Issuu

BEST ADVICE Jonathan Kish, Queen Street Hospitality Group

PAGE 4 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 5 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM

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Nexton reflects rental shift as commercial builds steam By Teri Errico Griffis

What is this?

Morrison Yard Tower design built to mirror region’s reliance on waterfront. Page 11

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

here are some new developments coming to Nexton, including a bank, a park, a hospital and now 282 single-family cottages that’ll be available to rent. Developer Capstone Communities is expected to deliver the first round of rentable homes in late 2021. Floorplans include one-,

two-, and three-bedrooms — each with their own private, fenced yard. Units will range from 650 to 1,350 square feet. There also will be studio lofts and two-story carriage units available to rent on the 27-acre project. “When we started the community, one of the things we identified as sort of an important strategy was this notion of diversity — mainly diversity of housing and choices for people,” Nexton Vice President of Operations

Dorothea Bernique, executive director of Increasing H.O.P.E., talks with North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey at the groundbreaking for the Opportunity Center. (Photo by Reggie Murphy/TMI Productions)

Clothing on King

Virginia retailer opens store for eco-friendly clothing in downtown Charleston. Page 5

INSIDE

Upfront................................. 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 Best Advice........................... 4 In Focus: Real Estate and Construction.................11 List: Heating & Air Contractors......................... 17 At Work............................... 19 Viewpoint............................23

Vigilent develops at-home COVID test, mobile app

Vikor Scientific launches cancer testing system in expanding sector. Page 10

Goose Creek sets sights on keeping retail trade from leaving municipality. Page 16

See NEXTON, Page 8

By Teri Errico Griffis

Biotech boom

Growing the Creek

Brent Gibadlo said. Over the last five years or so, the real estate market has leaned heavier into its build-torent approach, Gibadlo said. While there wasn’t much action at first, he has seen the trend pick up steam as people change their lifestyles and prefer not to buy. “First and foremost people are more

CENTER OF OPPORTUNITY

Nonprofits collaborate on commercial real estate project to transform a wholesale furniture warehouse in North Charleston into an Opportunity Center.

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

magine a COVID-19 test as convenient as pulling a thermometer out of your medicine cabinet. No phone calls sending you in circles. No registration lines snaking outside of grocery stores. No waiting days for results. Vigilent Labs in North Charleston is reforming COVID-19 testing in the U.S., creating technology that will provide instantaneous results at home and store the data at your fingertips. With the swipe of an app, you can pull up results with a GPS and timestamp to show an employer, send to school or to carry as you board a plane. The idea is for individuals to be able to control access to their own personal health credential, including providing it on demand. “We’re all about critical data being put into the right people’s hands,” Vigilent Labs President John Falk said. “But most importantly we believe this framework can bring clarity from the current chaos.” COVID-19 testing kits, similar to preg-

Page 6

See VIGILENT, Page 9

Developing Berkeley

Berkeley County saved millions on an administration building, which sparked other projects waiting on money. Page 14

Upfront

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | BEST ADVICE

Where your dollars go further in S.C.

harleston County is listed as the No. 3 place in the Palmetto State where residents have more spending power, according to an analysis by SmartAsset, a financial technology and personal finance company that collects data in all 50 states. The data show that residents of Beaufort County, Charleston County and York County have the highest median income, respectively, out of all 46 counties in the state. However that doesn’t necessarily translate into buying power. The analysis found that Lancaster County actually demonstrates more buying power when comparing median income to cost of living. Sure, you might make $64,000 in Charleston County, but your cost of living of nearly $40,000 will eat that up, depending on where you live.

County

Cost of living

Median income

Purchasing Index

Lancaster

$36,146

$58,849

56.11

Beaufort

$42,537

$68,377

54.78

Charleston

$39,915

$64,022

54.55

Greenville

$37,675

$60,351

54.42

York

$40,805

$65,361

54.42

Berkeley

$39,974

$63,309

53.25

Lexington

$38,867

$61,173

52.62

Dorchester

$40,435

$63,080

51.73

Oconee

$33,145

$49,134

46.72

Spartanburg

$35,729

$52,332

45.59

Source: SmartAsset, ranked by purchasing index

ON THE

RECORD

“The Conservancy’s mission of connecting the people of Charleston with their parks and strengthening the community around them is an inspiring one that seems more timely every day.” — Tom McGuire, Charleston Parks Conservancy executive director

WEBSITE: www.CharlestonBusiness.com

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SC Biz News Briefs UPSTATE

GSA Business Report

Aldi to open 5th grocery store in Upstate The German-owned discount grocery chain Aldi may have a smaller physical footprint than other supermarket competitors in the Upstate, but that could work in the company’s favor as it aims to become one of the most widespread grocers in the country. “We’re looking forward to beginning our development next month, bringing Aldi’s convenience and selection to the community,” Robert Ochs, director of real estate for Aldi US, said at a groundbreaking for Mauldin’s first Aldi store, adding that the company plans to continue expanding its Mauldin Mayor Terry Merritt, Aldi representatives and other presence beyond the 18 existing officials break ground on the 4.6-acre lot at 209 N. Main St. stores in the Upstate. The incoming Mauldin market, (Photo/Molly Hulsey) located on a 4.6-acre lot 209 N. Main St., was purchased by the company for $1.7 million in November and will be the fifth to open in the Greenville area, according to the company and Greenville County property data. Aldi US also opened its first Powdersville store in December in line with the company’s “aggressive” goal to become the third largest grocery retailer by store count at the conclusion of 2022, according to Ochs.

MIDLANDS

Columbia Regional Business Report

Former SCANA CEO pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud Former SCANA Corp. CEO Kevin Marsh pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Marsh, the second SCANA executive to plead guilty to fraud charges, will be sentenced once a sentencing report has been reviewed, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Peter M. McCoy Jr. Marsh faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. With the guilty plea, Marsh admits intentionally defrauding ratepayers while overseeing SCANA operations, including the failed twin reactor project at the V.C. Summer nuclear power station, so that SCANA could obtain and retain rate increases and qualify for up to $2.2 billion in tax credits, according to the release. U.S. District Judge Mary G. Lewis accepted the plea at the Matthew J. Perry Federal Courthouse at 901 Richland Street. In December 2020, Stephen Byrne, former SCANA executive vice president, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. In July 2017, the V.C. Summer nuclear project, co-owned by SCANA subsidiary S.C. Electric & Gas and Santee Cooper, was abandoned in the wake of mounting delays and rising costs after more than $9 billion had been spent on its construction. SCANA and SCE&G settled a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit charging the companies with defrauding investors in November 2020 and settled a lawsuit with SCE&G ratepayers for $2.2 billion in November 2018. SCANA was acquired by Dominion Energy in a $14.6 billion deal. VOLUME 14 NUMBER 4 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM

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BRIDGING THE GAP

Group works to improve health care outcomes for individuals with limited English proficiency

Baseball is back Columbia Fireflies open home season on May 11. Page 2

WINTER 2020

Coin icon

Septima Clark honored with collectible coin. Page 4

Pipeline infusion

Santee Cooper establishes internship program. Page 8

Growing footprint Weston Inc. expands Southeast portfolio. Page 9

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Health Care ......... 13 List: Hospitals .................... 16 Bonus List: Retirement Communities and Senior Centers ............................. 17 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

Home grown

Illustration/File

By Melinda Waldrop

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

or the 25 million people in the United States with limited English proficiency, optimal health care outcomes after hospitalization and access to preventive care present challenges in the best of times. In the midst of a pandemic that has now killed more than 500,000 people nationwide, reaching and providing health care services to the LEP population becomes even more critical, community outreach leaders say.

