door and hardware installation, pressure washing, masonr y repairs, parking lot resurfacing and striping, concrete work, curb, gutter and sidewalks, millwork,

construction management and design-build ser vices to historic, healthcare, education, hospitality, office, industrial, religious, public and multi-family clients; Upfit Division is devoted to smaller projects

Areas of expertise include industrial, warehousing and distribution, food and beverage processing and health care facilities construction

build, pre-engineered steel buildings, retail, office, church facilities, medical, industrial, renovation and upfits, car washes

Engineering Firms

Ranked by No. of Licensed Engineers

F&ME Consultants Inc. 211 Business Park Blvd. Columbia, SC 29203

Cox and Dinkins Inc. 724 Beltline Blvd. Columbia, SC 29205

803-254-4540 www.fmeconsultants.com info@fmeconsultants.com

803-254-0518 www.coxanddinkins.com cdinc@coxanddinkins.com

Zane W Abernethy, Adam J. Shannon 1980 13 83

aviation, water and wastewater infrastructure, site and civil design, planning, GIS, land sur veying, urban development, stormwater management and watershed sciences

Geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, materials testing and construction ser vices

land sur veying, landscape architecture Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co.

Main St., Suite 400 Columbia, SC 29201

GMK Associates, Inc. 1201 Main St., Suite 2100 Columbia, SC 29201

Chao & Associates Inc. 7 Clusters Court Columbia, SC 29210

S&ME Inc.

134 Suber Road Columbia, SC 29210

Carlisle Associates Inc. 1015 Ger vais St. Columbia, SC 29201

Davis & Floyd Inc.

240 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 305 Columbia, SC 29210

Weston & Sampson Engineers Inc. 1201 Main St., Suite 930 Columbia, SC 29201

ADC Engineering Inc.

7436 Broad River Road Irmo, SC 29063

Terracon Consultants Inc. 521 Clemson Road Columbia, SC 29229

4D Engineering 603 S. Lake Drive Lexington, SC 29072

Hussey Gay Bell 1010 Ger vais St., Floor 3 Columbia, SC 29201

Goodwyn Mills Cawood 915 Lady Street Columbia, SC 29201

InSite Group LLC 111 Executive Center Drive, Suite 202 Columbia, SC 29210

K&P Engineering Inc. 478 U.S. Highway 378 W Lexington, SC 29072

803-451-6789 www.tandh.com info@tandh.com

803-256-0000 www.gmka.com info@gmka.com

803-772-8420 www.chaoinc.com consult@chaoinc.com

803-561-9024 www.smeinc.com

803-252-3232 www.carlisleassociates.com tfailor@carlisleassociates.com

803-256-4121 www.davisfloyd.com marketing@davisfloyd.com

Jeffrey L. Baker 1966 8 60

David Chao Gerald A. Lee Jimmy Chao 1987

Matt Cooke 1973

Ted Zanders Ray C. White Gene Resch 1977

Brice Urquhart, Todd Warren 1990

803-667-9904 www.westonandsampson.com smitha@wseinc.com 1899

803-999-1483 www.adcengineering.com info@adcengineering.com

803-741-9000 www.terracon.com ksohrabnia@terracon.com

803-356-0909 www.4dengr.com 4dengr@4dengr.com

803-799-0444 www.husseygaybell.com sdmorrell@husseygaybell.com

803-766-1235 www.gmcnetwork.com info@gmcnetwork.com

904-680-4644 www.insiteusa.net sbolo@insiteusa.net

803-808-8020 www.kp-inc.com mail@kp-inc.com

7 45

6 16

Civil, environmental, structural and marine, transportation, water resources, and water and wastewater engineering, sur veying, planning, landscape architecture, GIS and construction administration

Multidisciplinar y planning, design and construction ser vices focused on the health care, education, government, utility, senior living, and hospitality industries

Structural engineering, structural evaluation, site design, land sur veying, civil engineering, asbestos sur vey

Environmental ser vices, wetlands, protected species assessments, cultural resources, archaeology, geotechnical engineering, construction material testing, special inspections

Site selection, master planning, architectural and interior design, civil, structural, mechanical, plumbing, process, fire protection and electrical engineering

6 9

Transportation, bridge, structural, civil site, residential, commercial, sur vey, water resources, H&H, landscape architect, environmental, roadway, traffic, intersection, interchange, utilities, CEI

