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Greenville Business Magazine

#THATAgenda: New Multi-Family/Retail Development Behind Haywood Mall, Spence Taylor Out at Prisma Upstate, Unemployment Rate Falls, New Hires, Deals, and Announcements

Sep 20, 2019 05:13PM ● By Chris Haire
New multi-family, retail development planned for 10-acre property behind Haywood Road on Congaree and Woods Crossing Road in Greenviile: The City of Greenville Planning Commission will look at a zoning change request for the property from regional commercial district to a planned development district at its Sept. 19 meeting.

The request revealed the details of the project, which will include "approximately 293 multifamily residences and 13 retail/live/work spaces," according to plans. The development, the Woods Crossing PD, will also include "89,250 square feet of open space/public parks."
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Dr. Spence Taylor, president of Prisma Health-Upstate exits health system: Seven months after the official merger of the Greenville Health System and Columbia-based Palmetto Health System -- and four months after the naming of a new CEO -- the president of Prisma Health-Upstate (formerly GHS) has left the growing healthcare system. 

Earlier today, Prisma Health-Upstate spokesperson Sandy Dees confirmed Taylor is no longer with the company following a respected 27-year run at GHS and then Prisma Health. 

“During his time with us, Dr. Taylor was a force for innovation and growth," Dees said in a statement released on Friday. "He made many significant contributions to our organization and to the Upstate community, including building the department of surgery to national stature, being a leading force in the growth and development of the Prisma Health University Medical Group, designing and implementing an academic strategy that created a medical school with the University of South Carolina and a nursing school with Clemson University, and serving as the first physician president of the Greenville Health System." 

She added, "We thank Dr. Taylor for his many contributions to this organization.”

Taylor, who was recently named one of Greenville Business Magazine's 50 Most Influential, had been president of GHS since 2016. 

Prior to his current leadership role, Taylor served GHS as the chair of the Department of Surgery, executive director of the University Medical Group, president of GHS Clinical University, and vice president of Academics.

Aside from whatever restructuring efforts may remain in bringing the two hospitals system together, Prisma Health has big plans in store for the Upstate in the form of a mixed-use Innovation District on nearly 70 acres of property near the Greenville Memorial campus. Prisma Health hopes the place will become a "destination" for area residents. 

The properties are owned by either Hughes Development Corp. or the Hughes Family Trust.

Little detail about the proposed development was given, but the effort could be similar in nature to the WestEdge "Discovery District" in Charleston, an emerging mixed-used development centered around the health-care and life sciences industry.

Containing residential and retail units and office and research space, WestEdge is near both MUSC and Roper St. Francis. It's currently home to a Publix, Jimmy John's, Hokkaido Sushi Bar and Grill, BKeDShoP, and Barre South, and is leasing residential units.

If Prisma's plan moves forward, the proposed Innovation District would join other notable destination developments located outside of downtown Greenville's main commercial corridor, most notably the project at County Square, Holland Park and The Enclave on Laurens Road, and Poe West in West Greenville.
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Unemployment falls in Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin MSA, Charleston-North Charleston MSA, and Columbia MSA in August but labor force participation rate remains stagnant: August's employment figures for the Palmetto State are out, and the unemployment rate continues to fall, according to the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

In August, the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Greenville fell from 2.9 to 2.7, while it fell from 2.8 to 2.5 in Charleston and 3.1 to 2.8 in Columbia. Statewide the unemployment rate was 3.2, down from July 3.4.

But while the unemployment rate is low, the labor force participation rate -- the number of people who are employed divided by the potential working population -- remains low, a sign that many Americans have decided to exit the workforce.

In fact, the Palmetto State's labor force participation rate of 58.5 is not only significantly lower than the October 2007 high of 62.7 but has consistently fallen since the Great Recession. Nationwide the labor force participation rate is 62.3.

The only states with lower labor force participation rates than South Carolina are West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama.