“One of the issues that I think has been compounded with the pandemic, or certainly spotlighted with the pandemic, is health access for people that don’t speak English,” said Kristen Giovanis, CEO of global, multilingual translation service provider United Language Group. “Picture yourself going to Thailand and ending up having to get health care. In a normal world, it’s overwhelming and difficult, but then in a pandemic, it’s a much bigger issue, a much larger challenge.” United Language Group provides 10,000plus linguists specializing in more than 200

languages to more than 3,000 companies worldwide in industries including law, life sciences, manufacturing and finance in an effort to bridge those gaps. With the COVID19 pandemic highlighting inequities in health care, the organization is intensifying its outreach, developing a Health Outcomes Solutions division and implementing a vaccine equity program aimed at providing education and information to LEP populations through resources such as community and cultural centers. See LEP, Page 14

Consumer demand for local food surges as pandemic alters eating habits

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Best Advice

JONATHAN KISH

CEO OF QUEEN STREET HOSPITALITY GROUP, INCLUDING JALISCO, FLORENCE’S AND 82 QUEEN

Editor, Custom Publishing Division Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Staff Writer - Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Research Specialist - Paige Hardy phardy@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125 Digital Editorial Assistant - Alexandria Ng ang@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 Research Assistant - Anne Puckett apuckett@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223 LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 Account Executive Thomas J. Giovanniello, Jr. tomg@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104

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Kish was born and raised in Charleston and says he ran away as fast as he could. After living in Arizona for four years and becoming an investment consultant, he and his wife

“It’s never too late to make the right decision.”

moved back to the city. Living in Arizona became the inspiration for his business in

This is particularly impactful when we think we

Charleston. “One thing we missed about Arizona was some of the Mexican Restaurants,

are married to decisions. Sometimes as leaders

that was the beginnings of Jalisco Taqueria & Tequila,” he said. In 2018, Kish became a

we will make a wrong decision, but what we do

private pilot and is working on getting his instrument rating, which is an intense training

next is the most important part.”

certification that would allow him to fly using instrumentation.

SERVING HOSPITALITY

Jonathan Kish leads the Queen Street Hospitality team with a background in management and finance, a passion for food and the legacy of Queen Street Hospitality. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in international management and previously worked for Northwestern Mutual. In late 2012, Kish moved back to South Carolina to assist his family with managing 82 Queen. Since then, Kish has stepped up to become CEO, managing all restaurants: 82 Queen, Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen and Jalisco Taqueria & Tequila. As part of Charleston’s hospitality sector, he strives to make his restaurants a unique destination with award-winning menus, serving the best culinary, beverages and service.

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Virginia retailer opens King Street store for eco-friendly clothing

Staff Report

ut down your forks. The new Collared Greens on King Street isn’t a restaurant, but it does serve up some satisfying green products. The Richmond, Va.-based retailer sells American-made, environmentally conscious men’s clothing and chose the Charleston market to expand its second free-standing store, a company news release said. Collared Greens’ new 1,900 squarefoot store is situated in the Restoration Hotel building. Doors opened recently at 273 King St., on the corner of Wentworth Street. “My team and I are thrilled about our move to Charleston and the launching of our newest brick and mortar store… especially being a bright spot in the retail world during a pandemic,” said Steve Mayer, principal illustrator and designer of Collared Greens. “Being located on King Street with other like-minded brands perfectly captures the spirit of the lifestyle target we strive to fit.” Real estate firm NAI Charleston’s Thomas Boulware, broker in charge, represented Collared Greens in the sale. “We were happy to guide Collared

“Being located on King Street with other likeminded brands perfectly captures the spirit of the lifestyle target we strive to fit.” Steve Mayer Principal illustrator and designer, Collared Greens

Greens in their quest to locate on King Street,” Boulware said. “Locating their flagship store in Charleston is a reflection that King Street and the overall market fundamentals are strong. Charleston continues to attract high-end retailers to the downtown market.” Collared Greens was founded in 2008 and calls itself the “first American Made green clothing brand.” The eco-friendly retailer focuses on American-made goods, showing the brand’s commitment to support American manufacturing and the environment. The Charleston store will feature products from its affiliate brands Bird Dog Bay, Beau & Tassel and Skiff Dogs. CRBJ

Collared Greens opened a 1,900 square-foot store in downtown Charleston on the corner of Wentworth Street and King Street. (Photo/Provided)

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Nonprofits struggling to find real estate share space, services By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

ith the area’s rising real estate prices, nonprofits often struggle to find affordable office

space. To save money on daily expenses, four organizations are joining forces to transform a wholesale furniture warehouse in North Charleston into the Opportunity Center. The four nonprofits include: Homes for Hope based out of Greenville and the Lowcountry’s South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development, Center for Hiers Property and Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center. The building will house new headquarters for all but Homes for Hope, the first Small Business Association Women’s Business Center to serve the tri-county and an entrepreneurial incubator to create an entrepreneurial eco system for the low-income community. Additional market value office spaces will be available to rent as well. Upon completion at the end of the year, all four organizations will become equal owners of the building at 8570 Rivers Ave., aligning their offices and their similar missions to support the minority and low-wealth community. “I’m excited about us being an example of what true collaboration looks like,” Dorothea Bernique, Executive Director of Increasing H.O.P.E., said. “Many times in the nonprofit community we talk about it, but there’s never a whole lot of follow through, and we are an example.” The idea for the Opportunity Center came about six years ago, SCACED CEO Bernie Mazyck said. Every few years his organization has been forced to relocate its headquarters because of a lack of affordability and once again they were scrambling to find a new office. Board member Don Ogelsby took an interest. He wanted to use his develop-

This shows a rendering of the building, which will be co-owned by four S.C.-based nonprofits. (Provided)

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey (far right) and others break ground on the Opportunity Center, which is slated to open at the end of the year on Rivers Avenue. (Photo/Provided)

ment expertise to solve the issue and help nonprofits in similar situations become more sustainable through owning their own corporate headquarters. “I was on a panel once years ago and talked about how ironic it was that nonprofits constantly taught their clients to grow assets in order for them to move out of poverty, yet many nonprofits still rented their office space for their corporate headquarters,” Ogelsby said. He’s seen the struggle firsthand as president and CEO of Homes for Hope, which collaborates with the building industry to construct homes and sell homes in the Upstate as a means to break cyclical poverty. Since 1998, the nonprofit has generated more than $21 million in revenue to loan out and is currently expanding operations into the Midlands and Lowcountry. “As we thought of the concept of a permanent headquarters, we thought of a number of nonprofits, especially in the

Charleston area, who are constantly challenged in finding affordable space,” Mazyck said. He and Ogelsby approached a number of organizations, but not everyone was interested. The final four, however, were familiar with one another as members in the S.C. Association of Community Economic Development and found a commonality in their services. Center for Heirs Property Preservation helps families protect and build generational wealth, while Increasing H.O.P.E. provides financial training educational opportunities for the local community. With three headquarters and other services, the shared building needed an accessible location and extensive square footage. After several searches on Azalea Road, the Peninsula and empty schools, they landed on Rivers Avenue. The location was convenient and centrally located. It also had a high traffic count and was accessible for the clientele the groups were hoping to engage. The area has nothing else like the Opportunity Center, Bernique said. “I describe it as a one-stop shop where resources will be so that people aren’t running all over town trying to figure out who’s doing what,” she said. “They can come into one place, receive services from beginning to end… And if we don’t have those resources, we have the relationship in the community to refer them out.”

Shared ownership

Part of the draw to the Rivers Avenue location was its high traffic count and accessibility to the community that nonprofits want to engage with. (Photo/Teri Errico Griffis)

While Homes for Hope currently is the sole owner of the building, once renovations are complete, ownership will be transferred among the other three organizations in a newly formed “single purpose” nonprofit called Opportunity Center. All four will then share equally in the ownership of the property.

“It was never our intention to profit from the eventual transfer of ownership, but rather to set up these three in partnership on equal footing,” Ogelsby said. The shared financing and split maintenance costs will alleviate the organizations’ daily expenses. Leasing out a third of the remaining office space at market value will then help earn a sustainable income that can be used for for retirement, paying off debt and supplementing the operations in Charleston. “For the Opportunity Center, the owning of property where your collaborating takes place adds that great element of asset growth to each organization, ensuring long-term financial stability,” Ogelsby said.