Engineering, water, wastewater, transportation, civil and site

Bruce Todd, Jimmy Jones 1990 4

Gene Partin Kevin Sohrabnia Phillip Morrison 2000

Charles W Deep, Janet L. Deep 2012 3 11

Kevin Strickland 1985

Tyler Morgan Marc Warren Kevin Laird 1947

Scott Bolo, Paolla Brazutti 2004

Charles

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

Civil, aviation and structural engineering, landscape architecture, federal, municipal and state projects, commercial developments, recreation

Geotechnical, environmental, construction materials testing, special inspections, facilities, cultural and natural resources, asbestos and lead base paint/IA, construction consulting

Site development, utilities, traffic, planning

Site and civil engineering, permitting, sur veying, commercial, residential, institutional and industrial land planning and development, water and wastewater, drainage and road infrastructure design

Water and wastewater, natural gas, land development, environmental, transportation, commercial, industrial, landscape, master planning, geotechnical, electrical engineering and architecture

8a civil engineering, traffic, site design, construction management, inspection ser vices, project evaluation and consultation, project finance packages, utility design, environmental

Structural engineering for the design and construction industries

F Knobeloch David L. Padgett 1997

At Work

People in the News

BUSINESS SERVICES

PEOPLE, PLACES AND HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS

ents in the automotive mobility technologies and the advanced manufacturing and industrial market sectors. Previously, he spent nearly 20 years working in economic development for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Vicki Young and Kenya Mingo have joined the board of directors of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Young, chief operating officer of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association, has a Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from the University of South Carolina and more than 15 years of knowledge and practice in the areas of health care access, health disparities and quality improvement. Mingo, the association’s director of corporate compliance and communications , has a Master of Science in Organization and Management as well as more than 17 years of senior-level nonprofit experience in human resources, marketing, media and public relations, event planning, fundraising, contract negotiation/management, program management and grant writing.

CONSTRUCTION

M.B. Kahn Construction Co. has promoted Scott Appleton to executive vice president. In his new role, he manages the Columbia division that focuses on industrial projects and is responsible for sales, marketing, preconstruction and construction operations. Appleton, a graduate of Clemson University, holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. He was appointed to the S.C. Contractors Licensing Board in 2016.

Carroll Daniel Construction Co. has brought in Chris Berryman as a senior business developer in the mid-south region. His focus is expanding the reach and level of services the company provides to cli -

The Charleston Engineering Joint Council named Melvin C. Williams it s 2023 engineer of the year for demonstrating career development and professionalism as well as local community leadership and outreach in the community. Williams , vice president of Terracon Consultants, was also recognized nationally for Black History Month by the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of American Military Engineers.

Miller Valentine Construction’s Turner McCaffrey is chair of the 2023 leadership team for Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolina’s Midlands Regional Leadership Council. The leadership council also includes vice chair Lee Nabors , Equipment Share; secretary Kris Muir , Miller Valentine Construction; and immediate past chair Drew Jefferies , McCrory Construction. Council members are Chris Bernardin , Propel Insurance; Bill Cram , M.B. Kahn Construction; Seth Dunnagan , McCrory Construction; Steve Hahn , Schnabel Engineering; Lauren Hinkel , Precision Walls; Robert Johnson , S.C. Blue Cross Blue Shield; George Luther , American Global Insurance; Amanda McLane , Miller Valentine Construction; Bryan Tolar , South Carolina Blue Cross Blue Shield; Kelly Wyatt , M.B. Kahn Construction; Nathan Yacobi , S&ME; and Allen Amsler, chief executive officer of McCrory Construction and ABC Carolinas board of directors liaison. The leadership team will work with ABC Carolinas’ Jonna Turner , South Carolina membership director.

DESIGN

development, furniture specifications, client presentations, interior space plans and three-dimensional renderings. She holds a bachelor’s in interior design from Appalachian State University. Bland brings more than 20 years of experience in local government, during which he shepherded such city projects as comprehensive plans, park projects, and corridor improvements. Bland earned his bachelor’s degree in community and regional planning from Missouri State University and his master’s in public administration and regional planning from Iowa State University.

EDUCATION

became acting president in December, is now interim president.

