Columbia Regional Business Report - June 21, 2021

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 9 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM

Part of the

network

JUNE 24-JULY 18, 2021 ■ $2.25

NEVER FORGET Fort Jackson National Cemetery honors those who gave all

A recently completed 20-acre expansion added 729 traditional burial sites at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. (Photos/ Christina Lee Knauss)

SPONSORED BY:

2

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

SPECIAL SECTION: MILITARY SALUTE

June 24 - July 18, 2021

A man walks among the markers at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. A recent expansion added 20 acres to the cemetery, including 729 traditional burial sites. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Fort Jackson National Cemetery expansion adds additional resting places

By Christina Lee Knauss

I

Contributing writer

t is common knowledge that Columbia is a big military town, home to Fort Jackson and thousands of current and former military personnel and their families.

Fort Jackson National Cemetery offers a quietly beautiful place for these veterans and their families to lie in honor, and it will now be able to serve even more people thanks to a major expansion completed earlier this month.

Boyer Commercial Construction Inc. of Columbia handled the 20-acre project.

The expansion includes 5,632 pre-placed crypts, 2,376 in-ground sites for cremains, 729 traditional burial sites and a committal shelter for ceremonies.

Brian Boyer, president and owner of Boyer Construction, said the company applied for the project as part of a Vets First Contracting Program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which allows veteran-owned firms the chance to compete for federal contracts. He said being awarded the project was especially important to him because he and project manager Parks Bunch are both U.S. Army veterans, and the project team consisted of veterans

More than 9,000 people are buried on 585 acres at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, which opened for burials in 2009. A recent expansion, handled by Boyer Commercial Construction Inc., added 20 acres along with 5,632 pre-placed crypts, 2,376 in-ground cremains sites and 729 traditional burial sites. Boyer applied for the project as part of the Vets First Contracting Program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. (Photos/Christina Lee Knauss)

representing the Army, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

“Three of the seven retired from the military and transitioned to the military as a second career, and five of the seven are combat veterans who combined to serve 130 months of combat since 9/11,” Boyer said. “Putting our construction talent to

work to create the final resting place for our fellow veterans is one way we feel like we continue to serve our country. This project was also unique because unlike anything else that we build, this will not get moved, renovated or torn down. The cemetery project will stand the test of time.”

Fort Jackson National Cemetery opened for burials in 2009 and was completed in 2015 on 585 acres that were formerly part of Fort Jackson. Before it

opened, the closest national cemetery to the Midlands was in Florence. Currently, more than 9,000 people rest there.

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who meet a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Space is also available for a veteran’s spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children and occasionally unmarried adult children with disabilities.

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 9 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM

Part of the

JUNE 24-JULY 18, 2021 ■ $2.25

network

A new Starbucks coming to 2509 Forest Drive in August will be the company’s first Community Store concept in South Carolina. The initiative provides education and workforce development. (Rendering/Provided)

Smiling faces

New campaign highlights West Columbia merchants.

Page 6

New tech on tap Midlands Tech breaks ground on new center.

Page 9

COMMUNITY COFFEE

Pipeline fallout

Colonial Pipeline coping with ransomware aftermath.

Page 14

New Starbucks coming to Forest Drive serves as part of the company’s Community Store initiative, focused on providing education and job creation

By Christina Lee Knauss

Live-work option Mixed-use unit coming to St. Anns Alley.

Page 23

INSIDE

Upfront................................. 4 SC Biz News Briefs................. 5 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction....................... 19 List: General Contractors.... 20 People in the News...............29 Viewpoint............................ 31

A

Contributing writer

trip to the neighborhood Starbucks is a daily mainstay for many people around Columbia, and come August, Midlands fans of the Seattle-based coffee titan will have a chance to experience their favorite company on a whole new level.

In early August, Starbucks plans to open one of its Community Stores at 2509 Forest Drive, the first one located in the Carolinas.

The new store is going into the former location of King’s Pizza.

What is a Community Store? Call it a mixture of coffee and community engagement.

Launched in 2015, the Community Store Initiative is part of an overall commitment

by Starbucks to focus on providing more opportunities for underserved populations around the country. It’s a Starbucks cafe that also directly benefits the community through education, workforce development and job

A Millwood Avenue Starbucks is one of Columbia’s newest, opening this spring. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

creation.

The first Community Store was opened in 2016 in Ferguson, Mo., and 14 others are now operating in locations around the country, including Queens and Brooklyn in New York City, Englewood on the South Side of Chicago, Phoenix, and Long Beach, Calif. In the Southeast, there are Community Stores in

Ship ahoy

Record-setting containership moors at Port of Charleston.

Page 17

Jonesboro, Ga., New Orleans, Birmingham, Ala., and Miami Gardens, Fla. In early 2020, the company estimated that the Community Stores had contributed to the creation of 300 local jobs and generated $59.7 million in indirect economic development in their communities.

Starbucks has committed to opening 100 community stores nationwide by 2025, with a mix of new sites and renovation of existing buildings.

Starbucks representatives were looking for a high-traffic area that also was in need of economic development when they came calling in the Midlands, according to Jude Peck of Forest Drive 2020 LLC, who is project manager for the new Forest Drive site.

“We’re excited to be involved with the project because of the company’s concern about helping the community,” Peck said.

“The demographics of the Forest Drive area See COFFEE, Page 12

Upfront

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS

T

S.C. Population per representative 1910-2020

he first bits of Census data began emerging this year starting with apportionment data for each state.

When the U.S. population is counted every 10 years, one of the important aspects of that data is to rebalance the representation of congressional leaders across the U.S. South Carolina won’t be getting another house member this year, according to the data released in April.

The last time South Carolina’s population growth warranted the addition of a U.S. House district was in 2010. How the latest Census data relates to the political landscape also gives us an early glimpse into the kind of information we’ll be getting in the coming months and years as the U.S. Census Bureau analyzes and releases more data.

Cleckley new face of Richland Library’s entreprenuer program Columbia entrepreneur and

Change in Seats Gained 2 or more Gained 1 No change Lost 1

Political representation in S.C.

Going back to 1910, Census data shows how South Carolina’s political landscape changed and shifted with population. Congressional seats, plus two senators, provide the number of electoral votes for each state.

Year 2020 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910

Photo/Provided

The politics of population

A LA CARTE

Population per rep.

732,102 633,711 670,844 584,285 519,868 436,220 397,099 352,838 316,634 289,793 240,532 216,486

Congressional seats/Change 7/0 7 / +1 6/0 6/0 6/0 6/0 6/0 6/0 6/0 6 / -1 7/0 7/0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

multimedia personality Shennice Cleckley is Richland Library’s new entrepreneur-in-residence.

Cleckley, CEO of business development firm Smart Cookie Coaching and host of business lifestyle podcast Live Fully Expressed, will serve as a liaison between the library and the area small business community. She will curate digital content for the library’s website, share insights during regular office hours and work with library staff to offer public programs focusing on timely issues and interests. Her residency runs from May until September.

Initially developed in 2019, the library’s entrepreneur-in-residence program aims to make a diverse group of leaders with proven expertise available to area businesses and entrepreneurs.

Cleckley, a graduate of Columbia Col-

HEARD IN THE

REPORT

lege with a degree in political science

“The flexibility this affords folks to make important decisions — for companies to have the options that Expansive offers can be game-changing for some of them.”

and public affairs, is also chair of the S.C. Whitmore School Board and a member of the city of Columbia’s Accommodation Tax committee.

— Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin

WEBSITE: www.ColumbiaBusinessReport.com

FOLLOW US:

@CRBR

facebook.com/ColumbiaBusinessReport

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 5

SC Biz News Briefs

WE Love our military! we support active duty and veterans with a 10% discount

Josh and Deb Jones celebrated the April groundbreaking of their two-story tasting room and operations hub in Pelzer, which is being built by Caldwell Constructors of Greenville. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

UPSTATE

GSA Business Report

Upstate winery garners national acclaim, breaks ground on tasting room, work hub

I

t all started with shared complaints over cheap carton wine at a conservative Christian college party.

Then “we started falling in love with wine,” said Deb Jones. That love took her and husband Josh to wineries all across the country. Soon they realized that the best-tasting wines came from owners with the most passionate stories.

“We decided that there are just so many wineries out there that don’t have a story and they just mass produce terrible wine,” she said. “Then and there, we said, we want to make really good wine.”

But they never thought they would have a winery of their own.

Then came marriage and a hundred bottles of vino crafted in a kitchen, the dream of ditching the 9-to-5 as a social worker and mechanical engineer at Michelin, and an opportunity to buy CityScape Winery in Pelzer from a retiring couple, Wayne and Anita Tamme.

Six years, 12 acres, a fortunate eclipse viewing and hundreds of weddings later, the Joneses discovered a page dedicated to their dream project in the May 2021 issue of Southern Living. North Carolina’s more conspicious Burntshirt Vineyards and Biltmore Winery have a two-line mention alongside sweeping photos of CityScape’s sunlit wedding tent and arbor.

The Joneses didn’t know about the feature until a guest pointed it out to them. It’s been a busy season, maybe even the busiest so far with sales of more than 70,000 bottles. Since the pandemic, sales have grown by around 40% they said, and from food truck Saturdays, weddings, wine tastings and the occasional Communion service, their outdoor patio hasn’t been empty.

“We had tons of people 10 feet apart, groups of eight or less for weddings, small parties,” she said. “We have 12 acres, so we could have so many people but it could be done in such a very COVID-friendly manner.”

But for all of the business the winery’s outdoor venue has brought the Jones family, it was plans for the winery’s incoming 10,000-square-foot tasting room and interior courtyard that brought dozens of guests, construction workers, architects and neighbors to the farm in mid-April. Narramore Associates designed the building, slated for a December opening, along with Caldwell Constructors and ADC Engineering.

“The whole downstairs area is a state-of-the-art winery,” he said. “Part of it is two stories, so we can have 16-foot-tall wine tanks and have a dedicated barrel room below the courtyard.”

BEST ADVICE Nick Osborne, Lowcountry Foodbank

PAGE 4 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 12 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM

Part of the

JUNE 14 - 27, 2021 ■ $2.25

network

Reality star opens retail shop on Upper King

By Teri Errico Griffis

Marco Polo docks

Post-Panamax behemoth is latest containership to break records along East Coast.

Page 8

Shifting north

The Quin office development carves out mixed-use potential in industrial area.

Page 12

S

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

tar of Bravo TV’s Southern Charm, Craig Conover knew nearby businesses were hesitant of him opening Sewing Down South, a homegoods store on Upper King Street. Traditionally, the area has been heavily focused on food and beverage busi-

nesses, and nerves were high what kind of traction a reality star would bring to the hometown neighborhood.

But John Fosco, owner of CBD Social a few doors down, sees the value in what Conover’s store brings and welcomes the retail shop and its owner — a quirky combination of reality TV star, entrepreneur and lawyer at Mount Pleasant’s Conover Law Firm.

NAVAL LEGACY

On May 15, Conover and his business partners Jerry Casselano and Amanda Latifi opened the doors to their 493 King St. shop, and by proximity, CBD Social recorded its highest day of in-person sales, Fosco said.

“The lines were so long all day that whether people got interest at the end of the line or saw See CHARM, Page 6

The $4.3 million renovation of The Admiral’s House at the former Navy base preserves a 116-year-old property that North Charleston considers an economic asset.

Page 10-11

New frontiers

Summer 2021

S.C.’s life sciences sector poised for growth, success

Turning a new leaf Lowcountry nonprofit that helps former prisoners find work opening in Midlands.

Page 3

Flowertown froth Craft brewing operation acquires location in Summerville.

Page 12

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 Best Advice .......................... 4 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction ............... 13 List: Home Builders ............25 At Work ..............................27 Viewpoint ........................... 31

Visitors can look through history at the newly renovated Admiral’s House in North Charleston.