Raising women up

The Women’s Business Center was a natural byproduct of the group’s desire to not only combine offices, but to combine their services, Bernique said. It’s one of three new centers to be announced within the last year and will be the first to serve the tri-county. Other locations include Greenville and Columbia’s Benedict College. Increasing H.O.P.E. will run its daily operations thanks to a $125,000 Small Business Association grant. “Women need support. The women’s sector is the fastest growing sector of small business owners throughout the United States, as well as right her in Charleston,” she said. The center will provide small business training and entrepreneurship services for those thinking about starting up their own business. Services will carry through startup phase into those with existing businesses. Throughout the last 20 years, of all the individuals Mazyck has worked with, the top two assets they always want to work towards are starting a business and buying a house. He recognizes the importance of business development, asset development and wealth building, just as the other nonprofits do. “We recognize the synergy with what we’re doing,” he said. “Our approach to building an ecosystem is really elements of collaboration and of bringing expertise to the table so that these entrepreneurs can have the best information to help them be successful.” CRBJ

March 8 - 21, 2021

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Construction continues at Summerville’s master-planned community with an influx of commercial real estate, offices and residences. (Photos/Teri Errico Griffis)

NEXTON, from Page 1

transient than they used to be. They get a job, work there for two years, then move on to the next opportunity. Very few people work for the same company for the next 30 years,” he said. “The other part is lifestyle. A lot of people think buying a home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” Interest for the cottages will mostly be generated by Boeing employees and those who work nearby at Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and soon the MUSC Health Community Hospital, which is in walking distance from Nexton. The community will feature sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly amenities, open green spaces for community events and courtyards with pavilions and barbecue stations. A clubhouse will anchor the center with a resort-style pool, fitness center, dog park and electric charging stations. Nearby, the town of Summerville is developing a 20-acre county park adja-

The Baker Motor Co. in Summerville is the only Mercedes-Benz Sprinter dealership in the U.S. A 345-unit apartment complex at the intersection of Nexton Parkway and Sigma Drive is underway. The first units are expected to be completed this spring.

cent to the community while Nexton broke ground last year on its Downtown Nexton — a 100-acre development with initial plans for a gas station and multifamily community. The Birmingham-based Capstone will deliver the “new urbanism-style” cottages in phases, with full completion in sum-

mer 2022. It will be the company’s second installment of these units, with development ongoing for a similar 275-unit community in Huntsville, Ala. “We’ve seen the cottage-style concept prove highly successful in numerous student housing communities we have developed and managed across the country,” Executive Vice President of Development for Capstone Communities, John Acken, said in a statement. “This will be an attractive housing option for the area’s medical professionals, recent graduates and others who are in a life transitional phase — whether moving to a new city, preparing to eventually buy a home, or downsizing.”

Commercial breaks

First Citizens Bank broke ground in January on its new Nexton branch.

In addition to the rentable homes, Nexton is welcoming an influx of commercial activity, too. Later this year Coastal Fertility Specialists will establish a new office in the community, as will First Citizens Bank, who broke ground in January. Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union opened its new branch on Brighton Boulevard in July and then in October Sigma Drive Self-

Storage completed its 682-unit facility, while Home Telecom Technology Retail Center offered up turn-key incubator spaces for tech entrepreneurs. There are now five hotels at Nexton and even more dining, retail and service options became available to the community with the development of Nexton Square. Businesses that set up shop in the square include Page’s Okra Food Truck, Poogan’s Southern Kitchen, The Bicycle Shoppe and Realty One Group. In August, Tommy Baker also opened the first dealership in North America dedicated to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van. The $25 million, 28,600 squarefoot facility spans more than 13 acres and includes a car wash, eight-car showroom, lounges, biking and hiking trails and a children’s play area. Gibadlo said there is tremendous opportunity with the Nexton property. “We have all these economic drivers happening all around us,” he said. “Our goal, simply put, is to have a positive impact on our region at large. That’s our ‘why.’ If Nexton can help push things forward a little bit in how communities are designed and planned, and be more positive than anything else to our region, that’s the goal.” CRBJ

March 8 - 21, 2021

www.charlestonbusiness.com 9

VIGILENT, from Page 1

nancy tests, contain a lateral flow immunoassay test strip — a piece of paper that is coded to tell you if you’re positive or negative. “That same paper can be coded to look for COVID-19,” Falk said, whether by saliva, nasal swab or blood. Together he and Todd Ritter, molecular biologist and chief technology officer, are developing strips to pair with a unique COVID-19 test kit, patented resolute reader and data management app. Vigilent Labs’ goal is to have these test kits sent via FedEx to an individual’s home upon request, and users receive instructions, easily navigated to with a QR code. Results show in less than 10 minutes. Users then scan a barcode to create an account and register the results online. The encrypted information is stored and easily accessed from then on. “What we are doing is attaching a person’s identity to a specific test with its own serial number. The person then takes that test, and we are going to turn that test result into a digital credential, a v.Pass,” Falk said, using the name of Vigilent’s health credential. Domestic production and security are primary focuses for Falk, which led to establishing operations on the old Navy base behind a secure gate. Currently, there are only 31 companies throughout the world, excluding Vigilent Labs, that create lateral flow immunoassay test strips. One is in Laramie, Wyo., while the other 30 are front companies for Chinese manufacturers, Falk said. With Vigilent Labs, personal or HIPPA-related information will not be retained or sent to China or other big pharmacies. The information is for the individual user, and if elected, can anonymously be shared to help with the larger pandemic picture. Figures are aggregated, so groups like the Department of Health and Environmental Control can see where someone tested positive, but not whom specifically. Falk’s inspiration to create the COVID-19 testing kits came from his desire to protect soldiers in the pandemic, knowing they didn’t have the means to keep track of their individual testing status. A former Washington, D.C., attorney, he has spent his career working in biosurveillance, national security, government contracts and military procurement. For years he dealt with foreign military activities and supported U.S. companies selling technology that saves soldiers’ lives. “One of the biggest challenges that has not yet been resolved in public health is a sufficient use of available data, all the way down to tests,” Falk said.

Biosurveillance

Falk’s creation of Vigilent Labs in May 2019 originated in the renaming of what used to be Lightweight Epidemi-

John Falk, President of Vigilent Labs, was inspired to create a more accessible COVID-19 test after learning that members of the military had no way to easily store their own testing history. (Photo/Provided)

tests, and Vigilent Labs successfully sent out and helped track every patron with a unique test and a website used exclusively for the event. “We see the critical need for biosurveillance, but you need it to be meaningful,” he said. “The Apples and Googles, when they’re talking about their big contact tracing app, which is great, is not as meaningful because it isn’t tied to one test, one person and one test result.”

Standardized Testing

The facility, tucked securely at the end of Truxton Avenue, will house manufacturing equipment to produce Vigilent Lab’s medical tests. (Photo/Teri Errico Griffis)

ology Advanced Detection and Emergency Response System, which Falk had worked biosurveillance and drone surveillance with in the past. When the pandemic hit in March, U.S. generals tasked Falk with reorienting Vigilent Labs to its original mission of biosurveillance. He immediately knew he wanted to set up his new operations in North Charleston, even a decade after he’d left it. Back in the mid-2000s, Falk worked with the now-Ladson headquartered Force Protection. At the time, the company incubated in the old Navy yard and Falk helped bring their MRAP technology to the Pakistan Army.

