Co-Working Space in Jedburg, SC

Located at the corner of Berlin Myers Parkway and Highway 78, a 57-acre multi-use property will bring new development to the Summerville area by early 2025.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Located at the corner of Berlin Myers Parkway and Highway 78, a 57-acre multi-use property will bring new development to the Summerville area by early 2025.

The property, named Sawmill, will include 474 multi-family apartment units, offices, restaurants, hotels, stores, banks, outdoor spaces and a 40,000-square-foot Roper St. Francis facility.

Summerville spokesperson Mary Edwards said the task to get the development started was a long process.

“It’s something that people have been wanting for a long time, and council has really supported the developers, too. It’s a big deal for us; I mean, it’s a new big development that’s coming to our area,” Edwards said. “It’s something that’s needed. It’s something that the public has really wanted.”

The developers, Lee & Associates, said in a news release that “a new walkable community designed to better connect residents with the fun they want and services they need will be anchored by a major healthcare system.”

Although not everyone in the area is excited about the new development. Some members of the Summerville community shared their concerns on a Facebook post with over 400 comments mentioning traffic problems, school enrollment and housing availability.

Located near the development, the Spinx gas station may see increased traffic with the upcoming construction. Employee Rona Emons, shared her concerns.

“I don’t think we can really handle it because this road is already always backed up; it’s already hard to get in and out of the store,” she said. “I think that’s going to make it a lot worse unless they try to widen the road somehow, which I don’t know how they can do that. But yeah, it’s going to cause a lot of congestion in this area.”

In response to the concerns, Edwards said the city and developers studied research before deciding if the project was appropriate for the area.

“The town is growing really fast,” Edwards said. “So, we know that people want to come here, and they want to experience the area. We want to be able to provide these types of options for people when they come.”

Construction on the health care facility and multi-family apartment units will begin in early 2023.

“I’m kind of excited,” Emons said. “I’d like to get out. You know, it’d be nice to see something new in this area. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it in some ways, and otherwise, I’m kind of a little leery of it.”

Overall, the project is expected to cost $200 million.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — For months, Jedburg residents have fought to be heard by developers and Berkeley County.

They were against a proposed development in their neighborhood.

The proposed development came as Berkeley County Council passed a moratorium to control growth.

Residents wanted to see this moratorium in effect to keep developers from building homes near their property.

"Pulte is not going to be here. They're not going to live in this area. They're going to take their profits back to Atlanta. We're going to have to deal with this on a daily basis. I'm retired, I don't want to move. And so, we decided to fight," said Bill Shelton, a retired resident in the Jedburg community.

Previous Coverage: Berkeley Co. Council to consider major development off of Jedburg Road despite moratorium

Ongoing efforts made by the Jedburg and New Hope communities paid off Monday night as Berkeley County Council denied lifting the moratorium for Pulte Homes.

The homebuilder proposed the Sandy Run development, which would have been 465 homes, a school and commercial business on Jedburg Road.

"Jedburg Road has become a major corridor. The traffic is so heavy, it's become hazardous, and people are literally frightened to drive on that road making left turns into the driveway. That's how hazardous it is. They're talking about adding 1,000 cars onto that road. It was just not compatible," Shelton said.

Neighbors of the proposed development met several times this year. They shared concerns about increased traffic, flooding, privacy intrusions and more.

Previous Coverage: Jedburg resident wants to be heard by developers & Berkeley County

"I think a lot of that stood out to be the traffic congestion that areas a lot of growth going on in that area. A lot of the area is also wetlands as well. So trying to preserve the green space in that area. The zoning of that area is flex 1, so it's a lot of a lot of larger lot sizes, and that potential development would have a lot of smaller houses on smaller lots. So to protect the integrity of that community and keep those lot sizes larger," said Phillip Obie II, councilman for District 3.

"I think they saw the passion and accounting. I think they saw the lengths we were willing to go to make our voices heard. And I think they realized that we were organized, we were going to be a force to be dealt with. And if we didn't get our voices heard, we were going to keep fighting," Shelton said.

Neighbors say they met with Pulte Homes to talk about their plans. Pulte modified them.

Then the community took a unanimous vote and submitted it to county council.