(Photo/Provided)

CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED SC Biz News 1802 Dayton St., Suite 101 North Charleston, SC 29405

With publications in the Upstate, Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina.

Above are excerpts from our other publications.

Who is building what in the Charleston area?

Projects, companies, prices, projected timelines, photos and stories.

Page 13

County Spotlight: Oconee | Trending: Life Sciences in S.C. | S.C. Delivers

GSABusinessReport.com

CharlestonBusiness.com

SCBIZmag.com

803.772.7715

CoolCareHVAC.com

At The City Of Forest Acres, we believe that neighbors care and do for their neighbors. This belief extends to every part of the community. The City of Forest Acres would like to salute all those serving in the military as well as all of our Health Care Heroes.

Thank you for all you do!

6

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 MIDLANDS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Senior Account Executive - Lucia Smith lsmith@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7547 MultiMedia Advertising Executive - Amanda Alford aalford@bridgetowermedia.com • 803.726.7540 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Executive Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Editor, Custom Publishing Division Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 News Editor - Alexandria Ng ang@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 Research Specialist - Paige Wills pwills@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125 Research Assistant - Anne Puckett apuckett@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145 Staff Writer - Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum

The Real Faces WeCo Places campaign is highlighting stories of West Columbia entrepreneurs and residents. Decorative banners feature QR codes that lead to a website with information and short biographies of featured individuals and business owners. (Photo/Provided)

Campaign tells stories of West Columbia entrepreneurs

By Melinda Waldrop

jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth Group Publisher - Rick Jenkins rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1224 Director of Advertising - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox

A

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

new campaign is highlighting West Columbia businesses and entrepreneurs by personalizing their stories.

The Real Faces WeCo Places initiative features decorative pole banners with QR codes that lead to a website with more information about the featured individuals and businesses.

“I am so proud of the individuals being honored on the WeCo Faces WeCo Places banners throughout Triangle City and the River District,” West Columbia Mayor

Tem Miles said in a news release. “These banners will help tell the story of the success of our city and each individual’s great contribution to it.”

The site includes snapshots of Terra owner and head chef Mike Davis, Chayz Lounge owner Chaye Alexander, WECO Bottle & Biergarten owner Phillip Blair and Tamara Brown, owner of JAK’s Essentials. Area residents, students and community volunteers also share what they love about West Columbia.

“The people on this side of the river are so friendly, from the residents to the those in city management who make doing business in West Columbia such a plea-

sure,” Davis, who opened Terra in 2006, says on the website. “The views of the city are pretty amazing as well.”

Alexander enjoys West Columbia’s small-town sense of community.

“When driving around the neighborhoods, you can absorb the feel of the area and city itself,” she says.

Rob and Kathy Whetzel, owners of Whetzel’s Automotive for more than 20 years, say West Columbia has “a sense of unity.

“The residents and businesses, everyone welcomes you, like one big family.”

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Events Account Executive - Melissa Tomberg

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

mtomberg@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1220 Events Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Accounting - Robin Tillotson ar@pbmbrands.com • 336.605.1025 Web Editor - Rob Lyle rlyle@bridgetowermedia.com • 843.849.3119 Subscription Services service@bridgetowermedia.com • 877.615.9536 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143

Columbia Regional Business Report (USPS 8400) is published twice a month, except monthly in January, May, June, and August, with special supplements in July and December, by SC Biz News.

1612 Marion Street, Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29201-2938 Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, SC. Mailing address: 1612 Marion Street, Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29201-2938.

Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Subscription Services PO Box 1051 Williamsport, PA 17703-9940

Annual subscribers receive 20 issues of the Business Report, including two special supplements: the Book of Experts and the Book of Lists.

One year (20 issues) for $57.95; Two years (40 issues) for $92.95; Three years (60 issues) for $129.95.

Subscribe, renew, change your address or pay your invoice by credit card online at www.columbiabusinessreport.com or call 877-615-9536.

NWS Company LLC A portfolio company of BridgeTower Media

The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright

by NWS Company LLC with all rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

©2021 NWS Company LLC

THANK YOU

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 7

nephronpharm.com

8

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

22 students win awards in annual poster contest

By Melinda Waldrop

T

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

wenty-two students from kindergarten through 12th grade will receive awards in the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual Youth Conservation Poster Contest.

The Richland County students illustrated the topic “Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities,” showcasing the qualities of healthy forests and how healthy trees can lead to cleaner waterways and reduced flooding.

“Students were asked to think of themselves as being members and participants in their community, and to demonstrate ways we can all work together to have healthier forests and healthier communities,” Mary Hannah Lindsay, community outreach coordinator for the conservation district, said in a news release from Richland County.

In South Carolina, a state that is 63% forested, the forestry and forestry products industries create more than 98,000 jobs and have a $21.2 billion impact on the economy.

Posters highlighted ways to prevent water, air and soil pollution as well as the benefits of replanting trees.

More than 85 students submitted entries.

Winners will receive cash prizes.

A poster by Amiya Anderson, a fourth-grade student at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary School, won first place in the fourth-sixth grade category of the county’s Youth Conservation Poster Contest. (Photo/Provided)

Contest winners were: • Kindergarten-First Grade: First place: Neveah Stein, first grade, Edward E. Taylor Elementary; second place: Dyuthi Sudheer, first grade, A.C. Moore Elementary; third place: Uriel Sanchez, first grade, Arden Elementary • Second-Third Grades: First place:

Kayden Ashford-Reed, second grade, Edward E. Taylor Elementary; second place: Gabriela Mixon, second grade, Cutler Jewish Day School; third place: June Heyden, third grade, A.C. Moore Elementary; Madeleine Warren, third grade, A.C. Moore Elementary; honorable mention: Elias Alvarado Lopez, third

grade, L.W. Conder Elementary; Thomas Sabourin and Kylie Judy, second grade, Dutch Fork Elementary; Batya Marrus, second grade, Cutler Jewish Day School • Fourth-Sixth Grades: First place: Amiya Anderson, fourth grade, Bethel-Hanberry Elementary; second place: Sa’Miyah Hall, fifth grade, Edward E. Taylor Elementary; Olivia Faure, fourth grade, Bethel-Hanberry Elementary; third place: Akeelah Hussey, fifth grade, Edward E. Taylor Elementary; honorable mention: Tracy Martel, fifth grade, Arden Elementary; Zabriyah Heatley-Goulbourne, fourth grade, Forest Heights Elementary • Seventh-Ninth Grades: First place: Addison Chamberlain, eighth grade, Longleaf Middle; second place: Ariana Belleastin, eighth grade, Longleaf Middle; third place: Jayden Dunn, eighth grade, Longleaf Middle • 10th-12th Grades: First place: Madeline Dissinger, 12th grade, Spring Valley High School; second place: Taylor Kohn, 11th grade, S.C. Association of Independent Home Schools Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

Mortgages | Auto Loans | Credit Cards | Personal Loans Financial Counseling | Online Banking | Mobile App

________________________________________

Family Values. Forward Vision.

TM

Join today and take advantage of all the financial benefits available for our friends and neighbors here in the Midlands.

Call: 800.763.8600 | Click: www.SAFEfed.org

Federally Insured by NCUA

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 9

Midlands Technical College broke ground earlier this month on a new, $30 million technology center. The 58,245-square-foot Center for Business and Information Technologies will serve as a hub for the college’s business, IT, science and math workforce development programs. (Rendering/Provided)

MTC breaks ground on new technology center

By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

M

idlands Technical College broke ground on a $30 million, 58,000-square-foot technology center at its Beltline campus June 8.

The four-story, 58,245-square-foot Center for Business and Information Technologies will serve as a high-tech hub for the college’s business, information technology, science and mathematics workforce development programs.

“The physical transformation of our campus is representative of what we do every day: We help people transform their tomorrow,” MTC President Ronald Rhames said in an online statement.

Rhames said that of MTC’s 150 programs of study, nearly 50 are in the fields the new center is designed to support, with many of those featuring training programs offered through the college’s Corporate and Continuing Education division.

“Businesses, organizations and state government agencies rely on these programs and other corporate and continuing education offerings for workforce development,” he said. “It will be a job-training hub supporting Lexington, Richland and Fairfield counties and represents a $30 million capital investment.”

Boudreaux Group is the project architect, while Hood Construction is the contractor.

“The physical transformation of our campus is representative of what we do every day: We help people transform their tomorrow.”

Member FDIC

Ronald Rhames President, Midlands Technical College

The center will replace the Lindau Engineering Technology building, which was used in April for firefighter training.

Construction will begin later this month, with the center slated to open in August 2023, according to a news release from MTC. The college’s CCE division features QuickJobs, career-training programs developed for jobs where workers are anticipated to be in high demand during the next decade. The 40-plus programs take just a few months to complete, Rhames said, and 260 students received QuickJobs scholarships in the last fiscal year.

Midlands Tech, the state’s third-largest technical school with 8,800 students, also recently built a $4.5 million industrial technology facility at its Airport campus. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for August.

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

Forever proud.

Forever First. ®

From all of us to all who serve, thank you for protecting our country and our liberty.

firstcitizens.com

10

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

3D Systems to sell on-demand manufacturing business

By Melinda Waldrop

R

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

ock Hill-headquartered 3D printing company 3D Systems has agreed to sell its on-demand manufacturing business to private equity firm Trilantic North America for $82 million.

The sale, subject to closing conditions and adjustments, includes the company’s on-demand manufacturing experts and facilities in Tennessee, Washington, France, Italy and England, according to a news release. The on-demand manufacturing business will be rebranded as Quickparts and offer advanced manufacturing services including additive and subtractive capabilities.

The move will allow 3D Systems to focus on strengthening its position as a market leader in additive manufacturing solutions for growing markets that demand high-reliability products, according to a news release. The company will continue to collaborate with Quickparts to support shared customers after the sale closes.

“We are continuing to aggressively execute our four-phase plan that we announced a year ago to position the company for exciting growth and profitability as the market for industrial-scale additive

Rock Hill-headquartered 3D printing company 3D Systems has agreed to sell its on-demand manufacturing business to private equity firm Trilantic North America for $82 million. The business segment will be rebranded as Quickparts and offered advanced manufaturing services. (Photo/File)

manufacturing continues to expand,” Jeffrey Graves, 3D Systems president and CEO, said in the release. “The on-demand manufacturing business, with its focus on the rapid production of components using a multitude of digital manufacturing methods, is a solid business that has a very bright future under the stewardship of Trilantic North America.”

In May, 3D Systems announced an 50,000-square-foot expansion of its Colorado facility to increase its health care and industrial application development and production capabilities. In February, the company announced a $13 million, 100-square-foot expansion of its York County operations expected to create 50 jobs.

3D Systems also added metal 3D printing technology to its site in Belgium in support of work it performs for industries including aerospace, defense and automotive.

The company expects the on-demand manufacturing sale to close in the third quarter of 2021.

“Our sole reason for divestiture is to enable our entire focus and investment priorities to be on additive manufacturing, where we play a unique leadership role in enabling industrial-scale AM adoption across a range of exciting end markets,” Graves said.

“We will continue to collaborate with the Quickparts business as it relates to additive manufacturing and are confident that, with the focus this brings to both organizations, the future will be bright for all stakeholders.

“With a very strong balance sheet and cash position, proceeds from the sale will be used to further accelerate our investments for growth in our core additive manufacturing capabilities, for which we are seeing rapidly rising demand in new, extraordinary applications ranging from the human body to electric vehicles and space travel.”

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

Here matters.

Here is where we are committed to building personal relationships, meeting individual needs and supporting the communities we serve. We’re here for each other.