On a rainy Easter Sunday last year, he drove to secure the last available space in the yard to begin his work. “Charleston and North Charleston are an intermodal colossus,” he said. “I don’t believe they’re given enough credit for land, air and, sea logistics.” The company’s pre-WWII building is empty, colored tape lining the floor where the manufacturing gear will go. Until Vigilent Labs can manufacture its own products, it’s embracing other companies’ tests and bringing them into Vigilent’s data framework. That’s what it did in January for King of Hammers, a national off-road racing event. The hosts needed 10,000 antigen

From COVID-19 tests to Influenza A and B, diabetes, bio-threats and more, Falk sees future opportunities for Vigilent Labs to create rapid, accurate and affordable tests of all kinds. He envisions parents plucking tests out of a medicine cabinet when a child wakes up in the middle of the night with flu-like symptoms. “Instead of having to make an appointment and bundle your child up to go to the physician, parents decide if a child’s symptoms warrant a test,” he said. “They can share the test results with an email to their primary physician and schedule an appointment on Zoom.” It could be empowering, he said. As Vigilent Labs ramps up, the company is working to find ways to support Gov. Henry McMaster and the rest of South Carolina, as well as local charities like the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic. “We know that we have the right solution,” Falk said. CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

www.charlestonbusiness.com

March 8 - 21, 2021

Charleston biotech firm launches oncology test system By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

he Palmetto State may be known for automotive exports and advanced materials, but South Carolina’s life science industry — the fastest growing sector in the state — is catching up fast. The industry spends at least three times more on research and development than any other sector in the state, leaving in its wake an employment rate double that of the state as a whole, according to a study cited by Gov. Henry McMaster on the eve of an announcement set to spur on a laboratory build-out in Charleston and make waves in the field of preventative oncology. “We’re not just producing world class products, we’re innovating,” SCBio CEO Sam Konduros told GSA Business Report during a February news conference. “What I love about this industry is it pushes us faster into a knowledge economy more than any other, because of that triple R&D spending. This is momentum.” That momentum is reflected in Quantegene Serenity, an AI and genomic-driven test that Charleston’s Vikor Scientific uses to detect and launch preventative treatment for 15 of the most common

varieties of cancer through a quick prick of the arm. According to Shea Harrelson, co-founder of Vikor Scientific, Quantegene’s “liquid biopsy” blood panel detects early-stage cancerous mutations, as well as cancer-associated variants in 3,000 locations across 272 genes after Quantgene — Vikor’s California-based AI and proprietary cloud partner — processed the sequenced genomic data. Quantgene’s Serenity program then weighs in on the patient’s health history and lifestyle choices to assess the risk of developing cancer as well as preventative treatment options. “What this means is that we can detect cancer early enough so that patients don’t have to resort to chemotherapy,” Harrelson said. “They may have options for immunotherapy or aggressive preventative strategies or even excisional therapy.” The program, launched March 1, is the first of its kind to hit the commercial market, according to Harrelson, especially with its exome risk-detection feature. As it stands now, Quantgene Serenity can report results for pancreatic, lung, liver, bladder, colorectal, breast and prostate cancer, along with three additional oncology reports accessible within the next three months. The one-time liquid biopsy test, avail-

able now, costs about $1,800 if paid out of pocket, but Vikor Scientific and Quantgene are seeking coverage from insurance providers Harrelson said. As the product develops, it will likely be sold as a monthly or yearly subscription for users. Vikor co-founder Scotty Branch called it a “great continuum of care” in which Quantgene Serenity could become a feature of annual or biennial screenings. Branch and Harrelson told SC Biz News the new product line would also create a ripple effect in South Carolina’s bioscience economy as Vikor Scientific prepares to build out its 22 Westedge lab in Charleston, bring Quantgene’s Serenity Technology in house and potentially go public in the near future. The Charleston Regional Development Alliance and SCBio first connected Quantgene and Vikor Scientific, while SCBio’s annual virtual meeting served as a platform for Quantgene Serenity’s unveiling. “This is an amazing announcement for South Carolina and for economic development,” he said, adding that the company would begin scaling up with 10 to 20 new employees, from sales representatives to bioscience specialists, and hire more as demand grew. At present, patient samples are run through Quantgene’s lab in California,

according to Harrelson, and the Charleston build-out will take 90 to 120 days to complete once initiated. At present, Vikor is seeking to purchase or lease out the instruments needed to process the tests and hire on the staff with the skills needed for the task. The build-out will not be inexpensive, according to Harrelson, especially as the company’s highest production costs — disposable custom arrays, test kits and reagents — are not considered capital investment expenditures. Following the boom in COVID-19 testing, the company announced in December 2020 an initial $1 million January 2021 expansion, set to create 148 jobs. The biotech firm moved its headquarters to 22 WestEdge, located in a multi-tenant office building in the Charleston metro area in February. Vikor will reveal its build-out plans in the near future once all details are nailed down, Branch said, adding that he imagines this expansion is just the beginning for the campus. “I can envision the day when this collaboration leads to a new corporate hub here with new labs and bright new talent from South Carolina medical schools advancing this revolutionary technology,” Branch said. CRBJ

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A rendering shows the plans for the $42 million, 12-story Morrison Yard Corporate Office Tower at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge. (Rendering provided)

Off the ground: Morrison Yard’s different approach By Barry Waldman

Contributing Writer

t a key entry point to the city of Charleston comes an office building designed to harken to the nearby port and the bridge it sits beside, rising from the ground like a cargo container being lifted by a gantry so that passersby can enjoy the river views from beneath it. Construction of the $42 million, 12-story Morrison Yard Corporate Office Tower began in mid-January at 850 Morrison Drive at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge. It will offer 148,000 square feet of Class A office space The Tower, being built by Balfour Beatty of Charlotte for Mount Pleasant-based Origin Development Partners, Mixson Properties of Atlanta and Charlotte-based The Keith Corp, is part of a larger development that includes a

10-story, 386-unit apartment project at 838 Morrison Drive. Approval of the unusual structure from the Board of Architectural Review followed rejection of the first, more traditional, design submitted by the developers, said Jeff Mixson of Mixson Properties. The BAR directed the parties to design something unique that reflected the building’s maritime location in the trendy Nomo area. The height of the building, the largest office building on the peninsula, according to the principals, was fueled by sustainability credits earned in the design of the structure through the city of Charleston RISE program. Bathrooms and kitchens were placed on the sunny west side of the building, reducing the amount of HVAC required. A rain garden will collect storm water and return it filtered to the adjacent wetlands. Electric vehicle charging stations

will be placed on the 377-vehicle parking deck. A “bike farm” will facilitate bicycle storage for those who commute sustainably. The lowest offices will sit 50 feet off the ground, affording all tenants a front row seat on the Cooper River. A courtyard below the tower will allow space for the community to congregate and maintain a view of the bridge and waterway. The project is intended to be friendly and welcoming to the neighborhood as well, by maintaining visual access to the water and improving sidewalks, the bus stop and rail spur around the buildings. This scale and uniqueness of design would be disharmonious with the historic downtown area, but is appropriate for the upper peninsula, say city planners and preservationists. “It is a location that can support more cutting-edge architecture because it is not adjacent to some historic struc-

ture. With the backdrop of the Cooper River Bridge, which is a very contemporary structure, it makes sense to have a design like that,” said Christopher Morgan, city planning manager for the City of Charleston. Since 2015, the city has approved development of 1.2 million square feet of office space in an effort to diversify its employment base beyond hospitality and health care. “That is unprecedented in the city’s history,” Morgan said. Many of those projects are in the Upper Peninsula zoning district where larger, more innovative designs are encouraged. The design of the Morrison Yard Office Tower includes seven floors of offices, a penthouse deck of events and 40,000 square feet of retail space in a See MORRISON, Page 13

IN FOCUS: REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION

www.charlestonbusiness.com

March 8 - 21, 2021

Lowcountry home prices climb as inventory hits record lows Alexandria Ng

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harleston region home prices are on the rise as demand remains strong but supply dwindles. According to data released by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, there were 71% fewer homes for sale over the last 12-month period. At the end of January, there were 2,062 active listings — representing just one month worth of available inventory, a new record low. With such few options on the market, competitive prices are expected as multiple offers will come in for quickly closing homes, said Rusty Hughes, president of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. “This puts the ball in the court of the sellers and presents a real challenge for buyers,” Hughes said. “With such low inventory, buyers need to be more prepared than ever.” Despite a low stock, sales continue to soar in 2021 following a December of unprecedented demand. The record number of homes that underwent contract in December led to record closings in January, Hughes said. In January, 1,421 homes were sold at a median price of $314,900 — a 22% increase in sales and an almost 10% growth in median price compared to 2020 figures, according to CTAR. In Charleston County alone, January saw a 20% increase in sales and 18% increase in median sale price year-

over-year for single-family homes, and a 40% increase in sales and 7% increase in median price for condos and townhomes. Hughes said the pandemic has played a part in the active market as more people are working from home and taking the opportunity to upgrade or move into a more comfortable space. He noted that the availability of home offices and pools were priorities among clients last year. “I’ve been in real estate 23 years, and I don’t recall ever hearing as much conversation about pools as a serious topic of conversation,” Hughes said. “A lot of people were putting pools in their top three things they have to have in their house.” Hughes said clients with a good equitable position on their homes have also taken advantage of the historically low interest rates, coming in at an average of just above 3%. Though interest rates have slowly begun to tick back up in the beginning of this year, they don’t usually jump in large increments, Hughes said. As the market moves into the spring months, Hughes said an upward trend on pricing and a competitive buying market is expected if inventory continues to lag. “We’re still moving in a positive forward direction and seeing that trend of historical highs with properties going under contract and closing,” Hughes said. “That should lead to another phenomenal year or two in real estate.” CRBJ

Reach Alexandria Ng at 843-849-3124.

