Greater Greenville Economic Developments

[Greenville]

Clemson University will locate a business school in the former Bowater building downtown: http://www.gsabusiness.com/news/31625-clemson-expanding-presence-in-downtown-greenville They have decided not to put the school in Washington Square. This is good news as it will lower the office vacancy rate a lot. Better to fill the current empty space we have now before building more office buildings.

That sucks for Washington Square. I was hoping that this would help the project move along faster. I wonder why Clemson would choose Bowater instead? Washington Square would be a better location, so maybe it came down to cost and/or Washington Square not being ready in time for Clemson's needs.

[vicupstate]

Perhaps Bowater is an interim location until the Washington Square building is completed, since it would be two years at least before Clemson and/or other tenants could move in. I guess we will know for sure on Friday.

[gman430]

That sucks for Washington Square. I was hoping that this would help the project move along faster. I wonder why Clemson would choose Bowater instead? Washington Square would be a better location, so maybe it came down to cost and/or Washington Square not being ready in time for Clemson's needs.

Part of the deal with having Clemson put their MBA program downtown is that they wouldn't have to pay rent or have somebody else pay it. I believe it would be cheaper rent wise to have them in the Bowater building than in Washington Square. That along with the fact that the Bowater building is already built and ready to move in.

[RiverWalker]

Part of the deal with having Clemson put their MBA program downtown is that they wouldn't have to pay rent or have somebody else pay it. I believe it would be cheaper rent wise to have them in the Bowater building than in Washington Square. That along with the fact that the Bowater building is already built and ready to move in.

And, in case you aren't already aware, the last of the Bowater people have relocated to the third floor of 10 South Academy St., space that is being sublet from Agfa HealthCare. That appears to be a long-term arrangement - unless, of course, the federal gov't decides to site the new federal courthouse on that property.

[gs3]

The yearly list of fastest growing companies in South Carolina is out for 2009 and once again, Greenville dominates. Of the 25 fastest growing companies in SC, Greenville had almost half, at 11. Charleston had 4. Columbia had 3. The other 7 are sprinkled in small places like Sumter, Pawleys Island, Duncan, etc.

Article below:

http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?database=00001news.db&command=viewone&id=3446&op=t

[gman430]

Proterra will select Greenville, SC for a new manufacturing plant located at CU-ICAR to assemble and manufacturer electric buses. The company will invest no less than $68 million for the new plant and create 1,300 jobs within five years: http://www.greenvillecounty.org/County_Council/_Agenda/Council/Magic%20Carpet%20Inducement%20Agreement%20v2.pdf

[distortedlogic]

I have seen and heard very little about this in the media and I am surprised; 1,300 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. I assume there would also be some spinoff jobs with this? Also, what were the other two electric car companies looking at the area? Any word on them or when they may announce?

[gman430]

Nothing in the media? http://www.wyff4.com...2314/index.html Yes, lots of spin-off jobs. The other two electric carmakers are looking at the CU-ICAR area also. They have not asked for tax incentives from Greenville County at this time. This is only one of many economic developments on the horizon. Here is one that will include 200 new jobs: http://www.greenvill..._resolution.pdf and another that will include a new headquarters along with a manufacturing plant: http://www.greenvill...20AGREEMENT.pdf

Edited December 2, 2009 by citylife

[vicupstate]

While this is a good sign, a FILOT agreement does not mean the project is a done deal. Remember the IBM project that went to Iowa, as an example.

[gman430]

Actually, it is a done deal. Greenville was only in competition with Columbus, Ohio to land the plant. CU-ICAR and more tax incentives is mainly why Greenville beat them out.

Edited December 2, 2009 by citylife

[gs3]

I'm looking forward to the official word. This is exactly the kind of forward looking company / technology that any city would kill to have. Green energy is the future. If Greenville officially lands this, along with the existing strong companies and solid growth the area has experienced, there will be no stopping the place. This is excellent news not only for Greenville, but the state of SC.

[gman430]

Sage is planning to build a new corporate headquarters and expand or build a new manufacturing plant in Greenville. Milliken's Gayley plant will be the one that will be expanded if they decide to go that route. The projects are code named Project D and Project ABC. 200-250 new jobs will be created.

This is big news here. AVX Corporation announced this morning that they are moving their corporate headquarters to Greenville: http://www.thesunnews.com/142/story/1197142.html?storylink=omni_popular

[gs3]

This is big news here. AVX Corporation announced this morning that they are moving their corporate headquarters to Greenville: http://www.thesunnews.com/142/story/1197142.html?storylink=omni_popular

Great news. Always good to see headquarters and white collar jobs coming to the area.