1-888-SYNOVUS synovus.com

Synovus Bank, Member FDIC.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 11

Helping South Carolina Companies Grow

Upcoming Training Opportunites in Columbia Include: QMS Lead Auditor Training with emphasis on IATF 16949:2016

SEPTEMBER 13-16

Building a Better Supply Chain: A Strategic Sourcing Lunch & Learn

SEPTEMBER 23

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

STARTING OCTOBER 7

ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 14001:2015 Certified Lead Auditor

OCTOBER 18-21

Management Systems Lead Auditor Training – ISO 14001:2015 & ISO 45001:2018

DECEMBER 6-9

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER VISIT WWW.SCMEP.ORG SCMEP Greenville � 250 Executive Center Dr. Suite 200 Greenville, SC 29615 | � (864) 288-5687

SCMEP Columbia � 250 Berryhill Rd. Suite 115 Columbia, SC 29210

SCMEP is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization affiliated with The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a network of 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

12

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

COFFEE, from Page 3

supported the goals of the Community Store project, plus it’s in an area with a lot of traffic and a lot of growth potential.

The area has the benefit of nearby college campuses, Providence Hospital nearby and other construction projects ongoing in the area. The confluence of all that made it a good potential site for one of these stores.”

The Community Stores have several distinct features that are different than standard Starbucks cafes. Besides the usual serving and seating areas, they feature a designated room for community events. The space on Forest Drive will be able to host workforce training classes, job fairs, community workshops, educational programs and other events.

Starbucks places a special priority on hiring local construction companies and other local workers throughout the Community Store building process and after the store is complete.

Mimms Contracting LLC of Columbia is the contractor for the Forest Drive project, and Columbia’s Seed Architecture is handling the renovation design.

Local artists are included in the building and decorating process for Community Stores, and plans are in the works to have a Columbia artist create a mural for the new Forest Drive location.

Peck also noted that Starbucks prioritized sustainability when negotiating the

The former location of King’s Pizza at 2509 Forest Drive will be home to a new Starbucks that will house a Community Store, which provides workforce development services. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

leases for the Forest Drive Community Store, including features that help limit water and power usage.

Starbucks representatives did not respond to requests for comments about the Forest Drive site except to confirm the presence of a new Community Store in Columbia.

The target opening date for the Forest Drive location is Aug. 6., Peck said.

While the Community Store will be the most distinctive Starbucks in the Midlands when it opens, it isn’t the company’s only new presence in the Columbia metropolitan area. Since 2020, the company’s footprint in the area has grown by a third, with new locations opening in the Bull Street District, on Millwood Avenue, on

Lake Murray Boulevard in Irmo and on Knox Abbott Drive in Cayce.

That brings the Midlands population cafes with the iconic green siren logo to more than 20, with more on the way.

Besides Forest Drive, new Starbucks locations are also currently under construction near Piney Grove Road in Harbison and on Spears Creek Church Road in the rapidly growing Northeast area near Pontiac and Elgin.

A Starbucks is also planned for the multi-use space going into the former Rosewood Church property on Rosewood Drive, which is slated to include more than 50 high-end apartments and retail stores.

The company’s expansion in the Mid-

lands is part of an overall surge in expansion. Starbucks announced plans recently to expand the number of stores worldwide from 33,000 to 55,000. The pandemic contributed to a surge in demand for Starbucks’ products, with some analysts saying that lockdowns encouraged customers’ desire for comfort food and treats they could purchase from their cars. Drive-through locations are a large contributor to the company’s growth in the U.S., and delivery of Starbucks products has also surged during the pandemic while causing the company to tweak its focus.

Starbucks revealed plans last summer to close up to 400 company-operated stores during the ensuing 18 months while focusing on the on-the-go transactions that made up about 80% of its U.S. company transactions, according to an article on qsrmagazine.com. That effort includes locating a mix of traditional cafes and Starbucks Pickup locations in major U.S. cities. Pickup locations are tailored for customers ordering ahead and paying through Starbucks’ mobile app or ordering via food delivery services.

In the June 2020 online article, Starbucks described the shift in focus as a plan to “restore and build resilience” as it tries “to determine how we might evolve our retail presence over time through targeted store renovations, relocations and new stores, a process that has been underway for two years.”

SENDING YOU OFF. WELCOMI NG YOU HOME .

We specialize in carrying the most precious cargo of all: yours. Fly local. Fly with ease.

FLYCAE.COM | @FLYCAE | #FLYLOCAL

June 24 - July 18, 2021

95

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 13

14

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Colonial Pipeline under fire for 16,000 shuttered stations

By Molly Hulsey

T

WELCOME FIRS T COMMUNI T Y is pleased to announce that Jan Hollar has been named to our board of directors.

We are grateful for the invaluable insight and counsel she will provide our company in the years ahead.

Member FDIC FCB 210501 Hollar Ad_4.875x9.25.indd 1

6/7/21 11:59 AM

DAILY REPORT

Sign up today for the Daily Report email newsletter at www.ColumbiaBusinessReport.com Get your message in front of Columbia’s top CEOs, executives, business owners and decision-makers every afternoon.

For advertising information, contact Lucia Smith at (803) 726-7547 or lsmith@scbiznews.com

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

wo-lane-wide security gatehouses shield Colonial Pipeline’s corporate office at multiple entrances to Sanctuary Park in Alpharetta, Ga. Even on weekends, guards monitor the gate and turn away unwanted visitors.

Yet a single compromised password killed almost all operations for the 5,500-mile pipeline from May 7 to May 13, whipping buyers into a frenzy that drained 16,000 stations along the East Coast of their fuel.

Aside from a few hours following Y2K, the pipeline has never been completely down, CEO Joseph Blount testified to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on June 8.

It may take years for the company to recover from the DarkSide ransomware attack, he said, even after the U.S. Justice Department’s newly formed Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force seized 63.7 bitcoins — worth most of the 75-bitcoin ransom and equivalent at that time to $2.3 million — from the Russia-based group on June 7.

“In the weeks since your company was struck, we have seen a series of other attacks, on everything from our transportation networks to meat-packing centers,” committee Chairman Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said during the hearing. “Those private sector strikes follow especially damaging attacks on our government, including the extensive SolarWinds hack last year. While the objectives of these attacks differ, they all demonstrate that bad actors, whether criminal organizations or foreign governments, are always looking to exploit the weakest link, infiltrate networks, steal information, and disrupt American life.”

Critics and plaintiffs argue that Colonial Pipeline didn’t do enough to gird its network against even basic hacks. They also argue the company had an obligation to the public to release more supply of fuel.

The company declined to comment when reached by GSA Business Report.

Blount maintained in the hearing that the pipeline was shut down to prevent DarkSide from being able to control the network, as the company wasn’t sure at the time how deep the hackers were in the system or their intent. He said the shutdown was not simply due to the company’s inability to bill for the gasoline coming through the pipeline. He also admitted during the hearing that more could have been done to prevent the

“Demand spiked up as much as 30% in some areas. And that definitely depleted supplies of depleted inventories and in fact, created shortages in areas that weren’t even served by Colonial.”

Chris de Bodisco associate economics professor and market failure specialist, Stetson University

attack in the first place and apologized for the outcome.

“On May 7, our employees activated our companywide incident response process and executed the steps they were trained to carry out,” he said in his testimony. “Shutting down the pipeline was absolutely the right decision, and I stand by our employees’ decision to do what they were trained to do.”

One North Carolina resident, Ramon Dickerson, filed a lawsuit against the company, requesting that Colonial Pipeline compensate every individual and business impacted negatively by the rising prices and gasoline shortages that resulted from the shutdown.

“As a result of the defendant’s failure to properly secure Colonial Pipeline’s critical infrastructure — leaving it subjected to potential ransomware attacks like the one that took place on May 7, 2021 — there have been catastrophic effects for consumers and other end-users of gasoline up and down the East Coast,” Dickerson’s attorney James Evangelista writes in the complaint filed on May 18 in a U.S. District Court in Georgia.

As of May 12, 45% of gas stations in South Carolina were still out of gas, according to the complaint, pushing the U.S. average price per gallon to above $3 for the first time in six years.

The month before the attack, the U.S. average hovered above $2.86 with Charlotte-area stations averaging just above $2.58.

“So part of that was risk avoidance,” said Chris de Bodisco, a Stetson University economist and professor that specializes in the market failures and the economic impact of shutting down pipelines. “Demand spiked up, and people heard about a possible shortage and maybe some overreaction and some misinformation kind of drove some of that.

Demand spiked up as much as 30% in some areas. And that definitely deplet-

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 15

ed supplies of depleted inventories and in fact, created shortages in areas that weren’t even served by Colonial.”

He noted that even in Orlando, Fla., an area not supplied from the pipeline, gas stations sold out and had to turn customers away in the days following the attack.

Even after Colonial Pipeline’s manual transport of more than 41 million gallons of gasoline to its tank farm in Belton, as well as locations in Spartanburg, Charlotte and five other East Coast markets, gas stations — at least in the Belton area — sold out soon after, according to several gas station employees.

Belton was under additional pressure as a known location of a tank farm, with motorists streaming to the area from Greenville and other areas across the Upstate.

Attendants at the Shell, Citco and BP stations closest to the tank farm that receive all or most of their supply from Colonial Pipeline all agreed that the shortage was one driven solely by demand — at least in the Upstate.

All reported that motorists just “went ballistic,” “crazy” and were stirred into a “frenzy” at the pumps, filling trashbags and draining thousands of gallons in one night.

Three weeks out, the Shell and BP closest to the pipeline was still out of diesel and 87 octane prices remained at $2.79.

Citgo prices were above $2.80.

Representatives from several terminals

Belton’s Colonial Pipeline tank farm was one of eight Southeastern locations that received 41 million gallons manually from the company by May 11. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

at the tank farm sourced from the pipeline also noted that they have product and always had product. They, too, agreed that it was more of a demand problem than a supply problem, although they declined to be quoted.

To mitigate the crunch, gas companies sought other sources for transport while drive-time limit regulations were waived for truckers.

“We are seeking alternative supply points, where possible, and are in close coordination with our Shell-branded wholesalers to tackle supply and logistical challenges as a result of this incident,” said a May 13 Shell statement forwarded to GSA Business Report the company was asked for a comment.

Kinder Morgan, a Colonial Pipeline competitor that operates out of Belton,

took the opportunity to fill in the gap left

by Colonial Pipeline, according to Melissa Ruiz, spokeswoman for Kinder Morgan. Kinder Morgan owns and operates Products Pipeline, formerly known as Plantation Pipeline, and gets some of its supply from Colonial Pipeline.

Kinder Morgan also deferred any non-essential maintenance that would reduce flowrates down the pipeline.

“In other words, we are transporting and storing every barrel of product we are able to receive from customers,” she said in a statement from the week following the attack.

Greenville Spartanburg International Airport representatives also noted that despite escalating prices and concerns of major disruption — especially with airports like the Charlotte International Airport being directly serviced by the pipeline — there was little change to dayto-day operations.

“During the fuel shortage, GSP maintained sufficient fuel supply for all our passenger and cargo operations,” spokeswoman Michelle Newman said in an email.

“No flights at GSP were delayed by the fuel shortage. We monitored the situation closely and remained in constant communications with our airline partners to ensure uninterrupted service.”

Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter

A Better State. A Better State of Mind.

Forging the Path Ahead.

WE D ES I G N + E N G IN E E R IN N OVAT IVE SO LUTI O NS THAT E NRI CH THE WO RLD A RO U N D US .

N. CHARLESTON

|

COLUMBIA

|

FLORENCE

|

GREENVILLE

|

G R E E N WO OD

davisfloyd.com

16

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

SERVING ALL REGIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA! Lab Casework

Furniture Systems

Fume Hoods

LAB FURNITURE PLANNING BUDGETING/ESTIMATING PROJECT COORDINATION INSTALLATION Go to newenglandlab.com or call 888.635.2080.