Former Bi-Lo grocery store turned into office space in Mount Pleasant

Staff Report

n another adaptive reuse project for the region, Frampton Construction Co. LLC has redeveloped a Mount Pleasant Bi-Lo into offices. The mixed-use property at 774 Shelmore Blvd. underwent a complete interior demolition and now encompasses 50,000 square feet of office space with 18-foot ceilings, a lobby and a two-story entry, a news release said. Available floor plans range from 2,400 square feet up to 46,000 square feet. “We’re proud to have been partners in transforming an underutilized space like this to create a completely different, innovative use,” said Brendan Gilbert, project manager at Frampton Construction . “With benefits like walkable dining and its proximity to downtown Charleston

and central Mount Pleasant, The Shelmore will be a valuable addition to the East of the Cooper office market.” The Ladson construction company has also been involved in Charleston Trade Center Tract 1A and building one of the Portside Distribution Center, both in Summerville, and The Quin, a five-story office building in downtown Charleston, among other projects. S.C. Collett Capital, headquartered in Charlotte, developed the project in partnership with Lions Gate Capital LLC and Charleston’s WECCO Development. S.C. Collett Capital also has offices in Greenville. Construction began in February 2020 and finished in December. Along with a new roof and the addition of six new entrances to the building, surrounding retail also received exterior upgrades. CRBJ

March 8 - 21, 2021

IN FOCUS: REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION

www.charlestonbusiness.com 13

MORRISON, from Page 11

separate building, with an expected mix of tenants similar to those at the Cigar Factory just south on East Bay Street, Mixson said. A four-floor parking garage will sit adjacent to the tower with direct access to the offices. The Keith Corp. invested in the project in mid-2020, says company CFO Ken Beuley, because it believes in the Charleston market and the uniqueness of the Morrison Yard project. The company has developed other industrial and office projects in and around Charleston. Covid has accelerated the move to remote work, but the developers remain undaunted. “If it were a 60- or 80-story building, that might be a problem,” said Beuley. He believes companies will return to working in offices once a vaccine is widespread, but they will use that space differently. “The only way to get creativity is when people are in the office. Densification of the office will change. People might be in the office 3-4 days week but there will be more space per person,” he said. That is exactly the formula employed by the tower’s first tenant, the Charleston office of Charlotte-headquartered law firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP.

Morrison Yard will be the tallest office building on the peninsula. The tower includes seven floors of office space, a penthouse deck for events and 40,000 square feet of retail space in an adjacent building. (Rendering provided)

Ashley Cooper, managing partner of Parker Poe in Charleston, says the firm is moving from the Bank of America building at 200 Meeting Street because it wants to reconfigure offices around clients rather than attorneys and staff. The new space, which is still under development, will dedicate its 12,000 square feet less to

staff offices and more to meeting spaces. The central location and beautiful views were a draw as well. “It is a combination of a place where attorneys and staff enjoy coming to work and addressing changes in our ability to deliver a product to our clients,” he said.

Parker Poe remains the only announced tenant so far, but the firm is not concerned. It did its due diligence before signing on and determined that the developers have sufficient revenue to justify financing from Pinnacle Bank with just Parker Poe’s lease. CRBJ

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March 8 - 21, 2021

Berkeley County cuts project costs, adds more projects By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

erkeley County didn’t just save a few bucks expanding its administration building. It cut the $18 million project in half and used the savings to update the jail, the forensics building, the animal center and more. Six years ago, the county purchased the former Food Lion at 1003 Highway 52 in Moncks Corner with plans to redevelop the 30,000 square foot space to comfortably and safely house some of its most important public service departments. The county had outgrown its previous location since 2005, squeezing as many as three people into offices built for one, County Supervisor Johnny Cribb said. The building was old and the Berkeley County 911 Center was in dire need of a safety update. “That’s your brain during emergencies and during major events and it was an outdated, old metal building,” Cribb said. “We’re in a Category 5-rated structure now. I’m not sure that other facility had a rating.” The 911 center is now equipped with sleeping quarters for staff to rest during emergencies, a quiet room for responders to de-stress and a lighting system to alert managers how long a responder has been on a call. The Berkeley County Emergency Operations Center, which Cribb calls the command center during big events, is also in a Category 5-rated structure now. Moving forward, the new administration building, which engineering began on in 2019, also will house the Berkeley County Engineering, Berkeley County Finance and Voter Registration and Elections Office.

Berkeley County’s administration building includes a safer space for the county’s 911 and Emergency Operations staff. The new facility is rated for a Category 5 hurricane, has extra space to comfortably house volunteers and has built-in sleeping quarters. (Photo/Provided)

“If you were around during the election period, you saw we had enough room in that old building for maybe three to four voters at a time, and the line went outside, down the entire length of the building and beyond,” Cribb said. “This update is significant.” The new voter registration facility will have approximately 12 voting machines and space for all the queueing and waiting

to happen indoors. The Monck’s Corner branch of the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles also will relocate from its current location at 108-B Highway 52 sometime this summer. Cribb said the delay is a blessing in disguise, allowing the other departments to settle in beforehand. With the DMV’s update from seven to 17 windows, it’s anticipating an increase from 600 to pos-

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sibly 1,000 patrons a day. But having the DMV in the same facility as the county auditor and treasurer will make life a lot more convenient for the public, Cribb said. The same goes for having the finance and engineering staff in the new building. Previously they were offsite at a separate facility. “Having all the different folks involved

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March 8 - 21, 2021

IN FOCUS: REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION

The new DMV office has 10 more windows than the current Monck’s Corner branch and anticipates an increase from 600 to nearly 1,000 people a day. (Photo/Provided)

in plan review under one roof will create some efficiencies for plan review and the permitting process,” he said. “We anticipate that will help turn things around faster.” And it all came in at half the anticipat-

ed cost, Cribb said. Plans originally called for two separate buildings with a $9 million expansion and then a second $9 million building for ECO and the 911 center. County Council scrapped the idea, prior to Cribb’s arrival

in January 2019, and together they developed a way to include it all in one space. To save almost another $1 million, the county had in-house personnel complete some of the smaller projects. Choate Construction performed the major components of the new building, but personnel in the Roads and Bridges department, for example, worked the parking lot. “They work four 10-hour days during the week so we predominantly did the work as an over-time component on Fridays and Saturdays. That helped us save funds significantly,” Cribb said. The IT department pulled 27 miles of cable through the building and moved the county’s main server room into the category-5 structure that has triple redundancies should anything go out. The Facilities and Grounds team also performed HVAC relocation. With the money saved, the county now had funds to update other facilities that Cribb felt were “neglected.” It invested $1.25 million in a new, more modern facility for the county’s Forensic Services department. The 6,850-square foot facility is three times the size of the old evidence building and includes a new lobby, conference room and an expanded packaging room and laboratories. “When I first visited that old facility, I thought it was a critical need in the entire county, yet it wasn’t even listed as a project or funded” Cribb said.