Trending: Former Woodland High School football player Lavel Davis Jr. killed in UVA shooting

"We had plenty of time to hear what the community's concern was and saw that the developer was not meeting those concerns of the citizens fully, which is ultimately why it was not lifted tonight," Obie said.

"We are delighted and we feel that Berkeley County is making progress to realize, yes, we need jobs and we're not against people developing their land, but not when they're doing things to people, not for the community. You know, we want it to be compatible. And we hope that's the direction we're going with this," Shelton said.

Ample servings of Champagne coupled with a coastal poolside ambiance served as a fitting backdrop to a favorable economic forecast report during an April 4 Nexton luncheon attended by several local realtors at a sun-splashed Midtown Club in Summerville.

Following a brief synopsis of Nexton’s recent sales and continued growth as a “third job center” in the Charleston market, the mixed-use development’s marketing coordinator Alicia Smith introduced South Carolina Ports Authority Business Development Manager Marion Bull to the podium, as he delved into his group’s efforts of recruiting business activity to the Lowcountry.

The guest speaker sang the praises of Nexton — which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary as a destination venue in the Summerville community — for its role in providing housing for incoming employees of national and global firms seeking to establish a presence in the Charleston region.

Moving forward, Bull anticipates Nexton continuing to offer corporations an attractive option for its staffers as a source of housing, employment and an ever-expanding array of amenities with new industry emerging in the Jedburg area of Summerville, as well as Ridgeville in the very near future.

“When they want to live somewhere with, you know, a high quality of life that’s affordable, this is a place where business leaders can feel comfortable locating their businesses here,” began the Mount Pleasant resident.

“South Carolina has done a fantastic job as a state, [and] not just as a port, in recruiting business. [We had] $10 billion in investment last year. I think the largest previous year was $3 billion or so. It’s a huge number for our economic development in the state of South Carolina and some of it has happened right here.”

Bull detailed that South Carolina Ports drives about $63 billion in economic impact statewide, with about $8 billion of it emanating from the Lowcountry. In fact, about 30,000 jobs are either directly or indirectly linked to port activity in the immediate surrounding zone — a number that he anticipates will “dramatically” increase due to investments by Volvo, Walmart, Mercedes-Benz and the like.

Luncheon attendees were also treated to a breakdown of expectations for the real estate market in 2023 by President of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors (CTAR) Katesha Breland.

The Charleston-born real estate broker noted the Charleston region’s remarkable 25 percent population growth over the past decade, along with a 17 percent spurt of newcomers in Summerville over that same 10-year stretch.

“We see changes in our local culture, our restaurant scene, our retail opportunities, and of course, we feel it in our traffic as well,” she stated.

“The local economy is booming. The Nexton development offers something that Summerville residents hadn’t seen before, an intentionally-developed masterplan community that gives residents the ease and opportunity to live, work and play right in their backyards ... that’s just what Nexton does. They haven’t built a neighborhood, they’ve built a community. While local media doesn’t always like to focus on the positives of our real estate market, there’s plenty of good news I can share with you,” added Breland without referencing any specific news media outlet.

On that note, the CTAR leader communicated that closed property sales were down in 2022 by 18 percent, but compared to 2019, that total was actually up six percent.

Breland further spoke of a healthy, sustainable pace of growth, as the overall median sales price increased 14 percent, single-family home prices surged 12 percent and townhouse/condos similarly saw a 22 percent uptick.

Summerville and Moncks Corner, in particular, were two of the top areas in terms of home sales in 2022.

“We expect sales will remain at the pace we’re seeing now, which is a good, healthy pace. Prices will also increase likely at a slower pace than we’ve been seeing. But that’s good news for buyers who are challenged by the affordability of our region.”

Breland concluded her address by lauding Nexton for its development of a wide range of home options (single-family, townhouses, rentals, etc.) and a variety of price points for prospective residents.

Smith topped off the information session by filling in listeners on the imminent additions of Harris Teeter and Publix retail outposts in the Nexton area in Q1 of 2024 and Q2 of 2024 respectively.

Also mentioned were the opening of Pickle Bar, as well as a new hospital and middle school site that are both in the works.

Clarius Partners and Stonemont Financial Group have announced that Buildings 3 and 4 are available for lease at the partnership’s Omni Industrial Campus in Summerville, S.C. The two speculative buildings total nearly 971,000 square feet of Class A industrial space.