LAW

New at Boudreaux are Elise Shepard , interior designer, and Ryan Bland , senior planner.

Shepard supports the design team with design

Michale J.

“Mickey” Barber has pledged $50,000 to help the Social Emotional Learning Alliance for South Carolina promote crucial life-skills instruction in schools, families, organizations and communities. Formerly a board-certified anesthesiologist, Barber graduated from the College of Charleston, completed medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina, did her residency at Tulane University, and finished her fellowship at Harvard. She also served as an assistant professor at Tulane. During her training and career in academic medicine, she received several awards for her clinical performance and teaching skills. In addition, she has physician training and certification in age-management medicine from the Cenegenics Education and Research Foundation and the Foundation for Care Management, and she is certified in peptide therapy by the Clinical Peptide Society. She launched Cenegenics Carolinas in Charleston and Better Life Carolinas in Mount Pleasant.

Mark A. Smith has resigned as president of Columbia International University. Both enrollment and academic offerings expanded under Smith, who also oversaw the building of the William H. Jones Center and the Cook School of Business and developed an Office of Spiritual Formation. Rick Christman , who

Virginia “Ginny” Bozeman has joined Pope Flynn, where she provides local governments advice and counsel while continuing to serve as lead county attorney to a small county and town attorney to a municipality, both in the Midlands. Bozeman spent ten years at a Tennessee law firm, where she rose to partner. She served as assistant county attorney and chief ethics officer, and later lead contracts attorney, in the Shelby County, TN, attorney’s office. She also served as a senior judicial law clerk for judges on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals and Tennessee Supreme Court. Bozeman is a council member of the government law section of the South Carolina Bar and has been an adjunct legal research professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. She received her bachelor’s in the public policy track of environmental studies from Rollins College and her juris doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. A graduate of the Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Class of 2019, she was a fellow of the Memphis Bar Foundation, served on the board of directors of the Memphis chapter of the Association of Women Attorneys, and was secretary for the Memphis Bar Association litigation committee. She is a member of both the Tennessee and South Carolina Bar.

Sarah J.M. Cox , an attorney at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, has been named to the Justice360 board of directors. Cox’s practice focuses on civil rights law, litigation and appellate work, and employment law. She is on the civil rights team suing Richland County over inhumane and unconstitutional conditions at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Cox also represents clients in employment law cases, including violations of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She has twice earned the American Bar Association Pro Bono Leader award. In addition, Cox has earned honors in Best Lawyers in America:

Young Mingo

Appleton

Berryman

McCaffrey

Bland Shepard

Barber Cox See PITN, Page 21

Engineering Firms

Ranked by No. of Licensed Engineers

Kenneth B. Simmons Associates LLC 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 210 Columbia, SC 29204

803-254-3791 www.kbsala.com dcheatham@kbsala.com

land planning Power Engineering Co. Inc. 3300 Sunset Blvd., Suite 101 West Columbia, SC 29169 803-216-8777 jenni@powereng.net

civil engineering Burke Engineering LLC 216 South Maple St. Columbia, SC 29205

Coastal Science & Engineering Inc. 160 Gills Creek Parkway Columbia, SC 29209

Cross Engineering Ser vices LLC 190 Knox Abbott Drive, Suite 2C Cayce, SC 29033

The LandPlan Group South Inc.

1206 Scott St. Columbia, SC 29201

Palmetto Consulting Engineering Group Inc.

1416 Chapin Road Chapin, SC 29036

Rogers & Callcott 215 Stoneridge Drive Columbia, SC 29210

Summit Engineering, Laborator y & Testing Inc. 101 Rice Bent Way, Unit 9 Columbia, SC 29229

Tobias & West LLC

403 E. Main St., Suite A Lexington, SC 29072

803-733-9595 jesse@burkeengr.com

Tim Kana, Steven Traynum, Patrick Barrineau

1984

803-917-5800 www.cespros.net ksterner@cespros.net

803-256-0562 www.landplansouth.com info@landplansouth.com

803-932-2300 mmcclam@pceg.net

866-263-2229 www.rogersandcallcott.com dmaalouf@rcenviro.com

803-238-1080 www.summit-companies.com info@summit-companies.com

803-955-6464 www.tobiaswest.com info@tobiaswest.com

2004

2003

1 6

1 8

1 2

1 7

1 10

1 2

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

Ones to Watch, Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and Legal Elite of the Midlands.