www.charlestonbusiness.com 15

Another $1.25 went into expanding the jail’s laundry room and kitchen, and $2 million more went into updating the “woefully inadequate and undersized” Berkeley Animal Center, Cribb said. The animal center plans to open in June. Upcoming projects include a new magistrate court, a sheriff ’s substation and an EMS station in the southern part of the county. And they also will be completed with the savings from the administration building. Upon completion of these projects, the next two undertakings will be a new courthouse and an addition to the county jail, Cribb said. The county just received funding to start the latter’s design process. Currently the jail is rated for 300 inmates and had about 495 prior to COVID. For the last several years, the county has had to send inmates to the Charleston County Jail. Knowing Berkeley County has outgrown so many facilities, Cribb said the county constructed the new administration building with growth in mind and he’s proud of that recognition. “We didn’t build this and we’re maxed out at day one,” he said. “We feel like we have room for 20 to 30 years’ growth in our facilities now. And that’s a big deal.” CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

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March 8 - 21, 2021

Goose Creek growth includes gathering spaces, first brewery By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

ver the past year, Goose Creek has focused on amenities and quality of life attractions that will lead to conscientious growth, Economic Development Director Matt Brady said. That’s why the City Council was so heavily involved in developing its first brewery. Over the years, the city has witnessed nearly $437 million in retail trade leave the community, particularly from the food and beverage sectors. Both anecdotally and in surveys from city residents, folks have shared with Brady that they’re taking their dollars to Summerville, North Charleston and other neighboring communities to find better opportunities to socialize. Brady’s goal is to close that gap. “We think it’s reasonable for us to try and capture some of that, both in terms of revenue standpoint for the city, but really to work with people looking to invest in the community to create gathering places and enhance the quality of life,” he said. Like most cities, Goose Creek had anticipated a much bigger 2020 in terms of commercial developments and new construction, but it still saw healthy revenues in many ways, such as retail receipts and activity within the city.

Notable projects that opened this year include Goose Creek Village and the city’s own Charleston Sports Pub. Brady expects the Creek City Grill & Brewery, which is almost done renovating the Button Hall fire station, to open this spring. “The brewery is something that we think is a good asset for the city and fills the niche of a gathering place, which is what council has said they really wanted to do,” Brady said. The fire station was sold through a request for proposal process because the city wanted to entire buyers to be creative. They always knew they wanted it to be transformed into a gathering space, Brady said, it was just a matter of what. “The RFP was designed to sell the property to a firm that could come up with the coolest idea and prove to use they had the wherewithal to pull it off,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of stuff that we’re trying to do here to be creative.” The building was sold to CityVolve, a real estate development company that helped shape some commercial parts of North Charleston’s Park Circle neighborhood, among other regional projects. Since the pandemic began last March, the city has weathered it “okay,” Brady said. He credits Goose Creek’s resilience in part to the Kick Start the Creek program — a small business loan for working cap-

“... it’s a lot more efficient to try and save a business that already exists in your community.” Matt Brady Economic Development Director

ital. It’s intended to supplement the Paycheck Protection Program or help those who could not access the loan program. In partnership with the Charleston LDC, the city is offering small business loans up to $25,000 — within parameters. Brady praised Goose Creek City Council for taking money from the city’s general fund to pay for the loan program. “The idea was to keep the lights on, pay rent, pay staff and just get to the other side,” Brady said. “For one, we want to help businesses and believe it’s important to do that, and two, from an economic development standpoint, it’s a lot more efficient to try and save a business that already exists in your community.” The city offered the loans independently, but leaned on the LDC to underwrite them and provide expertise on the process. To continue momentum, Goose Creek next plans to launch a buy-local market-

ing program that will target the region. “We want people to think of us too, to think of Goose Creek as a place that you’re going to travel for date night or a beer, not just downtown (Charleston), Park Circle or downtown Summerville,” Brady said. Then there’s the addition of the Berkeley Hospital and surrounding medical offices, which he called big pieces of the puzzle along with the commercial development that Carnes Crossroads is attracting. The city also has a pipeline of development projects it hopes to in the second quarter. With all that’s going on, Brady finally feels like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. “We’re sort of the next logical place for growth to occur in the region,” he said. With great growth comes great responsibility, but Brady insists the City Council is committed to making smart and deliberate decisions that will benefit the people that already live there. He doesn’t want expansion to create some of the negative impacts other growing cities have seen. “We’ve got kind of the privilege right now to do that so that it doesn’t get away from us,” Brady said. CRBJ

Reach staff writer Teri Errico Griffis at 843-8493144.

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www.charlestonbusiness.com 17

Heating & Air Contractors

•

Specialization

Maintenance?

Ext. Warranties?

Financing?

Ranked by No. of Licensed Technicians in the Charleston Area

100%

Mechanical contracting, plumbing, medical gas, process piping, sheet metal and installation for industrial and commercial applications

Yes

50 50

100%

Mechanical insulation, low temperature refrigeration, industrial process piping and equipment insulation, installation of cold storage panels, electric heat tracing and fabrication

Yes

Rudy Cullum, Roy Driggers 1972

44 68

100%

Commercial and industrial HVAC mechanical company; providing service, repair, installation, preventative maintenance, retrofit services in SC; office locations in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville

Yes

843-832-2232 www.carolinachillers.com

David Price 2002

30 50

70%

HVAC, IAQ, energy efficiency

Yes

AGL Heating & Air 3429 Maybank Highway, Suite A1 Johns Island, SC 29455

843-795-0066 www.aglair.com info@aglair.com

Richard W. Lingle 2004

25 25

90% 10%

Residential homes; estimates for replacements and repairs; AC, heating, furnace, geothermal and mini split service, repairs and installations

Yes

Morelli Heating & Air Conditioning 2470 Faber Road North Charleston, SC 29405

843-554-8600 www.morelliair.com info@morelliair.com

Anthony J. Morelli, Andrew Morelli 1981

25 45

40% 60%

Service, replacement and installation for residential and commercial purposes

Yes

CR Hipp Construction Inc. 121 Carolina Ave. Goose Creek, SC 29445

843-744-4477 www.crhippconstruction.com pete.bailey@crhippconstruction.com

Pete L. Bailey 1962

20 100

100%

Mechanical, HVAC, plumbing, process piping, sheet metal fabrication, prime mechanical work and utility

Yes

Smoak's Comfort Control 1781 Harmony St. Charleston, SC 29407

843-556-9550 www.smoakscomfort.com info@smoakscomfort.com

William Smoak 1972

17 30

75% 25%

Since 1972; heating, A/C and plumbing; maintenance, repairs, replacements and equipment upgrades

Yes

Berkeley Heating & Air Conditioning 5915 Loftis Road Hanahan, SC 29410

843-747-6700 www.berkeleyheating.com info@berkeleyheating.com

Gordon S. Dinger 1958

15 40

60% 40%

Residential and commercial heating and air conditioning sales, installation and service; geothermal specialist and pool heater replacements

Yes

Rudd Heating & Air LLC 3447 S. Live Oak Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461

843-879-3818 www.ruddheatingandair.com joy@ruddheatingandair.com

Joy Rudd 2014

6 10

85% 15%

Sales, service and maintenance of heating and air equipment, ductwork, indoor air quality, both residential and commercial, installation and service of mini split systems

Yes

ClimateMakers 4765 Franchise St. North Charleston, SC 29418

843-552-9024 www.climatemakers.biz service@climatemakers.biz

Christina Sison, John Sison 2001

5 21

65% 35%

HVAC and plumbing service and installation

Yes

TemperaturePro Charleston-Summerville 3516 S. Live Oak Drive, Unit D Moncks Corner, SC 29461

843-256-3985 www.temperatureprocharleston.com temperatureprocharleston@gmail.com

Tauvao Tuala, Melissa Tuala 2019

5 9

90% 10%

Residential service, repairs, duct cleaning and installations of systems as well as indoor air quality products; offer financing, free estimates and discounts for public service workers

Yes

East Cooper Heating and Air 1240 Winnowing Way, Suite 102 Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

843 375 6592 www.eastcooperheatingandair.com info@eastcooperhvac.com

Mary J. Marcino, Matthew B. Marcino 2012

4 6

65% 25%

Residential and commercial installation, repairs, maintenance and indoor air quality products