[krazeeboi]

Greenville ranked 20th in Forbes "Best Bang-For-The-Buck Cities" rankings out of the nation's 100 largest metro areas, and also garnered a few mentions in the article itself:

Cities from McAllen, Texas (No. 7), to Greenville, S.C (No. 20), and Chattanooga, Tenn. (No. 8), that have faced a host of economic problems, are now seeing a silver lining: Housing speculation stayed in check in these areas because there was little to draw buyers in the first place. As a result, housing is relatively stable, affordable, and positive employment trends hold promise for the future...

In some Southeastern metros, buying and living there is affordable. South Carolina cities Columbia (No. 12) and Greenville (No. 20) make the top 20, as does Augusta, Ga. (No. 5). The home price speculators that ran up prices in nearby resort towns Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach largely stayed away from these metros, says William Harrison, a developer and professor of real estate at the University of South Carolina...

Greenville is one of the few places that have been helped, not hurt, by an economic dependence on the auto industry. Luxury automaker BMW, whose plant is in the nearby city of Greer, generates jobs and helps keep its median household income at a healthy $56,820. Living there is manageable too--real estate taxes are only $771 per year.

Aside from the "there was little to draw buyers in the first place" line, I think it's good press overall.

[gs3]

This is big news here. AVX Corporation announced this morning that they are moving their corporate headquarters to Greenville: http://www.thesunnews.com/142/story/1197142.html?storylink=omni_popular

The corporate relocation is great, but rumors are also out there that the manufacturing operation will eventually move as well....985 additional possible jobs. Should be interesting to watch.

http://www.carolinalive.com/news/story.aspx?id=385300

[vicupstate]

Very interesting. It's hard to believe it would be worth their while to close two plants just to move across the state (as opposed to Mexico, India, China,etc).

[gs3]

Selah Technologies LLC, a startup company formed to commercialize nanotechnology is moving their headquarters, not just to Greenville, but to DOWNTOWN Greenville. Excellent to see. Article from Greenville News:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091218/BUSINESS/912180309/1004/NEWS01/High-tech-jobs--headquarters-coming-to-Greenville

[GvilleSC]

Selah Technologies LLC, a startup company formed to commercialize nanotechnology is moving their headquarters, not just to Greenville, but to DOWNTOWN Greenville. Excellent to see. Article from Greenville News:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091218/BUSINESS/912180309/1004/NEWS01/High-tech-jobs--headquarters-coming-to-Greenville

This is fantastic news! Another HQ for downtown, and laboratory! We'll be seeing 57 new high paying jobs over the next five years. Plus, they're looking to put a distribution component in the area, too.

Congratulations to Greenville (for the new industry), Clemson University (for its initial research and discovery which led to this), and the company itself for its endeavors!

[gs3]

Here is another more indepth article. The company is actually called Lab 21. The result of a merger with Selah.

http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?database=00001news.db&command=viewone&id=4265&op=t

[GvilleSC]

Here is another more indepth article. The company is actually called Lab 21. The result of a merger with Selah.

http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?database=00001news.db&command=viewone&id=4265&op=t

It looks like a lot of entities worked together to make this happen. Awesome! So, will their location be at NEXT?

[gman430]

Virginia College is looking at several sites downtown for their new culinary school. That's all I know at this time.

Edited December 20, 2009 by citylife

[GvilleSC]

Virginia College is looking at several sites downtown for their new culinary school. That's all I know at this time.

Interesting! Brown Mackie College may have started a new way for us to fill up office space downtown... We've now got Clemson's MBA program, and possibly a culinary school? I dig it. I hope this is true!

[goodbye]

A

Actually, Clemson University started the trend. The City ihas been pushing for more college facilities in downtown lately. Appears to be working.

[gs3]

Here is another more indepth article. The company is actually called Lab 21. The result of a merger with Selah.

http://carolinanewswire.com/news/News.cgi?database=00001news.db&command=viewone&id=4265&op=t

A good opinion piece on the Lab 21 corporate headquarters move, from the Greenville News:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091221/OPINION/912210301/1004/NEWS01/Greenville-News-editorial-Deal-s-a-blueprint-for-tech-economy

[gman430]

I'll just post this here. Clemson opened up their new MBA program center in downtown Greenville last Friday: http://www.gsabusine...or-mba-students A career fair was held to celebrate the opening. Companies that were on hand for it included Hubbell Lighting, Michelin North America Inc. and BMW Manufacturing Company.

Edited February 2, 2010 by citylife