Bridge Commercial is the exclusive leasing agent in charge of the 1.3 million-square-foot industrial park, expected to be delivered in June 2023.

Omni Industrial Campus is situated on nearly 100 acres, within the Jedburg Industrial Corridor, close to Interstate 26, 22 miles from North Charleston Port, 26 miles from Hugh Leatherman Terminal and within 32 miles of the Port Charleston, one of the fastest-growing ports in the U.S. over the last decade. The development is also situated close to the 4,500-acre, master-planned community Nexton, and other residential areas, allowing future tenants easy access to the market’s workforce.

Designed to serve a variety of users

Bridge Commercial’s team led by Executive Vice Presidents Hagood Morrison and Simons Johnson, President Peter Fennelly and Associate Vice President Will Crowell are the appointed leasing brokers in charge of the development.

The project’s initial building, Building 2, encompassing 360,320 square feet of space is fully preleased to a long-term, build-to-suit tenant. The remaining two buildings will feature 36-foot clear heights, LED lightning and ESFR sprinkler systems. The 364,700-square-foot Building 3, designed to accommodate multiple tenants, will have 305 vehicle parking spots, 79 trailer parking spots, four drive-in doors and 36 dock high doors, while the 606,880-square-foot Building 4, designed for large volume distribution, will have 350 vehicle parking spots, 157 trailer parking spots, four drive-in doors and 64 dock-high doors. Additionally, all three properties will also have a speculative office component, available for occupancy starting June of this year.

READ ALSO: Heightened Industrial Demand Boosts New Lease Rates

The industrial project is the largest option near the Port of Charleston for companies looking for an intermodal distribution point in the Southeast region, noted Stonemont Financial Group’s Managing Principal & Chief Executive Officer, Zack Markwell, in a prepared statement.

Earlier this month, Avison Young was tapped as leasing agent in charge of another industrial property under development in the Charleston area. The firm will market for lease a 545,000-square-foot project in Ridgeville, S.C., that is part of Camp Hall Commerce Park, a 6,800-acre master-planned development.

Construction of the biggest speculative industrial project in the Charleston region kicks off this week with a groundbreaking event for the 1.1 million-square-foot development at Crossroads Logistics Center in Summerville.

The site, near the Jedburg Road exit on Interstate 26, is being built out by a partnership between Citimark Realty and Pure Development. The Indianapolis companies formed Citimark Pure Charleston LLC to buy roughly 131 acres fronting I-26 for $8.75 million last year.

Their first building will eclipse by 10 percent the previous record for a local “spec” project — a 1 million-square-foot structure at the nearby Charleston Trade Center.

The Crossroads project is scheduled for completion by late 2022. Plans call for three more buildings to rise in two phases totaling an additional 1.53 million square feet at the Berkeley County site.

Wednesday’s groundbreaking will feature speakers from the State Ports Authority, operator of the Port of Charleston, as well as commercial real estate firm CBRE Inc., which is marketing the project.

The term speculative in this instance means that no tenants have been secured at the time construction begins.

While such projects continue to grow in size and scope, they still don’t approach the region’s biggest-single industrial property. That distinction belongs to the cavernous 3 million-square-foot import hub built just up I-26 in Dorchester County for retail giant Walmart.

The Crossroads project is part of a boom in speculative industrial-grade real estate deals in the Charleston area, particularly along the I-26 corridor from North Charleston to Ridgeville. Almost all of it is being driven by the need to store and sort goods that retailers are importing through Charleston.

Mike White, broker in charge of Daniel Island-based Charleston Industrial, said about 5.1 million square feet of “Class A” space is set to open by the end of this year. Most of that space will be snapped up before a certificate of occupancy is issued, he added.

“The conditions of a high demand and low volume of space available will continue,” White said.

No wonder?

CNN will feature Charleston in its upcoming fourth season of “The Wonder List with Bill Weir,” but it’s not looking to be yet another wonderful tourist piece.

The series is now part of the content catalog at CNN+, the cable network’s subscriber-based streaming service.

The four new shows will focus on “fascinating locations at a critical crossroads brought on by climate change,” according to a written statement last week.

The season kicks off April 21, on the eve of Earth Day.

Weir, who has been CNN’s climate correspondent for about a decade, will anchor reports from Montana, Greenland and Hawaii as well as coastal South Carolina.

