JASON COHEN CEO and head coach of Locomotion Fitness
PAGE 4 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 17 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM
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Goose Creek advances economic development By Andy Owens
Judging stature
Architects say statues were more about messaging than architectural significance. Page 13
W
aowens@scbiznews.com
hen Goose Creek launched an economic development quest last year, the city was determined that food and beverage would be part of the plan. It wasn’t that the city didn’t have any restaurants; rather, Mayor Greg Habib said it was about creating a convergence of commerce
at a level that would help the economy of the entire city. “The pairing of the restaurant was even more important for us,” Habib said. “Most of our restaurants realize the more restaurants we bring in the better it is for all of them. If people know they can come to the city of Goose Creek and stay in the city of Goose Creek, everybody benefits.” Habib and a regional developer have
Area developer says smaller office spaces could see a surge as companies get used to remote workers. Page 13
By Jenny Peterson
Regional leaders
Seeds of doubt
U.S. Department of Agriculture working on mystery seed deliveries. Page 3
INSIDE
Upfront................................. 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 Best Advice........................... 4 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering & Construction.................... 13 List: Architecture Firms.......28 Bonus List: Commercial Moving & Storage Companies........................... 31 At Work...............................33 Hot Properties..................... 36 Viewpoint............................39
See GOOSE, Page 8
Advisers say tech, health care bright spots in investing
Office size matters
Mayors from three municipalities reflect on the past few months and what’s ahead. Page 10
announced that an effort to repurpose the city’s old fire station has moved forward, with a new brewery and restaurant coming into the building. Habib said the fire station building on Button Hall Avenue is an important part of a larger plan to redevelop that part of the city and let residents and visitors know the city is open for business.
SLOW ASCENT Business travel has been in a holding pattern, causing numbers to plummet at airports across S.C., but tourism travel continues to slowly lift enplanements. Page 7
Passengers wait in line recently at Charleston International Airport as signage throughout the airport encourages business and social distancing. (Photo/Alec Owens)
F
Contributing writer
inancial advisers are seeing bright spots amid the pandemic in industries that we rely on now more than ever: technology, health care and communication. “By now, it is no secret that high-tech and telecommunications industries are leading the recovery. As an industry, it has outperformed in the last 90 days,” said Manuel Martinez, managing partner of Charleston Wealth Advisors. “For example, 5G is one of the biggest secular growth trends in the market and will continue to grow regardless of what happens in the economy. Mega-cap stocks such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Netflix, Facebook and Tesla are leading the market rally.” Investment in health care has also seen an upswing during the pandemic, especially in biotechnology companies, said Laura H. Clark, a Mount Pleasant-based wealth management adviser with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. “Everyone has been interested in solutions to the pandemic, so we’ve seen biotechnology companies growing to meet demand. ... TechSee INVESTMENT, Page 9
CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION Who is building what in the Charleston area? Projects, companies, prices, projected timelines, photos and stories. Page 13