FAST. UNFILTERED. FRESH.

SodaCityBizWire.com Dedicated to serving up business announcements fast & unfiltered.

Get your message in front of the top decision-makers in the Midlands as they stay up-to-date on the people and businesses making moves in the Midlands.

For advertising information, contact Lucia Smith at (803) 726-7547 or lsmith@scbiznews.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

More than $13 million in infrastructure grants approved

By Melinda Waldrop

T

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

he S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority has approved more than $13 million in grants for 27 water, sewer and storm drainage projects throughout the state.

The grants will be combined with more than $25 million in other local, state and federal funds to address health and environmental concerns and replace outdated infrastructure, according to a news release from the agency. RIA has awarded $26.1 million in infrastructure improvement funds this fiscal year.

“Now more than ever, the RIA is committed to helping communities achieve long-term sustainability in water and sewer infrastructure,” Bonnie Ammons, the organization’s executive director, said in the release. “This is not a new concept.

Our grant program often helps to address the most critical needs of a system. But we are also striving to develop targeted, forward-looking strategies to work together with utilities to build a stronger future.”

The fiscal year 2021 projects will benefit more than 81,000 customers in 32 counties, including area businesses and industry, according to the release. More than 70% of the projects target improvements in rural areas.

RIA grants are awarded twice a year through a competitive process that factors in needs for improved public health, environmental protection, community sustainability and economic development. Projects selected by the RIA board are based on criteria including severity of the problem and project feasibility, while grant recipients pay for non-construction activities and often provide additional construction funds.

“Now more than ever, the RIA is committed to helping communities achieve long-term sustainability in water and sewer infrastructure.”

Bonnie Ammons Executive director, S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority

The latest grant recipients are: • Aiken County/Breezy Hill Water & Sewer Co., $500,000, water line improvements • City of Bennettsville, $498,759, water system improvements • Calhoun County, $500,000, water line improvements • Town of Carlise, $2 million, sewer system improvements • Town of Chapin, $500,000, sewer system improvements • Clarendon County, $500,000, sewer system improvements • Town of Eastover, $135,000, water system improvements • Edgefield County Water & Sewer Authority, $167,250, economic water infrastructure • Edgefield County Water & Sewer Authority, $500,000, water system improvements • Georgetown County, $100,000, water system improvements • City of Georgetown, $403,178, sewer system improvements • Greenwood Metropolitan District, $500,000, sewer system improvements • Town of Jackson, $188,351, water line improvements • Kershaw County, $800,000, economic sewer infrastructure • Lowcountry Regional Water System, $400,000, economic sewer

infrastructure • Lowcountry Regional Water System, $500,000, economic water infrastructure • Lowcountry Regional Water System, $420,000, sewer system improvements • Marlboro County/Wallace Water Co., $500,000, water system improvements • City of Mauldin, $500,000, sewer system improvements • Newberry County Water & Sewer Authority, $279,750, sewer system improvements • City of Newberry, $468,188, water system improvements • North Charleston Sewer District, $500,000, sewer system improvements • Town of Pageland, $181,962, economic water and sewer infrastructure • Southside Rural Community Water District, $259,048, water line improvements • Startex-Jackson-Wellford-Duncan Water District, $450,000, economic water infrastructure • Town of Turbeville, $500,000, water system improvements • City of Union, $857,750, economic sewer infrastructure Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

Neighborhoods can win free art in new storm drain project

By Melinda Waldrop

A

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

new civic campaign seeks help from residents to mark local storm drains while sprucing up area neighborhoods.

A partnership between Richland County Stormwater Management and Columbia Water will give neighborhoods the chance to have a storm drain painted by a local artist.

The project is part of the county’s annual Drains Aren’t Dumps campaign, which aims to reduce pollution in local waterways by highlighting the harmful effects pet waste, lawn clippings and lawn chemicals can have when they enter storm drains.

Storm drain markers, weatherproof

medallions with an image of a fish and water along with the words “No Dumping/Drains to River,” serve as visual reminders that storm drains lead directly to local creeks, streams, lakes and rivers, the county said. Water flowing through storm drains is not treated or cleaned.

“During this year’s campaign, instead of us selecting which drains will be painted, we’re giving more neighborhoods an opportunity to get involved,” Chenille Williams, the county’s education program coordinator for stormwater management, said in a news release.

Three entrants from Richland County or the city of Columbia will be randomly selected in October to have drains painted by Jessica Dame.

To get started marking neighborhood drains, residents can follow sign-up steps

at www.drainsarentdumps.org. Registered groups will receive training and materials needed to mark drains including safety vests, gloves, a wire brush, caulking gin and adhesive.

At least 100 neighborhoods in Richland County and the city of Columbia have drains that can be marked, according to the release. Williams recommended having at least two people mark a storm drain.

“I’ve worked with students in elementary schools to mark drains on their schools’ campuses,” Williams said. “Up until 2020, we got a great response from citizens interested in marking drains.

We’re trying to bring the program back and pick up that participation again.”

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 17

Massive ship moors at Port of Charleston, sets East Coast records

By Teri Errico Griffis

S

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

outh Carolina welcomed another post-Panamax containership late last month, setting another record for a massive cargo-carrying vessel at the Port of Charleston.

Gov. Henry McMaster, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and CMA CGP America President Ed Aldridge, were among those gathered to see the CMA CGM Marco Polo dock at the Wando Welch Terminal on May 28.

The ship carried 16,022 TEUs — an industry measurement equivalent to a 20-foot container — and set several big ship records along the U.S. East Coast in 11 days.

First docking in Halifax, Canada, the Marco Polo sailed south to ports in New York and New Jersey, Virginia and Savannah before making a final U.S. stop at the Port of Charleston.

Representatives from companies such as Walmart, Amazon and Ingevity gathered with Berkeley County leaders. Global freight forwarder DT Project mingled in a group with the CEO of Unipet, Inc., a distributor and exporter of raw cotton from Huntersville, N.C. Samsung interns snapped selfies with managers.

“A big ship, very indirectly, creates jobs,” said Micah Mallace, senior vice presdient of marketing and sales for the SCPA. “The investments that we make, the growth of our port, it creates jobs, further investment in our state, a better tax base. ... Maybe I’m overly optimistic, but I look at this response and think maybe people do see the correlation.”

The ship arrives less than a year after the Ports Authority strongly leaned into importing and exporting retail goods, Mallace said. The ship also comes at a time when port capacity is stretched to all-time rates and supply chains are being disrupted globally.

For SCPA customers actually to see their products and containers unload-

“We are just doing everything right in Charleston and here in South Carolina.”

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace

The CMA CGM Marco Polo sails into Charleston Harbor to dock at the Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant on May 28. (Photo/Teri Errico Griffis) U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace talks about the importance of the distribution and logistics sector under the mooring lines of the CMA CGM Marco Polo, the largest containership to traverse the East Coast.

(Photo/Teri Errico Griffis)

ed is meaningful, Mallace said, and it couldn’t have happened without a nearly $2 billion investment in infrastructure and harbor deepening over the last decade.

“All of that allows us to handle a ship like this, and to tell companies yes, we can handle your business today. We can also handle your business for the next 10, 15 years,” Mallace said.

For Aldridge, every container on the Marco Polo represented a customer.

“At the end of the day, our importers, exporters and thousands of consumers are all depending on South Carolina ports and the CMA CGM group to provide a personalized and differentiated level of service,” he said.

“Together, CMA and the S.C. Ports must focus on remaining flexible and agile so our customers in this very, very important region can continue to grow and prosper for many more years to come.”

Though the Marco Polo docked up and down the East Coast, Aldridge only stopped at Charleston. Mallace expects to see ships upward of 18,000 and 19,000 TEUs reach Charleston possibly as early as next year.

“We’ve seen this unbelievable growth in the Southeast, as well as just in South Carolina and Charleston,” he said.

“In our industry, that growth is substantiated by containerships carrying more cargo.”

Mace said the ship’s massive size showed the importance of dredging the Charleston Harbor and continuing to be competitive along the Eastern Seaboard.

“Even right now with the challenges we have in the supply chain, we have Trident Technical College that is going to open their own CDL truck driving certification school this summer in July,” Mace said. “We are just doing everything right in Charleston and here in South Carolina.”

SCPA COO Barbara Melvin said in a statement that the ship’s arrival has created a source of pride for the maritime community.

“The arrival of this record-breaking vessel highlights the importance of our infrastructure projects, which require great foresight and significant investment to deliver the capacity and capabilities our customers require,” she said.

“Our efforts ensure South Carolina remains a top 10 U.S. container port, in support of South Carolina’s economy.”

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

18

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Presents

Join Jon Gordon as he hosts this monthly webcast featuring America’s top business minds and thought leaders.

BE OUR GUEST. REGISTER FREE.

Go to: bit.ly/21stcbfcola

The Novel Economy:

Thriving in a Digital Environment BRIAN SOLIS

This eight-time bestselling author and international keynote speaker is a world-renowned digital anthropologist and futurist who serves as the Global Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce. Forbes described him as “one of the more creative and brilliant business minds of our time.” ZDNet labeled him “one of the 21st century business world’s leading thinkers” and he was recently named a “Top Futurist Speaker” by Read/Write.

JULY 14

12 PM EST

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

In Focus

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION

NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS: Residential Real Estate

LIST: General Contractors, Page 20

Expansive space:

New coworking option open on Lady Street

Expansive opened its first S.C. coworking space location in the building it owns at 1122 Lady St. on June 3. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

O

ne of the conference rooms at the spruced-up and open-forbusiness office and coworking space at 1122 Lady St. owned by nationwide company Expansive is, without a doubt, secure.

The building, blocks from the Statehouse in downtown Columbia’s central business district at the corner of Lady and Main, has been home to an array of businesses, including several banks, during its half-century history. Remnants of that past can be found in some of its architectural quirks.

Seed Architecture, the Cottontown-based architect of record for its renovation, worked with designers from Expansive to preserve details such as the second-floor bank vault with its 16-inch steel door.

“We were able to open that up and

“If you want to just stay for a month, we can work that out. Since we own everything, there’s no red tape.”

Blake Barnes Area sales mamager, Expansive

use it as the focal point within the space” of a circular, glassed-in conference room, said John Powell, architect and owner of Seed.

“They (Expansive) were just as excited about leaving it as we were about preserving it,” said Mickie Hoover of Seed, who served as the project manager.

The international style-inspired building, constructed in 1970, was designed by Charles F. Carter of Lafaye, Lafaye and Associates, a noted Columbia architectural firm in business from 1910 until the 1970s. The

Seed team scoured hand-drawn original plans housed at the University of South Carolina’s South Caroliniana Library to ensure any additions to the building, such as a rooftop deck, would fit the structure. While the project did not seek out any historic tax credits, efforts were made to preserve the original feel of the building, one of Columbia’s first high-rises.

“That corner is such as interesting corner,” Powell said. “It was a lot of fun to work sort of in the midst of the middle layer of that urban core.”

Optus Bank has occupied the first

floor of the building since relocating its headquarters two years ago and is now a client of Expansive, which rebranded from its previous name of Novel Coworking earlier this year.

The company, which held a grand opening for its first S.C. location June 3, is offering a variety of spaces for rent and touting the lease flexibility made possible by its ownership of the building.

“If you just want to stay for a month, we can work that out,” Blake Barnes, Expansive area sales manager, told the Columbia Regional Business Report during the event. “Since we own everything, there’s no red tape.”

Barnes said that half of the 95 private offices available on the building’s 12 floors have already been rented.