In its statement, the network suggested that the Charleston episode will look at the “surging seas and frequent floods” that “batter one of America’s most storied cities and the critical reminders of its slave trade past.”

Material event

A North Charleston-based global textile manufacturer’s next stop in its 232-year journey is in the Lone Star State.

AstenJohnson, which makes specialty fabrics for industrial customers such as paper mill operators, recently picked Waco, Texas, for a new 220,000-square-foot plant that will employ 36 workers.

The $40 million factory is expected to open in 2023 and will make “nonwovens,” a widely used material formed by bonding synthetic fibers through either a chemical, mechanical or heating process.

In this case, the specialty textiles to be made in Waco will be sold to manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, filtration and piping industries, among others.

A local economic development group provided the 36-acre plant site, and the company qualified for $2 million in public financial assistance from the city and county, according to a report in the Waco Tribune-Herald.

“The long-term prospects for our nonwovens business are excellent,” CEO Kevin Frank said in a written statement. “Customer demand for our products has only been growing. This investment will allow us to satisfy the increasing demand and continue to offer more products and innovation.”

The global company expanded into the nonwoven sector when it acquired a Missouri-based manufacturer in 2014. It bought another plant a few years ago in New Hampshire.

AstenJohnson traces its corporate ancestry to a family-owned wire business that was started in 1790 in Manchester, England. It’s now headquartered on Corporate Road. Its only South Carolina plant is in Clinton.

1M milestone

Boeing South Carolina’s science-and-math-focused education program has learned that it’s reached a major milestone.

The manufacturer, which makes its 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, announced last week that more than 1 million students had participated in DreamLearners, a STEM-heavy instructional outreach it launched about 10 years ago in the Palmetto State.

As part of the program, school kids have toured the Boeing South Carolina campus and have had the program come to them in their classrooms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DreamLearners went virtual.

Students do a hands-on paper airplane activity and learn about careers in the core STEM elements of science, technology, engineering and math, as well as advanced manufacturing and aerospace.

More than 7,600 Boeing employees have volunteered to participate in DreamLearners, the company said.

Boeing celebrated hitting the seven-figure milestone last week at North Charleston Elementary School, not far from its 787 Dreamliner campus.

Hey, bow

A Charleston-born business built from formal-wear feathers made famous by celebrities has fashioned a new formation to fete its decade-old creations.

Brackish, a bow-tie retailer that launched after groomsmen’s wedding gifts made from turkey feathers proved popular, is toasting its 10 years in business with a new neckwear adornment called “Cheers.”

The latest version features a turkey feather in the center, a nod to the original design. Its colors — blue, white, green and others — are meant to reflect the Palmetto State from the salty Atlantic to the rolling hills of the Upstate.

Owners Ben Ross and Jeff Plotner, friends from their college days at Wofford, say the commemorative and limited-edition tie “instantly invokes good times with family, friends and, in this case, feathers.”

Lounging about

Edwin Hughes figures he’s spent about half of his adult life at Charlotte Douglas International.

As a member of American Airlines’ Executive Platinum club, he is a frequent visitor to the big Queen City airport, which serves a major hub for the carrier.

Now he has a new place to spend his layovers. A passenger lounge concept that’s already available at Charleston International recently opened its doors at Charlotte Douglas.

The Airports Dimensions-operated Club CLT in Concourse A made its debut March 30. It’s open daily from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and seats 105. Hughes, who lives in West Ashley, said it’s a welcome refuge from the hustle and bustle at the North Carolina travel waystation that accommodated more than 43 million passengers in 2021.

“If you’ve got a long layover and you need to get some work done or just relax, it’s a great extra amenity,” said Hughes, who travels about 40 weeks out of the year. “If you fly out of Charleston, you’ll either have to go through Charlotte or Atlanta on most flights, so it’s nice to have this place to go if you’re an American flyer.”

Anyone can access the lounge with a $45 day pass. Club CLT is also available to Priority Pass members, a lounge access membership that starts at $99 a year. Customers in the lounge are limited to a three-hour maximum stay. Food and drink are complimentary with entry.

The Club concept also has outposts in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh and 10 other U.S. airports. Club CHS at Charleston International opened in mid-2019.

Our twice-weekly newsletter features all the business stories shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it’s free.