Yes

Olde Towne Heating & Air 443 Long Point Road, Suite F Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-856-1433 www.oldetowneheatingandair.com fallenoldetown62@gmail.com

Frank Allen 2009

4 10

75% 25%

Commercial and residential installation and maintenance

Yes

Green Dot Heating & Air 1 1326 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Suite A Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-1044 www.greendothvac.com info@greendothvac.com

Charles Basler, Chris Jones 2010

3 10

90% 10%

Heating and air conditioning, remodeling and general maintenance

Yes

EK Services LLC 3591 Bayou Road Charleston, SC 29455

843-296-2751 laurie@ekservices.com

George E. Kornahrens, Christopher Martin 1997

2 4

60% 40%

HVAC installations, repair, service, maintenance, electrical installations

Yes

Customer's Preference LLC 632 Dupont Road Charleston, SC 29407

843-557-5446 www.customerspreference.com customerspreferencellc@gmail.com

2014

1 3

80% 20%

Heating and cooling company

Yes

Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Technicians / Employees

Residential / Commercial

Cullum Constructors Inc. 3325 Pacific St. North Charleston, SC 29418

843-554-6645 www.culluminc.com info@culluminc.com

R. Christopher Cullum 1999

58 140

Old Dominion Insulation 3404 Salterbeck St., Suite 203 Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

843-729-8465 www.odins.com info@odins.com

Matt Sasiene 1981

Cullum Services Inc. 3325 Pacific St. Charleston, SC 29418

843-747-2900 www.culluminc.com

Carolina Chillers 3810 Ladson Road, Suite A Ladson, SC 29456

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com. 1 Green Dot Heating & Air, formerly Resort Maintenance

Researched by Business Journal staff

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It’s your story. Let us help you share it. Has your business created a new division? Are you oﬀering new services? Are you moving? Are you celebrating an anniversary or company milestone? Do you simply need to get the word out about your organization? These are just some of the reasons to share your story in Proﬁles in Business. You’ll work collaboratively with a Business Journal marketing writer and photographer to craft the story of your business.

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BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS | HOT PROPERTIES | PEER TO PEER

Business Digest

People in the News

National Home Builders name Nexton finalist for gold award Nexton has been recognized as one of the top master-planned communities in the U.S. by the National Association of Home Builders. The master-planned community was named a Silver Award winner and will be considered for the Gold Award. The community was additionally recognized as a Silver Award winner in the categories for Best Brochure, Best Community Welcome Center and Best Signage.

chemical and abrasion resistance. Its high-gloss, high-opacity and printability make it ideal for plastic bottles, cups and cosmetic containers.

Bros Lawn Care is expanding its service area to cover Charleston, North Charleston, Summerville, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant and West Ashley. The company has redesigned its turf treatment programs to address conditions of Lowcountry lawns and invested in additional education and training for technicians, along with upgrading vehicles to meet the increased demand.

Coastal Financial Planning Group named business of the year

The Coastal Financial Planning Group has been recognized as the Better Business Bureau’s 2020 Torch Award Business of the Year winner in the small business category.

Promise Neighborhood receives $50,000 foundation grant

An anonymous family foundation has awarded Charleston Promise Neighborhood with $50,000. Funds will provide services for health and wellness, family and parent engagement and community engagement.

Marabu to manufacture UV screen-printing ink

Marabu North America has launched Ultra Pack UVCL, its first screen-printing ink manufactured in the United States. Formulated for the UV screen-printing container market, Ultra Pack UVCL offers strong adhesion, fast curing and

Motherland Essentials opens Summerville store

The Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the grand opening of a new store in Summerville for Motherland Essentials.

Dominion Foundation makes donation to Charleston Forum

The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation donated $10,000 to The Charleston Forum to support its ongoing conversation on race and introduce solutions to improve the community. This donation is part of the Dominion Energy commitment to support social justice and community rebuilding efforts.

Hudson Bros Lawn Care expands service to area

The Vibrant Turf Division of Hudson

New opportunity center combines 4 charity HQs

Four S.C.-based charitable organizations have partnered in creating and operating a new concept for nonprofit-led economic development, known as The Opportunity Center. The Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation, Increasing H.O.P.E., Homes of Hope and the S.C. Association for Community Economic Development will be using the center as its headquarters, as a training center and as a business incubator. This space will provide flexible space for entrepreneurs and remote employees. Upon its completion, the facility is expected to create 45 jobs and attract nearly $4 million in private investment. See BUSINESS DIGEST, Page 20

ENGINEERING Melvin C. Williams, vice president and senior business developer with S&ME Inc. has been elected by peers to the Society of American Military Engineers 2021 Class of Fellows. HLA Inc. has appointed Amy B. Chico as senior vice president. With more than 26 years of experience in landscape architecture and business development, Chico is responsible for initial project introductions. She has been instrumental in organizing and managing several of the firm’s largest and most complicated economic development projects. A graduate of West Virginia University, Chico is actively involved in the Rotary Club of Charleston, Charleston Habitat for Humanity as a board member, Urban Land Institute, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Thrive Committee, Lowcountry Local First Policy and Advocacy Committee, and Charleston Regional Transportation Authority’s Lowcountry Rapid Transit Corridor Advisory Committee. Thomas & Hutton’s Bryce Lemon and Eric Pinto have become licensed professional engineers in the state of South Carolina. Lemon passed the civil exam Lemon with the civil water resources and environmental breadth section. Pinto passed the civil exam with the civil structural breadth section. Both have satisfied the experience requirement needed to obtain the license. Lemon started at Thomas & Hutton in June 2016 and works as a project engineer in the Charleston civil department. He received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Akron. He is responsible for planning, designing and permitting a variety of residential master-planned communities, commercial and multi-family development projects. His current projects include Carnes Crossroads, Captain’s Island and The Waterfront. Pinto started with the company in May 2018 and works as a project manager in the Charleston structural department. He received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and Master of Science in structural engineering from The Citadel. He is responsible for overseeing structural design and construction for a variety of industrial, commercial and residential projects across the Southeast. See PEOPLE, Page 20

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March 8 - 21, 2021

People in the News PEOPLE, from Page 19

Target your market in an upcoming issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal

MARCH 22

AUTOMOTIVE

List: Law Firms Bonus List: Companies Headquartered in Charleston Region

Advertising Deadline: March 8 APRIL 5

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT List: Colleges and Universities

Advertising Deadline: March 22

His current projects include the new Horry County Emergency Operations Center in Myrtle Beach, the redesigned Travis Field Wastewater Treatment Plant and Hutchinson Island Sea Wall in Georgia, MacDill Air Force Base Flight Simulator Hangar in Florida, and Fish Camp Road Pavilion on Daniel Island.

NONPROFIT

The Lowcountry Food Bank has announced a new board chair, Monica Scott, and six new board members: Rev. Byron Benton, James Chilton Jr., Lindsey Douglas, Maria Mungo, Joel Smith and D. Michael Wilson. Scott has served on the board since 2011. She retired from the College of Charleston after serving as vice president for facilities planning. She is a member of the board of trustees for S.C. State University, and she serves on the board of directors for Tri-County S.P.E.A.K.S. She holds a degree in political science and a graduate degree in urban planning from Pennsylvania State University. Benton serves as the senior pastor of Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston. He is also a board member for the African American Chamber Fund, an adviser to The Four Rivers Outreach Community Development Corp. in Charleston, and founder and host of the Mountaintop

Manna Podcast. He is graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with a degree in business education and administrative systems. He earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a doctorate in marriage and family therapy from Eastern University. Chilton is managing director of corporate accounting and tax at Greystar Real Estate Partners LLC. He was previously board president of People’s Building and serves as a board member and treasurer of Palmetto Masters Swimming. He holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Grove City College and a MBA from Charleston Southern University. Douglas is the director of business operations at Boeing S.C. She has a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of Puget Sound, where she also earned a master’s degree in materials science and engineering and a MBA. Mungo served for more than three years on the board of directors for the International African American Museum. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in art history from Columbia College. Smith is director of operations for 22 Food Lion stores in the Myrtle Beach area. He attended Lenoir Community College and Beaufort County Community College. Wilson is CEO of Prince International and director of ASP Holdings. He has served on the boards of Vulcan Materials Co. and several professional organizations,

Business Digest APRIL 19

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION (AEC) List: Landscape Architecture Firms Special Section: The Leatherman Terminal

Advertising Deadline: April 5 MAY 3

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

List: Office Supply and Equipment Dealers

Advertising Deadline: April 19

BUSINESS DIGEST,, from Page 19

Parker’s donates $20 million to S.C., Georgia communities

For advertising information, call Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103

Parker’s recently donated a record $20 million to support charitable initiatives throughout the company’s corporate

footprint. The Parker’s Community Fund will support a range of charitable causes across the region. A new Community Impact Committee is being formed to make decisions about how to allocate the funds strategically in order to make the biggest impact.