design of vertical structures, buildings and retaining walls, etc

Conceptualize, design, permit and oversee construction projects, assist with entitlements and engineering of site development, utilities, roadways, stormwater design

Landscape architecture, engineering, planning

Water, wastewater, stormwater, mining, land development

Civil, environmental, water and wastewater, consulting, due diligence, assessment, remediation, monitoring, air quality compliance, analytical laborator y, EHS compliance audits, monitoring, training

Geotechnical, environmental, construction materials testing, laborator y ser vices, special inspections, structural engineering, virtual design consulting, building envelope inspections

Kalwajtys

Baker, Ravenel & Bender, has three new attorneys: William “Chip” A. Collins Jr. has come on board as a partner, J.C. Davis and Michal Kalwajtys are associates. Collins and Kalwajtys join the firm following its merger with their former firm, Dougall & Collins. Collins practices in the areas of construction litigation, insurance coverage, asbestos litigation, and general litigation. Besides being a member of the South

Carolina Bar, he has been admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Collins earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina and his juris doctor from the USC School of Law. Davis focuses on construction litigation and products liability. She has been admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Davis holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, a master’s in homeland security and emergency management from Sam Houston State University, and a JD from the USC School of Law. Kalwajtys focuses on personal injury defense, construction litigation, insurance coverage, product liability, and appellate advocacy. He is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Kalwajtys graduated from two law schools — one in his native Poland and the USC School of Law, where he earned his J.D.

MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

The new senior account executive

at Jeff Dezen Public Relations is William Henderson. Henderson’s focus includes building and fortifying client relationships while supporting strategic planning, media relations, and brand awareness for the company’s clients. Most recently, Henderson served as a manager of corporate initiatives and business technology in Greenville. He also spent five years as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, including time as the policy and press assistant to the committee on science, space, and technology. In addition, Henderson helped produce such regional festivals as Highlands Food & Wine and Bear Shadow in Highlands, N.C. He has a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University.

Cyberwoven’s new president is David May. May, who joined Cyberwoven in 2021, has more than 20 years of digital marketing, demand generation, and e-commerce experience. Previously, he held executive leadership roles with Pure

Fishing, Woolrich, and Rather Outdoors. May graduated from the University of Windsor and holds certifications and licenses in digital marketing, demand generation, search-engine optimization, e-commerce, sales modeling, and merchandising.

REAL ESTATE

NAI Columbia had added Staci Sansone to its Columbia office as a junior property manager for NAI Earle Furman. She supports senior property managers and project managers to oversee a portfolio of office and retail properties. Sansone, who brings more than 15 years of local real estate experience, has managed more than two million square feet of retail, office, warehouse, and medical space. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and attended graduate school at Clemson University.

Collins

Page 21

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Sansone

APRIL 10

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

List: IT Services, Security Firms

Advertising Deadline: March 27

MAY 15

HEALTH CARE/LIFE SCIENCES

List: Hospitals, Life Science Companies

Advertising Deadline: May 1

JUNE 12

LOGISTICS/DISTRIBUTION

List: Logistics Providers, Warehouse Services

Advertising Deadline: May 29

JULU 17

STARTUPS

List: Business Assistance Organizations

Advertising Deadline: July 3

Rosewood Church redevelopment wins Golden Nail Award

For advertising information, contact Ryan Downing at rdowning@scbiznews.com

Staff Report

Columbia architecture and interior design firm Garvin Design Group won a Golden Nail Award for the redevelopment of the Rosewood Church site at the Columbia Chamber’s 2023 Impact Awards on March 8.

Now known as 5th & Sloan, the Rosewood Church site has been adapted for new mixed-use. The project team behind the transformation included Cason Development Group, Tax Credit Marketplace, and Boyer Construction.

The 5th & Sloan project preserved the beloved Rosewood Church building and carefully added new construction to complement existing site features and enhance the pedestrian experience along Rosewood Drive. The former Rosewood Church building contains 49 new apartment units and plush common areas. The old sanctuary building retains many of its key architectural features, including its vaulted ceilings, chandelier and pendant light fixtures, wood wainscoting and windowsills, stained-glass window in the front façade and steeple. Demolition of the fellowship hall and Sunday School building — a later addition to the site —created an interior courtyard for apartment residents. A new three-story addition in its place uses building materials that recall the features prominent in the surrounding neighborhood.