The offices, which feature kitchenettes and conference rooms, can accommodate staffs from one to See EXPANSIVE, Page 22

20

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

General Contractors Ranked by No. of Contracts in 2020 Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Contracts: No. / Value

Employees

Mashburn Construction Co. Inc. 1820 Sumter St. Columbia, SC 29201

803-400-1000 www.mashburnconstruction.com lculley@mashburnconstruction.com

Lee Mashburn, Paul Mashburn 1976

36 -

45

Healthcare, historical renovation, hospitality, industrial, upfit, institutional and church construction markets

M.B. Kahn Construction Co., Inc. 101 Flintlake Road Columbia, SC 29223

803-736-2950 www.mbkahn.com jmorris@mbkahn.com

Robert A. Chisholm, William H. Neely 1927

22 $99,367,000

202

General contracting, construction management, construction management at risk, and design-build services

Chapin Commercial Construction 573 Chapin Road Chapin, SC 29036

803-771-0454 www.chapincommercialconstruction.com chad@chapincommercialconstruction.com

Chad Lindler, Caroline Lindler 2018

18 $8,342,612

7

Design-build commercial contractor; retail centers, pre-engineered metal buildings, restaurants, religious and athletic facilities, office buildings, funeral homes, manufacturing facilities and other general commercial construction

McCrory Construction 522 Lady St. Columbia, SC 29201

803-799-8100 www.mccroryconstruction.com info@mccroryconstruction.com

Allen Bridgers, Allen B. Amsler 1918

17 $60,000,000

54

Commercial, industrial, multifamily, retail, office, construction management

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

803-957-4541 www.murphycontractinginc.com murphycontractinginc@sc.rr.com

Robert F. Murphy, Brad D. Murphy 1995

16 -

6

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

Solid Structures 2548 Morningside Drive West Columbia, SC 29169

803-926-0298 www.solidstructures.info sbrazell@solidstructures.info

Sandi Brazell 2008

16 $5,963,111

10

New construction, pre-engineered metal buildings, renovations, design-build

Landmark Builders of South Carolina 1118 Shop Road Columbia, SC 29201

803-661-9920 www.landmarkbuildersofsc.com ccampolong@landmarkbuilders.com

Glenn Williams, John F. Bartlett 1975

15 $18,000,000

35

Healthcare, industrial and distribution, office, senior living, upfit and renovation, resort

Sacon 749 Kirkland Circle Elgin, SC 29045

803-573-4300 www.sacon.us mailbox@sacon.us

Doug Hunt 1986

15 -

20

Commercial general contractor, plumbing, HVAC, electric

Sloan Construction 248 Plemmons Road Duncan, SC 29334

864-968-2250 www.sloan-construction.com

Paul Edwards, Aaron Hollar 1933

15 $19,188,000

49

A division of Reeves Construction Co.; airports, bridges, highways, streets and minor roads, tunnels and other structures

Master Construction Co. Inc. 218 St. Peters Church Road Chapin, SC 29036

803-345-8088 www.masterconstructionco.com dcayton@masterconstructionco.com

Eddie Fulmer 1992

10 -

9

Pre-engineered metal buildings, design-build, conventional buildings, medical, retail, mini storage, industrial, manufacturing, office space, renovations

Buchanan Construction Services 2800 William Tuller Drive Columbia, SC 29205

803-695-2123 www.buchananconstructionservices.com bmcdonald@buchananconstructionservices.com

Betsy McDonald, Davis Buchanan 2004

6 $8,000,000

10

Midmarket commercial construction projects

G. Meetze Construction LLC 1720 Dutch Fork Road, Suite G Irmo, SC 29063

803-345-5888 www.gmeetzeconstruction.com geraldmeetze@yahoo.com

Mac Johnson, Gerald D. Meetze 1998

5 $1,000,000

4

Residential and commercial renovations

Thompson Turner Construction 100 N. Main St. Sumter, SC 29150

803-773-8005 www.thompsonturner.com info@thompsonturner.com

Hal Turner, Greg Thompson 2001

5 $65,000,000

65

Commercial offices, sports and entertainment, health care, retail and restaurants, hotels and convention centers, distribution and warehouses, religious and cultural, education, industrial and manufacturing

Paragon Builders 2874 Columbia Road Orangeburg, SC 29118

803-534-1900 www.paragonbuilderssc.com stephon@paragonbuilderssc.com

Stephon I. Edwards 1999

1 $1,500,000

3

General construction, construction management, residential construction masonry, concrete work, design-build, general trades

Hill Construction Co. LLC 108 Park Terrace Drive Columbia, SC 29212

803-720-9225 www.hillconstructionllc.com rhill@hillconstructionllc.com

Amanda Strickland , Ray Hill 2010

-

8

Unlimited commercial new construction, renovations, upfits, historical renovations, multifamily

Hood Construction Co. Inc. 1215 Shop Road Columbia, SC 29201

803-765-2940 www.hoodconstruction.com juliebartels@hoodconstruction.com

Julie Bartels, Samuel M. Hood 1986

-

95

Design assist, CM-R, construction, project management and consulting in healthcare, higher education, K-12, historic, hotel and restaurant, industrial, office, religious, retail and commercial housing

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.

Area of Specialization

Researched by Business Report staff

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 21

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Enhancing the

SCDMH State Veterans Nursing Home Gaffney, South Carolina

Experience

SPONSORED BY:

1501 Main Street Suite 730 Columbia, SC 29201 ssoe-sw.com

915 Lady Street Suite A 915 Lady St. Developer/owner: Avant Holdings/Avant - 915 Lady Architect(s): 1x1 Design Project Manager: Avant Holdings General contractor: Weathers Contracting, West Columbia Estimated completion date: Spring 2021 This upfit for Next Level Solutions covers extensive renovations for adaptive reuse into Class A creative office space. The predominantly open floor plan features ceilings up to 18 feet high with historic wood ceiling decking, exposed brick, sprinkler lines and spiral ductwork, sleek concrete floors, and a cool mezzanine level. Operable original steel-sash windows and historic roll-up doors with glass garage doors behind them flood spaces with natural light.

2200 Sumter Street 2200 Sumter St. Developer/owner: 888 Investments Architect(s): Architrave General contractor: Cohn Corp.

Estimated completion date: Summer 2021 The scope of work for the project includes site and shell renovations. Site improvements include the addition of a patio space, modifications to existing utilities, and replacement of existing concrete. Building renovations include demolition of existing interior structures, roof replacement, and cosmetic improvements to the existing block walls.

Scan to learn more

Through a recent acquisition, Stevens & Wilkinson joined SSOE’s national platform expanding its Southeast presence, capabilities, and overall portfolio.

SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson creates sustainable environments that are culturally and socially significant, projects that have a lasting and positive impact on our communities.

Hartsville Airport Terminal | Hartsville, SC | Spring 2021

Mashb u r n Co n st r u ct i o n Bui ld in g w ith I nte g rit y

HISTORIC | INDUSTRIAL | OFFICE | RETAIL | HEALTHCARE | K–12 | UPFIT mashburnconstruction.com

See CUC, Page 26

22

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

Expansive, with an entrance at 1122 Lady St., offers coworking space tailored to meet the space and lease needs of clients. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

EXPANSIVE, from Page 19

eight employees, and nine larger “smart suites,” ranging from 2,000 to 7,000 square feet, are also available.

“They kind of have a formula as to what works best for their tenants across the board,” Hoover said. “They had a general idea of the layout that they were looking for. We tweaked it and made it a little more functional for them. As it was being built, there were a couple of tweaks here and there that we made based on what market research showed tenants wanted.”

Pricing depends on the size of the leased space and the length of the lease and can be tailored to each client, Barnes said. Smaller offices range from $400 to $500 a month, while the smart suites are around $5,000 to $10,000 a month.

The prices are inclusive, with no utilities or taxes tacked on, he said.

The building’s third floor features an open amenity space with an outdoor patio. Winding hallways feature colorful splashes of art and are stenciled with inspirational quotes from some of Expansive’s clients.

Seed worked on renovations on the first, second, third and ninth floors, Powell said.

“I think it turned out great,” Hoover said. “If we were working in the space, I’d probably live on the roof deck.”

Powell said the renovations included a few hiccups not uncommon when working with older structures.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Expansive’s new coworking space at 1122 Lady St. in downtown Columbia’s central business district has leasing options including “smart suites,” which range from 2,000 to 7,000 square feet of space. The 12-story building, which faces Main Street, is the Chicago-based company’s first location in South Carolina. Its 40 nationwide locations include space in Charlotte and Savannah. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

“Old buildings are difficult,” he said.

“The concrete floors were not level. You have to work with that. There were some things that had to be done as construction went along that turned out well in the end but took a lot of effort.”

Delays in getting materials because of the pandemic’s effect on supply chains also had to be dealt with. Elements such as break room countertops had to be redesigned when kitchen equipment wasn’t available.

“In construction, everything is integrated together,” Powell said. “It was the full spectrum, from plants shutting down, down to individual workers necessary for a certain task. Construction is complicated and difficult and messy in the best of times.”

The results showcased themselves seamlessly during the grand opening as folks mingled, a keyboardist played and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin toured the space.

Benjamin said the space is indicative of Columbia’s growth, which he said is driven by attracting outside capital into the city and then utilizing it.

“It’s a validator (for Columbia),” Benjamin said. “The flexibility this affords folks to make important decisions — for companies to have the options that Expansive offers can be game-changing for some of them.”

Expansive offers an access pass that allows clients to rent space in its 40 nationwide locations, including Charlotte and Savannah. McKenna Michel,

People mingle on the third-floor amenity suite of Expansive’s coworking space at 1122 Lady St. during a June 3 grand opening. The building features offices that can accommodate from one to eight employees as well as larger “smart suites.” Offices include a conference room and kitchenette. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

Expansive chief marketing officer, said the company has “had an eye on” Columbia for a while and is optimistic the building can provide solutions for area business beginning to navigate the post-pandemic office environment.

“People just don’t know what the future holds right now in terms of headquarters, offices, etc.,” she said. “While companies are figuring out how they’re going to handle work-from-home and hybrid models of working, flex-work is a good option.”

Clients also have the option to

upgrade their space as their needs change or their companies grow, Michel said, citing a Chicago client who began by renting a dedicated desk and eventually progressed to occupying a suite.

“You don’t have to change your address and you don’t have to leave the community you created,” she said. “It’s a professional environment but we create a community for people. It gives them a place to belong, and that’s what people have missed.”

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 23

Mixed-use, live-work unit planned for St. Anns Alley

By Melinda Waldrop

A

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

two-story, mixed-use development building is being planned at St. Anns Alley, a single-family neighborhood in West Columbia’s River District.

The building at the entrance to the development at the corner of Center Street and St. Anns Alley will include 948 square feet of heated and cooled office/retail space on the first floor as well as a 754-squarefoot living space on the second floor.

The living space will include one bedroom, a kitchen, a bath and a great room, according to a news release from project developer Spring Street Partners.

Construction on the mixed-use building is slated to start this summer and be completed in approximately six months, according to the release.

The lower level commercial space can be upfitted to a purchaser’s specifications if the building is purchased before or during construction.

“The unit is designed to not only project a quality commercial building but also to fit in with the surrounding neighborhood,” developer Joe Taylor said in the release, adding that the building at 509 Center Street “will set a new architectur-

St. Anns Alley, a single-family neighborhood in West Columbia’s River District, is adding a mixed-use, livework unit at an entrance to the development. The two-story building will feature 948 square feet of first-floor retail space and 754 square feeet of second-floor living space. (Photo/Provided)

al standard for commercial construction along the Center Street commercial corridor.”

Spring Street Partners includes Taylor along with developers Tyler Baldwin Jr. and Mark James.

“The commercial component will lend itself well to a variety of neighborhood retail or office uses be they creative, trade or professional businesses,” said Baldwin, who is handling the sale of the live-work unit for Cypress Commercial and Invest-

ment Real Estate. “With its location at the entrance to St. Anns Alley, convenience is the driver for this live-work unit, not only for the owner and all the residents of St. Anns Alley but also for the entire growing, vibrant West Columbia River District.”