Image: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) from USA [Public domain]
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Hires & Honors

Greenville-based Crawford Strategy, a full-service marketing and branding agency, recently added Ivey Johnson as an account coordinator. Prior to joining Crawford, she worked as a digital brand manager for a recording studio and gained industry experience at The Crowdfund Mafia in San Diego and The Carolina Agency in Columbia. (Crawford Strategy)

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The Upstate Mediation Center has announced their 2019 Peacemaker Award recipients: Victoria Chance and Mary Anne Inglis. They were nominated for their work in creating My Neighbor’s Voice, an organization with the goal of bringing diverse community members together to share a meal and listen to one another speak about civic concerns. 

Chance and Inglis were inspired to create My Neighbor’s Voice in 2016 out of a belief that a lack of civil dialogue was causing polarization in communities.  By offering a safe, moderated space to respectfully communicate, they believe community members will find common ground and this will lead to empathy and community building.  

The award will be given during National Conflict Resolution week at the UMC’s Peacemaker Celebration.  The event will be held at the Rutherford on Tuesday, October 15th. (UMC)

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Columbia-based Turner Padget has added three new attorneys to the firm’s Columbia office: shareholders Kelli L. Sullivan and L. Patricia (Tricia) Wharton, and associate Ashtin D. Kilpatrick. 

Sullivan joins Turner Padget as a shareholder and focuses her practice on litigation in the areas of insurance coverage, medical malpractice and licensing, and nursing home defense.  

Wharton joins Turner Padget as a shareholder where she advises buyers, sellers, developers and lenders on commercial real estate transactional matters, including land acquisitions, survey and title issues, title work, title insurance and more. 

Kilpatrick joins Turner Padget as an associate and concentrates her practice on commercial and residential real estate transactions. (Turner Padget)

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Joe Lucas, a Columbia and Charlotte-based attorney concentrating in public finance, development finance, and banking and underwriting with Pope Flynn, has received "Lawyer of the Year" in Public Finance Law for Charlotte from The Best Lawyers in America 2020.  The designation is given to only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community.

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Lt. Col. Charles D. Hodges, USAF, has accepted a royal chivalric order from the Kingdom of Thailand in ceremonies at the Royal Thai Embassy, in Washington, D.C. Hodges received the honor for his participation as the U. S. Air Force on-scene commander at the Tham Luang cave rescue in northern Thailand in 2018 during which a young team of Thai soccer players and their coach were recovered safely.

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Converse College has hired Holly Duncan as its new chief communications officer. She is responsible for leading the college’s marketing, branding and public relations initiatives to increase its visibility and reputation, and to advance its mission, vision and goals. She came to Converse from the Harlem Globetrotters, where as its director of brand marketing, she led the rebranding of the legacy team, amplified brand conversations and drove sales goals with millennial and Gen Z audiences. Duncan started her career at EP+Co (Erwin Penland).

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Announcements & Events

Polydeck Screen Corporation, a leading provider of polyurethane and rubber screen media and specialty screening solutions, is expanding its operations in Spartanburg County. The more than $8.7 million investment will create 45 new jobs.
 
Polydeck Screen Corporation is a family-owned business aimed at providing optimal screening solutions for the aggregate, coal and mining industries around the world. Specifically, Polydeck Screen Corporation produces polyurethane and rubber screen media, trommel screens and screening accessories.(SC Commerce)
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Newsome Law, a solutions-focused tax, estate and trust firm, has relocated to a new office at 1501 Main St., Suite 601, in the TD Bank building on Boyd Plaza, across from the Columbia Museum of Art in downtown Columbia, South Carolina.

The renovated interior was designed and outfitted by M Swan Interiors, and Colite provided refreshed signage. George McCutchen of Wilson Kibler Commercial Real Estate represented the buyer. (Newsome Law)

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Trinity Partners Columbia Property Management team, led by Senior Property Manager Ashley Owens recently earned the management assignment of 8 Medical Drive in Columbia. The property, owned by Columbia Heart MOB, LLC, is a four-story, 96,190 SF medical office building comprised of medical and administrative offices located at the Prisma Health Medical Campus in Richland County. 

