SC Construction Experiences Strong Performance

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Total construction starts across South Carolina rebounded from a 2023 slowdown, growing 28 percent in 2024 behind a booming manufacturing sector, according to LCK, the project management partner of Colliers International of South Carolina.

LCK officials said manufacturing starts rose across the state, nearly tripling in total value to $3.8B in 2024 from $1.3B in 2023 and just $249M in 2022.

The education sector also saw substantial growth of 88 percent over relatively consistent low levels the prior three years.

Health care and multi-family starts decreased slightly compared to previous years’ growth as the state’s Covid-era migration boom began to moderate.

LCK officials said South Carolina’s construction workforce mirrored the spike in construction starts, experiencing its largest annualized growth rate since 2019 at 6 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate rose to 3.85 percent from 3 percent in 2023, although it remained lower than the national average of 4.125 percent.

LCK officials said manufacturing is poised to remain the leading driver of construction starts throughout 2025, countering the usual fluctuations of development across sectors and markets throughout South Carolina.

A flurry of announced expansions and new construction is slated for the coming year in the Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Spartanburg markets, the officials said.

They added the continued growth in the manufacturing sector, coupled with requisite expansion of supporting sectors including residential, commercial, health care, infrastructure, and education, may challenge the state and region to provide expanded workforces and material resources to meet the needs of the construction and manufacturing sectors.

Compounding these growth-driven obstacles, rising uncertainty from the rapidly changing worldwide political climate and economic markets could trickle down to create local challenges with pricing and availability of many widely used construction materials, the officials said.

They said that in the near term, staying abreast of local, regional, and national trends, along with leveraging relationships with key partners within the construction industry, will be critical to anticipate challenges, establish appropriate contingencies, and maintain critical paths for successful projects.

Charleston’s market performance accounted for 44 percent of statewide construction starts across the six key sectors in 2024.

The manufacturing sector grew exponentially in 2024 to $1.9B, over $28.6M in 2023, primarily due to Redwood Materials’ battery recycling facility breaking ground in the first quarter.

The commercial sector also saw a boom in late 2024, with large scale project announcements including MUSC’s Clements Ferry Pavilion.

Health care, government buildings, and multi-family starts decreased drastically in 2024 after strong, stable performance in recent years.

The Charleston-North Charleston construction workforce increased by 10 percent to 24,700 from January to December 2024, struggling to keep pace with 150 percent growth across the six major sectors.

Starts in the Columbia market grew over 200 percent from $813.5M in 2023 to $2.46B in 2024, including groundbreaking on the $1B first phase of Scout Motors’ manufacturing facility in Blythewood.

Additional manufacturing activity is expected in 2025, including Cardiff Products’ announced $99.6M facility and pending expansions at FN America and Michelin.

The health care sector saw $144M in growth during 2024, a trajectory expected to slow in 2025.

The Columbia construction workforce remained relatively flat throughout 2024, despite the area’s significant growth and major announcements.

Columbia’s unemployment rate increased substantially in the second half of 2024, peaking at 5.2 percent in August and remaining above 4.5 percent through December.

The Greenville market observed over $1.1B in construction starts across selected sectors during 2024, an 83 percent and $504M increase compared to 2023.

Eclipsed by $452M in manufacturing starts, the multi-family sector grew 139 percent to $253M starts in 2024, followed by modest growth of 39 percent in the commercial sector.

Education, health care, and government buildings all experienced decreases ranging from 34-83 percent.

The Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin construction workforce averaged 23,200 workers during 2024, increasing by roughly 900 over 2023.

Selected Spartanburg market sectors experienced significant declines throughout 2024, with an overall decrease of $1B compared to 2023 growth.

The multi-family sector represented the only growth in 2024, finishing 172 percent higher than 2023.

Florence County Widening Project Is Complete

According to South Carolina Department of Transportation and Florence County officials, the Alligator Road widening project in Florence County is complete.

Overall, the project widened Alligator Road (S-21-107) from its intersection with U.S. 301/52 to its termination with U.S. 76.

Roughly half of the nearly 7.5-mile project was widened from two to three lanes, while the other half was widened from two to five.

In addition, two bridges, totaling 385 feet in length, were reconstructed, and two signalized interchanges were upgraded to accommodate the widening.

The second and final phase of the project began in March 2021 and was completed in November 2024.