Submit items at our online submission portal: www.CRBJBizWire.com. Publication in print and online is subject to editorial discretion.

March 8 - 21, 2021

www.charlestonbusiness.com 21

People in the News including the American Chemistry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Philadelphia and Charleston Metro Chambers of Commerce. He established the Michael and Pam Wilson Family Fund and previously served on the board for Trident United Way of Greater Charleston. He has a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a MBA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Life Resources has promoted Jacquie Atkins to executive director. Atkins is a licensed professional counselor and has served in management for more than 20 Atkins years in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. She was promoted from executive director of operations. Atkins holds a Bachelor of Science degree in human services and a Master of Science in counseling psychology from Evangel University in Missouri. Previously, Atkins worked in retail, business and nonprofit management. The Charleston Forum has added John C. Read, managing director of Read Partners, to its board of directors. Read graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts and an MBA, as well

as Centenary College and Shenandoah University with honorary doctorate degrees. He was the founding chief executive for Tri-County Cradle to Career ColRead laborative and serves on education advisory boards for Clemson University and the University of Florida.

LAW Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd has elected Jane Bouch Stoney as a shareholder in the firm. Stoney focuses her practice on all aspects of commercial and institutional Stoney real estate, including sales, acquisitions, financing, leasing and zoning and land use regulation. She also advises clients with respect to entity formation, the formation of 501c3 tax exempt organizations, trademark and business startup matters and business litigation disputes. She received her law degree from Emory University and a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University.

Womble Bond Dickinson has promoted Charleston attorneys Alissa Fleming and Kevin Trempe to partner. As both an attorney and registered nurse, Fleming Fleming advises health care providers on a broad range of legal issues, including health care regulatory compliance, operations and litigation. She also guides hospitals and other health care industry clients in claims ranging from fraud, reimbursement, disciplinary proceedings, repayments, professional liability and qui tam whistleblower actions. Trempe’s work has involved mergers and acquisitions, corporate organization and governance, securities law compliance and duties of directors and officers. He also has advised lenders and borrowers of various sizes in syndicated and real estate lending deals. In addition to his corporate and capital markets experience, Trempe is actively involved in the firm’s economic development practice.

ARCHITECTURE Liollio Architecture’s Lance Eubanks has earned his architectural license, becoming a member of the American Institute

of Architects. Eubanks completed his Bachelor of Architecture at Mississippi State University. Previously, he worked as a project manager and project designer with companies in Washington, D.C., and as an architectural intern at a company in Mississippi. Eubanks has been a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional for more than 10 years. His portfolio consists of health care, federal, higher education, commercial and community projects.

REAL ESTATE The Beach Co. has hired Ashley Cantey as an experience navigator at The Jasper. Cantey will conduct detailed tours to prospective residents, foster relationships Cantey with current residents to increase retention and manage marketing outreach and promotion. Cantey attended Wofford College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in business economics. She has eight years of experience in the real estate sector. Most recently, she was a leasing professional and assistant community manager for Greystar.

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VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

The truth about rooftop solar revealed at PSC hearing

recent opinion editorial by Mr. Kellar Kissam warned 740,000 Dominion Energy South Carolina customers that they were unfairly subsidizing about 11,000 residents and small businesses that have rooftop solar installations. Kissam, president of electric operations for DESC, is seeking FRANK to generate a pubKNAPP JR. lic outcry against the 1% of DESC solar net-metering customers for allegedly not paying for “maintaining power lines, generation stations and all other associated costs.” Recently the S.C. Public Service Commission, at the direction of the state legislature, began a hearing to examine this potential subsidization, called “cost shift.” The PSC is to approve a new Solar Choice Tariff by June of this year and “eliminate any cost shift to the greatest extent practical.” I had a front row, virtual-seat during this PSC hearing because, as a commercial solar customer of Dominion Energy South Carolina, I was permitted to personally intervene and participate. Establishing whether there is cost shift and exactly how much non-solar DESC customers might be subsidizing the solar customers was the key question in the hearing. If any cost shift was occurring, the next important PSC decision was how much of that cost shift could be eliminated without causing great harm to the fledgling customer solar market that the legislature wants to continue to grow. During the hearing, we heard DESC witnesses talk in general about the financial burden non-solar customers were bearing so that solar customers could save on electric bills. But getting these witnesses to quantify the extent of any cost shift was a problem. Then the fourth DESC witness, who is responsible for designing and administering DESC’s electric rates and tariffs, took the stand. Based on the company’s own analysis, this witness finally revealed the details of DESC’s cost shift assertions: 1. Residential non-solar customers are paying $1.38 more a month to subsidize DESC residential solar customers. 2. Small business non-solar customers are paying 28 cents more a month

Photo/File

to subsidize DESC small business solar customers. The big financial burden on the backs of non-solar customers came down to $1.38 and 28 cents respectively per month. Clearly the legislature was not given these subsidization estimates during the deliberation of the bill calling for eliminating cost shift to the greatest extent possible. Had DESC done so, the urgency of addressing cost shift might have evaporated. But there was another bombshell dropped by the same DESC witness. There is no cost shift today. The $1.38 and 28 cents a month the utility claims as a cost shift actually won’t happen until the next DESC general rate hearing years from now, if at all. Non-solar residential and small business DESC customers are not subsidizing the small number of solar customers. The non-solar customers will not see any financial relief anytime soon if solar customers start paying a lot more on their electric bills. The millions in new revenue would stay with DESC. So, let’s stop scaring the DESC customers about them paying higher electric bills because of rooftop solar. However, even if there is no cost shift now or in the near future, the PSC still might decide to adjust the present solar net metering program to address any potential cost shift down the road. The danger is that the PSC might

approve the DESC proposed Solar Choice Tariff plan, a plan one respected Charleston-based solar company calls “industry-killing.” Other states like Nevada have enacted similar draconian solar policies as proposed by DESC and have seen their solar markets collapse. What would be the loss to all the Dominion customers if the DESC plan is approved? 1. The demand for rooftop solar would decrease dramatically because of over a 50% drop in electricity solar savings. 2. Fewer customers would opt to invest in rooftop solar because reputable solar companies won’t be able to give savings projections with any degree of certainty because of DESC not providing the hourly electricity-use data needed for those projections. 3. Reputable solar companies will abandon South Carolina, as they have in other states, because of the drop in customer demand and lay off their well-paid rooftop solar installers harming the state’s economy. 4. Any remaining customer solar demand will be served by disreputable out-of-state scam-solar companies that the state warns customers about. The resulting bad experiences will further weaken rooftop solar demand.

5. With very little new rooftop solar that reduces peak electricity demand, DESC will be back to the PSC much sooner seeking to raise rates on all customers in order to build new generation. 6. With less rooftop solar, Dominion Energy South Carolina customers will be unavoidably contributing more to carbon pollution from using more of DESC’s electricity from coal and gas plants. This carbon pollution drives climate change resulting in higher costs to consumers because of more severe storms, hotter summers, sea level rise that threatens property values and coastal tourism, and faster degradation of DESC’s electric grid that will cost customers more to repair. These are the benefits to be lost to all consumers if DESC’s new solar tariff plan is approved to correct for today’s non-existent cost shift. CRBJ

Frank Knapp Jr. is the president and CEO of the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce.

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