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Greenville-based Flourish –- an award-winning public relations, marketing, and events firm -– is now broadening its service footprint to include a focus on faith communities and ministries. This expansion in the diversity of the core industries flourish serves aligns with the company’s founder’s own passions for community service and ministry work.

“We’re truly excited about this,” said Jamie Prince, flourish’s founder and principal. “The culture we’re trying to build here is one driven by a servant’s heart, a spirit of genuine care and helpfulness both within our team as well as our family of clients. The leaders of our faith communities – locally up to nationally – are at an important point in history in terms of the ways they communicate with their congregations, grow their ministries and partner with those they serve.”

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Deals

LEASED

Spartanburg, South Carolina: Towers Rice, Jr., CCIM and Stuart Smith of NAI Earle Furman represented the landlord, B&N Properties, LLC, in leasing a 24,720 SF retail space located at 445 S Blackstock Road. Kevin Pogue, of NAI Earle Furman, represented the tenant, Dream Deals, LLC. 

Spartanburg, South Carolina: John Bauknight and Andrew Babb of NAI Earle Furman represented the landlord, Warrior DMA, LLC in leasing a 3,300 SF office space located at 104 N. Daniel Morgan Ave., Ste. B, to Kennedy & Brannon, LLC.

Greenville, South Carolina: Earle Furman, SIOR, Keith Jones, CCIM, SIOR and McNeil Epps represented the landlord, Julius Garry Green, in leasing a 2,800 SF office space located at 142 Milestone Way to Achieve MD, LLC. 

Piedmont, South Carolina: Keith Jones, CCIM, SIOR, McNeil Epps and Shannon Caldwell represented the landlord, Gandaria Commons, LLC, in leasing a 5,955 SF office space located at 116 Commons Boulevard to United Physician Group, LLC. 

Greenville, South Carolina: Earle Furman, SIOR and Shannon Caldwell represented the landlord, Falls Place, LLC, in leasing a 1,725 SF office space located at 531 South Main Street to Local Boys Do Good. 

SOLD

Inman, South Carolina: John Bauknight and Andrew Babb of NAI Earle Furman represented the seller, Airlie Inc., in the sale of a 7.17-acre site located at 181 E Main Street to Dunbrik, LLC. 

Spartanburg, South Carolina: Dan Dunn of NAI Earle Furman represented the seller, Neuburger Management, Inc., in the sale of a 28,050 SF industrial space located at 140, 180 & 190 Metro Drive. Jake Van Gieson, Gaston Albergotti and Graham Mullikin of NAI Earle Furman represented the purchaser, Metro Drive Investments, LLC. 

Travelers Rest, South Carolina: John Gray, CCIM and Drew Stamm of NAI Earle Furman represented the purchaser, Andrew O’Mara, in the purchase of a 5,000 SF retail property located at 606 Buncombe Street from Bueskens Onroerendgoed Maatschappi BV. 

Enoree, South Carolina: Rusty Hamrick, IV of NAI Earle Furman represented the seller, Charles Waldrep, in the sale of a 175-acre property located at 445 Drummond Road to Tycam Holdings, LLC. 

Greenville, South Carolina: Keith Jones, CCIM, SIOR and McNeil Epps of NAI Earle Furman represented the seller, LTDK, Inc., in the sale of an 8,000 SF office building located at 400 Regent Park Ct. to King Greenville Holdings, LLC. 

Spartanburg, South Carolina: Dallas Wright of NAI Earle Furman represented the purchaser, Spring Hope, LLC, in the purchase of an 8,640 SF multifamily investment property located at 1 Spring Hope Circle from Woodridge Investment Services, LLC.