Alligator Road is located at the southern edge of Florence, SC, an area that has seen substantial population growth over the past several years.

Officials said the project's primary purpose was to improve the roadway's operational efficiency to accommodate existing and future traffic conditions.

Its secondary purpose was to enhance local connectivity around the city of Florence, the officials said.

Alligator Road is classified as a collector route, connecting multiple side streets and neighborhoods to and from two separate primary routes.

Officials said the project’s completion puts a check mark on the sixth and final project of the Florence County Forward Project of 2007, which was the county’s recent penny sales tax program.

Furman Names Nate Burton Senior Associate AD For External Affairs, Revenue Generation

Nate Burton has been named Furman’s new senior associate athletics director for external affairs and revenue generation, it was announced by Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Donnelly.

Burton comes to Furman following a decade at West Virginia State University, where he served as athletics director for seven years and, most recently, as vice president for Intercollegiate Athletics since May of 2024. 

He spent his first two years as director of development at WVSU before being appointed AD.

“We are thrilled to add a leader of Nate Burton’s caliber and experience to our athletics leadership team,” Donnelly said.  “Nate will bring energy, enthusiasm, and expertise to our external team and will make an immediate impact on revenue generation by guiding our Timmons Arena sales process to completion.”

“I am grateful to Jason Donnelly and the search committee for demonstrating the trust and confidence in offering me this incredible opportunity to join Furman Athletics,” Burton said.  “I’m looking forward to working with our talented staff, passionate alumni, and the Greenville community in building on the success of each of our 19 programs.”

A key member of the director of athletics’ executive leadership team, the senior associate athletics director for external affairs will assist the department in providing strong vision, leadership, management, coordination, and oversight of athletics external operations.

Responsibilities will include oversight of athletics revenue generation, marketing, communications, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, licensing, and branding with a focus on Greenville, Upstate South Carolina, and national growth and recognition.

Officials said a large part of Burton’s role will be to build upon the success of Furman Athletics during the past few years.

 The Paladins have set records in game day attendance, ticket revenue, licensing, and media exposure and will look to build upon these strategies and accomplishments in years to come, the officials said.

At West Virginia State, Burton served as a member of the President’s cabinet and headed up a 17-sport NCAA Division II program.

In addition to overseeing budget, personnel, game day operations, policies, and procedures, he created external programs for annual support and sponsorships that generated more than $4.2 million since 2016, while also completing $3.5M in facility improvements, including turf for football/women’s soccer, baseball, and softball fields, lights for football/women’s soccer, and resurfaced tennis courts.

Burton also developed the athletic department’s first strategic plan.

He served as a member of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Committee, NCAA Division II Think Tank, Division II ADA Board of Governors, and chair of the Mountain East Conference Committee of Athletics Administrators.

Prior to going to West Virginia State, he served as assistant director for athletic development at UNC Wilmington in 2013 following a one-year stint as assistant director of external relations at High Point University.

Burton’s new position at Furman will mark his second work experience in the Upstate of South Carolina. 

He began his professional career as a Clemson IPTAY Scholarship Fund intern in 2011, assisting the foundation while also working with the athletic department’s marketing effort for men’s soccer.

Burton is a 2009 graduate of Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College, where he was a four-year starter in basketball and team captain his senior year.

He earned a Master’s in Sport Management from Marshall University in 2011.

Burton succeeds Drew Ingraham, who recently accepted the position of deputy AD for Operations at Delaware State University.

Vital Guidance on Wildfire Insurance as South Carolina Declares State of Emergency

As wildfires rage across the Carolinas and Georgia, forcing evacuations and burning thousands of acres, Insurance.com, a leading insurance-education website, offers a comprehensive wildfire insurance guide to help affected residents understand their coverage and navigate the claims process.

The guide, Dealing with insurance after a wildfire: What you need to know, answers critical questions about homeowners and auto insurance, including what is covered, how to file claims and how to get coverage for temporary living expenses.

“Wildfires move fast, and the damage they leave behind is devastating,” said Leslie Kasperowicz, an insurance expert and executive editor at Insurance.com.

Kasperowicz added, “Understanding insurance can make a huge difference in getting help as quickly as possible. Our guide walks homeowners and renters through the claims process, so they’re not left guessing during an already stressful time.”

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