“Our design team worked to retain the historic fabric of the church while

transforming the use from worship spaces to living spaces,” Alex Sojourner, Garvin Design Group architect and project manager, said in a news release. “The preservation of elements like the vaulted ceilings, stained millwork, and chandeliers coupled with modern amenities bring new life to the buildings without obscuring their original church use.”

Across Sloan Street, the church’s former gym and kitchen building has been transformed to accommodate new commercial tenants. A new two-story building at the southwest corner of Sloan Street and Rosewood Drive incorporates elements of both the Rosewood Church building and the renovated one-story building just to the north, the news release said. Shell space on the ground floor houses a new Starbucks location and space for a future commercial tenant. The second level houses three short-term rental units. Site work added sidewalks, ramps, curbs and landscaping to enhance the pedestrian experience throughout the site.

“We are so proud of the way this project turned out and the partnership we forged with Cason Development Group and Boyer Construction,” Scott Garvin, president and CEO of Garvin Design Group, said in the release. “Church buildings are being adapted for new uses across the country, and it was fun to implement that trend here in Columbia. It’s always exciting to work with teams experimenting with adaptive reuse in unusual spaces.”

An objective of the project was to preserve much of the old sanctuary, including stained glass windows, the front facade and the church steeple. (Photo/Provided)

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Economy finally sees reluctant workers returning

South Carolina must focus on improving and modernizing our critical infrastructure if we are going to continue growing a strong, resilient economy that supports our major industries, strengthens local businesses and creates jobs for hardworking South Carolinians. Fortunately, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are moving key infrastructure projects forward across the state.

As a state, we are fortunate to have major manufacturers maintaining a presence in South Carolina, including Boeing, Volvo, BMW and Michelin, to name a few.

As these companies seek to invest in their South Carolina-based facilities in order to increase capacity or add new production lines, it is critical that we are able to provide increased and improved surface transportation, as well as rail and port capacity, that can meet the additional demand for imported mate-

rials and to export finished products in South Carolina, across the country, and throughout the world.

Based on formula funding, South Carolina is set to receive $4.6 billion over the next five years to support federal-aid highway improvement projects and another $274 million to repair and replace bridges across the state. In addition, we can compete for a portion of $12.5 billion from the Bridge Investment Program for economically significant bridges.

These investments are critical, especially considering a 2021 report by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association found 745 bridges in South Carolina to be structurally deficient. The SCDOT has also emphasized bridge repair and replacement as a major component of its 10-year management plan.

Additionally, thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, both the South Carolina Ports Authority, along with the 480 miles of waterways that are critical to the economic wellbeing of our state, will see increased infrastructure investments upwards of $17 billion over the next five years.

This includes funding for port expansion projects and initiatives that will help support a stronger, more connected supply chain capable of expediting goods to and from manufacturers across the state and throughout our region.

It also includes funding for coastal resiliency projects to protect the port and its major manufacturing, transportation, and logistics industry presence. These efforts to strengthen and secure our existing port infrastructure will further support economic development in Charleston, across South Carolina, and throughout the Southeast, as the South Carolina Ports Authority serves as a major supply chain partner for large metropolitan areas such as Charlotte and Nashville.

The South Carolina General Assembly’s decision to allocate $120 million in matching funds to draw down federal dollars and $600 million for interstate widening projects to support the new infrastructure at the South Carolina Ports Authority, among other notable infrastructure investments, has also had considerable impact on addressing South Carolina’s infrastructure needs. Gov. McMaster deserves to be commended for

his strategic approach and timely approval of state funds that allowed South Carolina to secure most, if not all, federal dollars available for new infrastructure.

All in all, investments from the Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act that Congress passed last year, plus the funds from the state legislature, will help South Carolina continue to strengthen its economy and support our growing population and workforce.

Given the importance of these efforts, South Carolinians should be grateful to Sen. Lindsey Graham for supporting the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and ensuring we are moving forward in a smart, responsible, and pro-growth way.

Je Mulliken is a partner at the Carolina Transportation Engineers and Associates and president of the American Council of Engineering Companies of South Carolina.

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