The building is the only live-work unit planned for the 34-home development.

Last month, project developers announced that 10 of 15 lots in Phase II have been released for sale, with all 11 Phase I homes either under contract or

sold and occupied. Five homes currently under construction are expected to be ready for occupancy in July, and four Phase II homes have already been purchased.

Five additional homes will be ready for occupancy later this summer, the developers said.

“St. Anns Alley is a perfect blend of old and new in West Columbia,” West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles said. “We have always believed West Columbia is the best place you can live and work. I am so excited that this project will provide an opportunity for folks to do both in the same setting.”

Allison Ramsey Architects of Beaufort, designer of all the St. Anns Alley homes, is also designing the mixed-use building.

Mungo Construction of Irmo is the builder, while Civil Engineering of Columbia is handling the site work.

The community is bounded by Center, Spring, Herman and Augusta streets in the River District. St. Anns Alley homes are two- or three-bedroom with two and half baths, ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 square feet.

Two parking spaces are allotted to each house, and the neighborhood includes a park, landscaping and sidewalks.

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

Quality Work And Commitment To Our Customers www.sacon.us (803) 572-4300

24

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Planners of the Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center wanted a structure in which the design reflected the setting and use of the building. The cross laminated timber building is located across Lake Hartwell from Clemson University’s central campus and reflective of a growing industry trend of mass timber construction. (Photo/Clemson University)

Southern pine CLT structure inspiring more projects made from mass timber

By Ross Norton

A

rnorton@scbiznews.com

building on the Clemson University campus is the second project anywhere in the country using a Southern pine version of cross laminated timber — CLT, to the construction industry — a building material gathering attention around the world for its beauty, flexibility and lower carbon impact.

Champions say architects, engineers and builders could make Southern pine CLT a significant force in construction.

CLT is a mass timber product that consists of layers of lumber with each layer oriented at a right angle to the next one, then glued to form structural panels with exceptional strength, dimensional stability and rigidity, according to ReThink Wood, a group that represents the softwood lumber industry in North America.

The concept is not new — think plywood — but this is layers of wood laid on thicker, longer and with attention to aesthetics that make it a product strong

enough to be the substance of a structure and, in some cases, just as appealing for how it looks as how it holds. In fact, it was the ability to create soaring exposed beams, or wall panels as long as 60 feet, that inspired what came to be known as the Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center across Lake Hartwell from Clemson’s central campus.

Planners recognized that a wood structure with dramatic lines would be appropriate for an outdoor education center, and the project came up as the Clemson Wood Utilization + Design Institute was making progress on research and testing of mass timber using Southern yellow pines. The institute was looking for a good way to utilize a regional product and also had learned from growers that many timber owners had a desire to see a nobler use for their long-growing pines.

“That’s our local species, and that is the material that ended up being used at the Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center,” Patricia Layton, forestry professor and director of the Wood Utilization

+ Design Institute, said in a news release.

“That building really started something.”

The building now stands as an example of what the product can do, inspiring its use elsewhere including another recent project on campus, the Samuel J. Cadden Chapel. Other college and school buildings include Wofford College’s Environmental Sciences Building in Spartanburg, The Continuum in Lake City, Ten Oaks Middle School in Myrtle Beach, the College of Charleston Admissions Office at Craig Hall, Charles Towne Landing Founders Hall in Charleston and the University of South Carolina-Beaufort at the Hilton Head Island Campus.

Other projects include the Pleasant Ridge Camp and Retreat Center in Marietta, YMCA Camp Thunderbird Duke Energy Pavilion in Lake Wylie, Lynches River Discovery Center in Coward, The Pepper Plantation Pavilion in Mount Pleasant, the Louis Waring Jr. Senior Center in Charleston, James Island Town Hall and others. Fort Jackson Candlewood Suites in Columbia and Home2Suites in Mount

Pleasant are a couple of hotels that will stand as examples, according to information from Clemson University.

An architecture professor and founding member of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute, Justin Albright teamed up his students with professionals from design firm LS3P to explore use of mass timber systems for school buildings.

LS3P, with a Columbia office among its S.C. locations, wanted to know more about the product’s efficiency when they recruited Albright and 18 of his students to design a new elementary school with mass timber systems in mind for the Forest Acres community in Columbia.

“There were numerous other CLT structures, and other structures with other types of mass timber panels built elsewhere around the country, prior to the Andy, which used products made from other species — Douglas fir, spruce, etc.,” Albright said. “The Andy” is a nickname for the Quattlebaum Center.

Albright said that a CLT product with Southern yellow pine can be an

June 24 - July 18, 2021

important boon to one of the state’s most valuable industries.

“It’s definitely important to prioritize this as a regional resource. The Southeast U.S. is one of the most timber-rich regions of the world, and it means so much to our economy, from the landowners to the loggers to the sawmills and product manufacturers,” he said. “It’s also just wise and more sustainable to use what is local, rather than shipping in materials from other places. When it comes to the performance of Southern pine … it’s strong and relatively dense, comparable to Douglas fir. It is particularly easy to treat with preservatives, making lumber durable for exterior exposure. Relative to mass timber, Southern pine is very highly suitable for gluing and laminating. Most importantly, Southern pine has a very fast growth rate. Southern pine trees reach maturity at 25-30 years, while Douglas fir, for example, is more like 40-50 years.”

Mass timber buildings are roughly 25% faster to construct than concrete buildings and require 90% less construction traffic, the Clemson news release said.

Proponents champion mass timber as a strong, low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel.

A study in the January issue of the Journal of Building Engineering determined the final cost on a theoretical multistory building 5.62% higher than traditional material. In Clemson’s case, because of

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 25

Architecture professor Justin Albright says building a mass timber structure is like assembling an oversized model kit. The buildings are around 25% faster to construct than concrete bulidings and require 90% less construction traffic, according to Clemson University. (Photo/Clemson University)

state bidding policies, the cost had to beat post-and-beam building to happen at all, Layton said.

“Clemson is at the forefront of these building systems,” said Albright. “It’s becoming more and more popular, so knowing how to work with this system is going to be increasingly valuable for our students. We’re one of the first universities to teach it to our engineering and architec-

COVID RECOVERY POSITIONING YOUR COMPANY IN A POST-PANDEMIC ECONOMY

Columbia’s future depends on the strength of all small and medium businesses to drive the economic recovery in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. CRBR is assembling a slate of experts across all industries to share their expertise and advise businesses of all sizes on what they should be doing now to be in position to thrive after COVID-19. With vaccine distribution ramping up and restrictions likely easing over the course of 2021, what will the new normal look like for Columbia area organizations? The companies that participate in this The Path product will be viewed as Columbia’s Forward thought leaders.

Columbia

COVID REC OVERY POSITION

ING YOUR COMPAN

Y IN A PO ST-PA

Columbia ’s future depends recovery on the stren in the after industrie gth of all math of the s to small and medium in position share their expertise coronavirus pand businesse emic to thrive and advis s to drive after the course e businesse . CRBR is assembling the econ of 2021, what COVID-19. With omic a slate of vaccine distr s of all sizes on what experts acro will the new ibution ramp they shou ss all norm participat ld be doin ing up and e in this prod al look like for g now to restrictio Columbia uct will be be ns likely area orga viewed as easing over nizations?

Columbia The comp ’s thought anies that leaders.

NDEMIC

ECONOM

prepares to get back to bu siness

PRESENTED

SALES DEADLINE: JULY 7 PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 19 For more information contact Lucia Smith 803-726-7547 or lsmith@scbiznews.com

BY

Y

ture students.”

The 16,500-square-foot Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center was built with funds donated by Don and Hayden Quattlebaum in memory of their son.

Of their $2.7 million gift, $2.2 million went to the center, located at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness Center, known to generations of alumni and locals as Y Beach. The remaining $500,000 will be

used to support the Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science in Georgetown.

Cooper Carry was the architect for the Quattlebaum Center. Britt, Peters and Associates served as engineers and Sherman Construction was the contractor.

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222 or @RossNorton13 on Twitter.

26

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Engineer(s): RMF Engineering, Mt. Pleasant (electrical); ADC Engineering, Irmo (civil) Estimated completion date: 2021 Estimated total cost of this project: $1.1 Million The next transformative project identified by the Central Carolina Technical College 2019 Master Plan is a central campus greenspace that replaces parking and asphalt with landscaping, trees, and quality paving materials. Along with adding informal areas for students to gather and collaborate, the design will continue to emphasize pedestrian connections and outdoor seating.

Brentwood Mixed-Use Brentwood Drive at Forest Drive Developer/owner: Cason Development Group Architect(s): Garvin Design Group Project Manager: Cason Development Group General contractor: Wilson Company (townhouse construction); Boyer Construction (commercial building construction) Engineer(s): Landplan Group South (civil) Estimated completion date: Third quarter 2022 This mixed-use development will include 14,800 sq. feet of commercial space and 11 townhomes.

The two-floor commercial space will feature 8,500 sq. feet of contiguous space on the first floor and 6,300 sq. feet on the second, plus an 1,800-sq.-foot terrace, targeting an upscale restaurant, office, and other light retail. The restaurant and other upstairs tenant(s) will have access to the terrace. The townhouses will range in size from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet.

Cambria Hotel 1000 Lady St. Developer/owner: Highside Development, Denver Architect(s): LS3P Project Manager: Columbia General contractor: McCrory Construction Engineer(s): LeBlanc Welch, Greenville (mechanical, plumbing); Buford Goff & Associates (electrical); Cox and Dinkins (civil); ADC Engineering, Greenville (structural) Estimated completion date: Second quarter 2022 Both the interior and exterior of this new design-build hotel are intended to reflect the characteristics of the Vista District.

CEEUS 101 Enterprise Way, West Columbia Developer/owner: Columbia Architect(s): SGA | Nordmeyer Wright Design, Greenville Project Manager: Columbia General contractor: McCrory Construction Company Engineer(s): MECA (mechanical/plumbing); John Ray Williams, PE (electrical); Sturkie & Associates Engineering, PE Travelers Rest (site electrical); Cox and Dinkins (civil); Zuendt Engineering, Greenville (structural) Estimated completion date: Second quarter 2021 The current transformer storage facility, a covered 20,000-sq.-foot open area, is being upgraded to a pre-engineered warehouse to increase storage capabilities. Also included in the project is full renovation of 14,000-sq.-feet of interior office space.

Central Carolina Technical College Main Campus Parking Lot & Infrastructure Renovations 506 N. Guignard Dr., Sumter Developer/owner: Central Carolina Technical College, Sumter Architect(s): Quackenbush Architects + Planners, Grimball Cotterill (landscape architect) General contractor: AOS Specialty Contractors, Lexington

Charles Schwab Upfit 1033 Roberts Branch Pkwy., Suite 203 Developer/owner: Charles Schwab & Co. Architect(s): Nelco Architecture General contractor: Mashburn Construction Company Engineer(s): Schnackel Engineers (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) Estimated completion date: May 2021 A 1,900-sq.-foot shell space will become a new office for Charles Schwab. The scope of work includes walls for offices, a conference room, ADA-compliant bathrooms, a coat closet, and break room. Offices will feature new storefront entrances with window film. Mashburn worked with the owner to ensure early procurement of long-lead items to avoid material delays during the project’s quick schedule of 25 days.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Checked Baggage Inspection System & Ticketing Improvements 3250 Airport Blvd., West Columbia Developer/owner: Richland-Lexington Airport District Architect(s): Miller Dunwiddie Architecture, Minneapolis Project Manager: Foth Infrastructure & Environment, West Columbia General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): MECA (mechanical); The Ohmega Group (electrical); Foth Infrastructure & Environment, West Columbia (civil); Chao & Associates (structural) Estimated completion date: January 2023 Estimated total cost of this project: $18.2 million This project consists of a 20,000-sq.-foot building addition as well as renovation of and addition to the existing baggage handling facilities, including a new baggage-handling system. The project also includes terminal renovations, exterior concrete, and internal renovations of the ticketing areas.

E. L. Wright Middle School & Center for Knowledge 2740 Alpine Road Developer/owner: Richland School District Two Architect(s): Quackenbush Architects + Planners, Grimball Cotterill and Associates (landscape architect) General contractor: Contract Construction, Irmo Engineer(s): Swygert & Associates Cayce (mechanical, plumbing, fire protection); Belka Engineering Associates, West Columbia (electrical); ADC Engineering, Irmo (civil); Mabry Engineering Associates (structural) Estimated completion date: 2023 Estimated total cost of this project: $60 Million The school district is replacing the current structures with a 170,000-sq.-foot complex at the same site. The more unified and compact design will feature three 3-story academic wings linked by a main circulation spine along with a significant increase in quality greenspace. The Center for Knowledge will anchor the campus’s south end.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 27

The new 5,000-sq.-foot facility will house two offices and six classrooms for after-school care, summer camp, and adult life skills classes. High window placement in the lobby and classrooms allow for natural light with additional clear wall space and added security.

Fort Jackson National Cemetery Phase II 4170 Percival Road Developer/owner: National Cemetery Administration Architect(s): Davis & Floyd, Greenwood Project Manager: United States Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): Meredith Engineering Group, Greenwood (electrical); Davis & Floyd, Greenwood (civil, landscape, architecture); MKEC, Wichita (gravesite); Agua Engineering, Fort Collins (irrigation) Estimated completion date: June 2021 Estimated total cost of this project: $8.68 million The 20-acre expansion provides 5,632 pre-placed crypts, 2,376 in-ground remains sites, and 729 traditional burial sites. Also included are a communal shelter and mature landscaping.

Gadsden Place 1209-1211 Gadsden St. Developer/owner: Gadsden Place Architect(s): Garvin Design Group, Columbia General contractor: Hood Construction, Columbia Engineer(s): Swygert & Associates (mechanical, plumbing); Belka Engineering Associates (electrical); Mabry Engineering Associates (structural); Power Engineering (civil) Estimated completion date: June 2021 Estimated total cost of this project: $3.5 million The renovation of century-old Italianate buildings reuses existing material for new live-work spaces. The design retains character-defining historic elements throughout, including an early 20th-century elevator, stucco, terra cotta block, and hardwood floors

Harbison Medical Associates 1526 Lake Murray Blvd.

Developer/owner: Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia Architect(s): LS3P Architects Project Manager: Columbia General contractor: McCrory Construction Company Engineer(s): Buford Goff and Associates (mechanical, electrical, plumbing); Alliance Consulting Engineers (civil); Johnson & King Engineers (structural) Estimated completion date: Third quarter 2021 Construction scope of this 13,500-sq.-foot, one-story family practice includes all site-related work, concrete, structural steel, wood framing, CMU, brick veneer, shingle roofing, glass and glazing, entry systems, carpentry and casework, doors, frames, hardware, drywall, finishes, ceiling systems, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and miscellaneous specialty items.

Homeless No More Education Facility McFadden St. Developer/owner: Homeless No More Architect(s): Garvin Design Group General contractor: Buchanan Construction Services Engineer(s): Swygert & Associates (mechanical, plumbing); Belka Engineering Associates, Inc. (electrical); Mabry Engineering Associates, Inc. (structural); Power Engineering (civil) Estimated completion date: August 2021

The Laundry Building at Bull Street 1701 Fig St. Developer/owner: Avant Holdings / Avant Laundry Bull Street QOZB Architect(s): Studio 2LR Project Manager: Avant Holdings General contractor: Weathers Contracting, West Columbia Engineer(s): Derrick Structural Engineering, Lexington Heritage Engineering, Blythewood Estimated completion date: 2022 Estimated total cost of this project: $4 million The circa 1883 Laundry building is the oldest surviving service building on the historic South Carolina State Hospital campus. Adaptive-reuse renovation is underway with new standing seam metal roof, refurbished cupola, clerestories, skylights, steel sash windows, and granite windowsills.

Original brick is being restored on the exterior, interior, and a massive interior brick archway along with the plaster walls. There will be exposed wood beams and trusses throughout with tons of natural light and soaring ceiling height.

The Palms 1101 Lady Street Developer/owner: Arnold Companies Architect(s): Cline Design Associates, Raleigh, NC Project Manager: M. B. Kahn Construction General contractor: M. B. Kahn Construction Engineer(s): Lighthouse Engineering, Raleigh (mechanical, electrical, fire alarm); Cox and Dinkins (civil); Stewart Engineering, Raleigh (structural); Grimball Cotterill (landscape) Estimated completion date: First quarter 2022 Estimated total cost of this project: $20 Million The Palms will offer such amenities a top-floor club lounge with a covered balcony. There will also be 2,801 sq. feet of restaurant/retail space on the ground floor. Floor plans will range in size from 466 to 1,172 sq. feet. Each home will have contemporary finishes, modern designer flooring and lighting, and quartz countertops. The exterior will feature an Art Deco design.

Piney Woods Elementary School 814 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin Developer/owner: District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties Architect(s): Quackenbush Architects + Planners, Rebecca M. Looney, Ballentine (landscape architect) General contractor: Contract Construction, Ballentine Engineer(s): Swygert & Associates, Cayce (mechanical, plumbing, fire protection); Sims Group, Irmo (electrical); ADC Engineering, Irmo (civil); Johnson & King Engineers (structural) Estimated completion date: Summer 2021 Estimated total cost of this project: $28 Million The 105,000-sq.-foot two-story structure is organized around a central, secure courtyard that connects to the media center and related arts classrooms. Designed for up to 750 students, the building is zoned for functionality and security with grade levels on the east side of a central lobby and admin area, and community spaces to the west. Generous windows provide daylight and views to the building’s interior, promoting student and staff well-being.

Pocotaligo River Health & Rehab Center 3147 Sumter Hwy., Manning Developer/owner: Clarendon Health System Long Term Care, Manning Architect(s): McMillan Pazdan Smith, Charleston

28

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

General contractor: Mashburn Construction Company Engineer(s): GMK Associates (mechanical, plumbing, fire protection); McCracken & Lopez, Charlotte (electrical); Cox and Dinkins (civil); Fine Tuned Structures, Summerville (structural) Estimated completion date: Fall 2021 This new, wood-framed, 88-bed nursing facility covers 60,000 sq. feet. The exterior of the one-story building will feature structural heavy timber construction along with HardiePlank and thin brick.

The project includes a central standalone courtyard and numerous covered porches as well as a chapel, community conference center, full-service kitchen, and laundry area. It sits on 17 acres and includes an extensive roadway system.

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Results Fitness 4326 Wildcat Road Developer/owner: Cason Development Group Architect(s): Seed Architecture General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): Harvey Lucas PE (electrical) ; The Landplan Group South (civil) Estimated completion date: July 2021 This project comprises renovation of an existing auto parts store into a personal fitness studio.

Sandhills Medical Foundation Facility 30 Cuttino Road, Sumter Developer/owner: Sandhills Medical Foundation Architect(s): Jeff Lewis, Columbia General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): MECA (mechanical, fire protection, plumbing); ETE Engineering (electrical) ; Jones and VanPatten, Sumter (civil); Vince Williams, Blythewood (structural) Estimated completion date: June 2021 This project comprises site work and construction of a new 12,150-sq.-foot medical office building with planning for future expansion.

REI Automation Phase II 1230 Veterans Road Developer/owner: REI Automation Land Company Architect(s): Lambert Architecture General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): MECA (mechanical, plumbing); ETI Engineering (electrical) ; Heritage Engineering, Blythewood (civil); Mabry Engineering, West Columbia (structural); Estimated completion date: July 2021 This project includes renovation of the existing facility and the addition of a reception area, meeting spaces, break room, and kitchen. The building features a steel structure, cast-in-place walls, and oversized windows for natural light.

Sandhills School Addition and Renovation 1500 Hallbrook Dr. Developer/owner: Sandhills School Architect(s): Lambert Architecture General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineer(s): MECA (mechanical, plumbing); Belka Engineering Associates (electrical); The Landplan Group South (civil); Mabry Engineering Associates (structural) Estimated completion date: August 2021 Estimated total cost of this project: $1.8 million This project consists of a new 9,000-sq.-foot addition to the education wing, renovation to exiting classrooms, and exterior courtyard space. The educational wing will house new classrooms, restrooms, computer/science labs, and storage space. The exterior courtyard includes paved areas, landscaping, and a sunshade. The renovation component converts nine existing classrooms into six larger classrooms.

CALLING ALL HIGH-GROWTH COMPANIES!

2021

We are currently accepting nominations for the top 40 high-growth large and small companies in South Carolina.

Company size is determined by gross revenue.

• Large – Over $10 million • Small – $10 million and under ELIGIBILITY: Companies must have a physical presence in South Carolina and be a for-profit entity or a nonprofit organization (EXCEPT FOR: government entities and charitable organizations, including 501(c)3 organizations.

These types of nonprofits are not eligible.)

Nominate today: bit.ly/21roar20noms Self-nominations are encouraged!

Nominations close on July 9, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

Presented by:

Sponsored by:

For sponsorship information, contact Lucia Smith at 803.726.7547 or lsmith@scbiznews.com

#R20SC

June 24 - July 18, 2021

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

www.columbiabusinessreport.com 29

Select Dental 9704 Two Notch Road, Suite B Developer/owner: Robert Ellis III, DMD Architect(s): Davis Architecture General contractor: Cohn Corporation Estimated completion date: Summer 2021 The renovation of a 2,880-sq.-foot retail shell space will result in an orthodontics office featuring a six-bay treatment area, a treatment room, a sterilization room, lab, imaging area, consult office, three private offices, and a break room.

Target your market in an upcoming issue of the Columbia Regional Business Report

JULY 19 RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BOUNCE BACK: HOW BUSINESS ARE DOING POST PANDEMIC List: Mortgage Companies Advertising Deadline: July 5 Smoked 1639-1645 Main St. Developer/owner: Middleton family Architect(s): Garvin Design Group General contractor: Mashburn Construction Engineer(s): Swygert & Associates (mechanical and plumbing); Belka Engineering Associates (electrical); Power Engineering (civil); Mabry Engineering Associates (structural) Estimated completion date: Summer 2021 The adaptive reuse of three buildings on Main Street restores historic facades and create spaces for a new restaurant with apartments above.

Town of Woodford Fiber to the Premises Project Woodford Project Manager: Comporium, Rock Hill General contractor: Comporium, Rock Hill Engineer(s): Trans-Tel, Pelion (fiber optics) Estimated completion date: December 1, 2021 (every residence connected to fiber) Estimated total cost of this project: $500,000 The Town of Woodford, in northwestern Orangeburg County, comprises 163 residential units. Until August 2020, when the fiber-to-the-premises project began, it had very slow internet speeds. The project equipped the entire town with available internet speeds of 1 GB x 1 GB. Willie Sue’s Food and Spirits 380 Columbiana Dr. Developer/owner: Ricky McLeod , Sumter General contractor: Hill Construction Company Estimated completion date: June 2021 Previously occupied by Tilted Kilt, this 6,000-sq.-foot building is being renovated with new walls, ceilings, floor covering, paint, lighting, HVAC, bar area, kitchen equipment, parking lot, and more.

VA Sleep Lab 813 Leesburg Road Architect(s): Sherer & Associates General contractor: Sacon Estimated completion date: July 2021 This project consists of the renovation of the building’s first floor.

Wise Staffing 3044 Charleston Hwy., Cayce General contractor: Sacon Estimated completion date: Summer 2021 This project converts a former tanning salon into offices for Wise Staffing.

AUGUST 16 FINANCIAL SERVICES

List: Accounting Firms Bonus List: Credit Unions Special Section: Phenoms and Icons

Advertising Deadline: August 2 SEPTEMBER 13 HUMAN RESOURCES

List: Executive Recruiters Bonus List: Industrial Staffing

Advertising Deadline: August 30 SEPTEMBER 27 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE List: Commercial Real Estate Companies

Advertising Deadline: September 13

For advertising information, call Lucia Smith at (803) 726-7547

30

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Former V.C. Summer project director pleads to federal charge

By Melinda Waldrop

A

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

former Westinghouse vice president and director of the V.C. Summer nuclear project pleaded guilty to making a false statement to an FBI agent during the investigation of the failed project.

Carl Dean Churchman entered the plea June 10 before U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, according to a news release from the office of Acting U.S. Attorney M. Rhett DeHart.

“This guilty plea shows that the investigation into the V.C. Summer nuclear debacle did not end with the former SCANA executives,” DeHart said. “We

are committed to seeing this case through and holding all individual and corporate wrongdoers accountable.”

Westinghouse was the contractor for the abandoned effort to build twin nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear power station in Fairfield County. After years of rising costs and mounting delays, the project was scuttled in July 2017.

Westinghouse, saddled with billions of dollars in cost overruns from V.C. Summer as well as construction delays at a nuclear power plant in Georgia, declared bankruptcy in March of that year.

In November 2018, SCANA Corp. and former subsidiary S.C. Electric & Gas settled a lawsuit with SCE&G ratepayers for $2.2 million. A November 2020 settle-

ment of a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit charging the companies with defrauding in investors followed.

On Feb. 24, 2021, former SCANA CEO Kevin Marsh pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. In December 2020, Stephen Byrne, former SCANA executive vice president, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

SCANA was acquired by Dominion Energy in a $14.6 billion deal in 2018.

Evidence showed Churchman that when Churchman was interviewed by FBI Special Agent Aaron Hawkins in May 2019, he made false statements about Westinghouse’s reporting of V.C. Summer’s completion dates to SCANA and

project co-owner Santee Cooper in early 2017. Churchman claimed to not know the dates before they were reported and that he did not know who decided to report them, but an internal Westinghouse email chain showed that Churchman received and discussed the dates in early 2017. In addition, notes from an early 2017 meeting with Westinghouse executives revealed that Churchman reported the completion dates to SCANA on Feb. 14, 2017.

Churchman acknowledged in a May 2021 interview with the FBI that his previous statements were untrue, according to DeHart’s office. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

15 years of audit experience in public accounting and 5 years of internal audit in the private sector.

of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel for 2021. Newsome is the only fellow named from South Carolina in this year’s class.

president and director of channel strategy at Chernoff Newman.

People in the News BUSINESS SERVICES The Community Association Managers International Certification Board named two of South Carolina’s Community Association Management Services community managers as Certified Managers of Community Associations. They are Erin Schmidt of the Columbia region and Rebecca Duncan of the Greenville region.

EDUCATION Lexington School District Two’s new chief operations officer is Brian Chatman. He succeeds Don Icenhower, who has retired. Chatman had been director of administration for Saluda County Schools.

The South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners gave its 2021 Commissioner Leadership award to Gen. Art Brown (Technical College of the Lowcountry); its Equity award to Midlands Technical College; its Chief Executive Officer award to Gaylen DeHay, PhD, Tri-County Technical College; its Faculty Member award to LaQuinta Yates, Trident Technical College; and its Professional Board Staff award to Kim Boatwright, Midlands Technical College

FINANCIAL SERVICES Raul E. Perez III, CPA, has joined Moore Beauston & Woodham’s audit and attestation practice. He works from both the Greenville and the West Columbia offices. Perez has more than

Barron’s named private wealth advisor George R. Starnes III, co-founder of G3 Wealth Advisors, among its Top 1,200 Financial Advisors.

Starnes specializes in wealth management, retirement planning, risk-management solutions, and estate and business planning.

Perez

Starnes

First Reliance Bank has appointed Octavia Williams-Blake to its board of directors.

Williams-Blake served three terms as an at-large city council member in Florence and was the first African American elected at large and the first female Williams-Blake elected since 1953.

She also served as president of the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

LAW Billy Newsome, owner of Newsome Law, is among the 43 peer-elected fellows

Newsome Mary E. Sharp, founder of Sharp Law Firm in Beaufort, is now president of the South Carolina Bar. A litigator and certified mediator, Sharp is a past president of the National Conference of Women’s Bar AssoSharp ciations and the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association.

New president-elect of the South Carolina Bar is J. Hagood Tighe, partner at Fisher Phillips and co-chair of the firm’s wage and hour practice group. He will become president in May 2022.

Tighe

TECHNOLOGY SIOS Technology promoted Margaret Hoagland to vice president, global marketing. She is responsible for leading the company’s global marketing strategy and managing the execution of corporate, product and marketing commuHoagland nications.

Immedion has brought in Wilsen Villareal as network operations center manager for Columbia and Charleston.

He is responsible for developing, monitoring, and enforcing Immedion’s service delivery policies.

MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Sara Anders is the new director of advertising at Flock and Rally. A University of South Carolina graduate with a degree in advertising, Anders had been vice

LS3P has brought in Ashley Roberts as the marketing coordinator in the Columbia office. She manages marketing for both Columbia and Greenville. A Roberts summa cum laude graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery, Roberts holds a bachelor of science in marketing,

Anders

Submit items using our online submission portal: www.SodaCityBizWire.com. Publication is subject to editorial discretion.

Villareal

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

How technology can help post-pandemic education

W

hen the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the United States, stay-at-home policies had a significant impact on the education sector. Faced between the choice of teaching classes entirely online, where they struggled to engage with students or risking their health by going to school, HUGO teachers in the US AGUIRRE have been feeling overwhelmed and helpless.

As vaccination programs are now being rolled out across the US, schools have begun to combine physical and virtual classes, with online education practices likely to continue in the long term.

However, educators have expressed concerns about how to build the best setting for hybrid classes. Efficient virtual and hybrid teaching requires continued training and professional development for teachers that incorporate student-centered learning methodologies and guidance on the latest technological tools in the education sector.

We will explore how technology can support project-based learning, a concept that teachers can employ to improve students’ learning cycles and continuing professional development for teachers.

Challenges of post-pandemic education All over the United States, COVID19 forced schools and educators to adopt tools such as Zoom, Google Classroom, or Webex to host virtual classes. However, the underlying problem wasn’t the use of virtual classrooms, but the lack of complimentary tech tools. Many schools still face internal difficulties here, including a lack of understanding of how to adopt other tech tools to complement the virtual classroom experience or external restraints, such as government syllabus and budget limitations, in implementing structured digital learning.

Structured digital learning requires a comprehensive reevaluation of traditional pedagogical models and teaching methods. These methods not only demand teachers follow technical training but also learn how to integrate technology into day-to-day teaching. Why? Because technology strengthens students’ active participation and provides a vari-

ety of training opportunities. Furthermore, children that know how to use various technological tools are more likely to succeed in their vocational future, as workplace skills more and more technology-focused.

Structuring digital teaching with project-based learning

There is one educational methodology that helps to produce better educational results, enhances students’ motivation to learn, and integrates technological tools into learning experiences: Project-based learning. During a PBL session, students actively carry out a central task over the course of several weeks. As a communication-based and student-centered methodology, PBL can foster students’ personal and social responsibility, develop their critical thinking, and forge improved presentation skills.

The projects usually ask children to find solutions for real-world problems through phases of research, exploration, solution development, and application. Teachers can use project-based learning in various ways, across a variety of topics. Yet to implement PBL effectively, teachers must ensure appropriate time is allocated for each stage, that individual student support is available, and that they encourage children to use different technological tools.

Four phases of PBL

A good example where all elements of PBL come together is asking students to develop a strategy on how local businesses can increase their environmental sustainability.

For students, PBL always starts with research. During this phase, the students are active protagonists gathering information. Taking our example, they should research what environmental sustainability is, how to achieve it, and the challenges local businesses face. In order to research the problem, children can use the internet to access material and resources in digital libraries. Furthermore, they can conduct surveys and interviews with business owners via Zoom, Webex, or Goggle Meetings.

The role of the teacher during this phase is to explain how to conduct internet and digital library research, and how to develop questions for virtual interviews.

After students have gathered enough information to understand the topic or task, they should receive time to explore the topic in-depth. During this

In order to address the challenges and opportunities of postpandemic education, educators need to start using student-centered technologies to improve what and how they teach children.

Hugo Aguirre Educational technology specialist

phase, they can play with different solutions and explore cause-and-effect relationships.

Depending on the topic, teachers can offer simulations and digital illustrations. For example, information on how plastic can be recycled or how using electric bikes for food delivery can reduce CO2 emissions would be valuable for students in this scenario.

Videos and simulations are particularly useful because they make real-world experience scalable and repeatable.

Now, children can construct their solutions for a business of their choice.

Usually, they create a solution portfolio by writing documents and designing presentations. By allowing students to use various technological applications, teachers can make this phase even more interesting. They can produce podcasts, videos, infographics, interactive images, or even a virtual tour.

In the last phase, after having gathered all necessary materials, children should have the chance to demonstrate or even apply their solution. In our example, students can present their ideas using presentation tools in class and virtually directly to the business they were in contact with.

In contrast to teacher-centric teaching, PBL is a student-centered learning methodology. It allows teachers to pivot from actively teaching content to guiding students through their own learning processes.

Training with technology

Educators that want to improve learning experiences and adapt teaching to the world’s ongoing transformations, such as digitization, need to be willing to develop themselves professionally on a constant level. During the

pandemic, many teachers have already shown that they are resilient and willing to adapt teaching methods. Others need a stepping stone to implement new learning methodologies.

In one of the sessions organized by TBox, participating teachers learned how to use Google classroom. A total of 45,000 teachers participated, with 5,000 teachers per classroom. What was crucial for everybody was the willingness of teachers to learn about new tools, in a 100% virtual format. Many schools and educators turned down this setting before the pandemic, which shows a new willingness to change post-pandemic.

With this newborn enthusiasm, teachers can start meeting in virtual conferences and training sessions on technical training and technology-guided learning methodologies.

By discussing curricula and methods in peer-to-peer settings, teachers can share examples of how they use technologies, which materials helped them to guide students, and what advantages or challenges they have experienced implementing technology in day-today teaching.

There’s no doubt that the majority of companies and organizations already jumped on the bandwagon of digitization. Schools are no exception. However, they have been struggling to integrate a variety of technological tools into their day-to-day curricula.

In order to address the challenges and opportunities of post-pandemic education, educators need to start using student-centered methodologies to improve what and how they teach children. This is the only way schools can keep up with the pace of worldwide digitization and teach children skills they will need to succeed in life.

Hugo Aguirre is an educational technology specialist and curriculum design. He currently coordinates innovation projects in educational platforms and designs didactic materials for the technological training for K-12 students as development director for TBox, a strategic ally that offers schools advice, resources, and platforms for students to develop a technological career.

We want to hear from you Write: Melinda Waldrop, Editor Columbia Regional Business Report, 1612 Marion St., Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29201 Email: mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

32

www.columbiabusinessreport.com

T:10"

June 24 - July 18, 2021

Your business is always on.

Your internet should be too.

T:12.25"

With AT&T Internet for Business, you get fast, highly reliable internet that’s made for business. It features Internet Backup, so even if the power goes out, our wireless network automatically keeps you connected.

Go to att.com/BizInternet or call 855-432-1500 to learn more.

Ranked #1 Highest in Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power among Small/Medium Business Wireline Service For J.D. Power 2020 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards