St. George, South Carolina
October 8, 2012 – Dorchester County
officials broke ground this morning on Winding Woods Commerce Park at the
corner of Winding Woods Road and U.S. Highway 78 in St. George. The groundbreaking ceremony commemorated the
long-awaited arrival of reclaimed water and sewer to the County’s large
industrial site in the western part of Dorchester County. In addition to members of Dorchester County
Council, those helping to celebrate the occasion included elected officials,
project allies, legislative delegation members, and various community leaders,
just to name a few.
Opening the event,
Dorchester County Council Chairman Larry Hargett said, "This celebration marks a
big step forward for Dorchester County. Winding
Woods Commerce Park is a culmination of hard work and strategic planning that
will bring future jobs to the St. George area. The best way to grow our economy and support job creation is to invest
in the things businesses need to be successful, and having a strong
infrastructure is one of them. Today is
proof that we are doing just that."
Also heavily
involved in this project, but unable to attend the groundbreaking, Dorchester
County Council Vice Chairman George Bailey said of the project, "Winding Woods
is a valuable resource for Dorchester County that will bridge the gap between
St. George and Summerville. The
industrial park will offer certified sites to new and existing industries, with
the potential of many new jobs being created."
Over five years in
the making, plans for the 610-acre site were first initiated in 2007 to provide
employment opportunities in the St. George area. Winding Woods was first announced in 2009 as
the Tri-County region’s first certified industrial site that offers companies
requiring both port and interstate access a low risk option to help them make a
fast decision. Due to the expansive size,
the site is best suited for those industries looking for large tracts of land,
which can be subdivided into lots ranging from 20 to 50 acres.
Representing District
1, County Councilman Willie Davis said during the celebration, "When this
project first began, it was our goal to provide Upper Dorchester County residents
with better job opportunities without a long commute. Now that we have secured water and sewer for
the site, we are eager to see the return on this investment for our citizens."
As key players in
this project, representatives from both Santee Cooper and Edisto Electric
Cooperative were included in the program, and spoke of the project’s impact from
both a state and local standpoint.
"Santee
Cooper is committed to partnering with local economic development offices and
electric cooperatives on projects that bring jobs and prosperity to South
Carolina," said Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper President and CEO. "Winding
Woods Commerce Park is a classic example, and it’s destined to be a great
success story. Congratulations to
Dorchester County, and I’m pleased to play a role in today’s
groundbreaking."
"Edisto Electric is
pleased to be a part of this celebration today," said David Felkel, President
and CEO of Edisto Electric Cooperative. "We are excited about our
partnership and involvement with the development of Winding Woods to enhance
the upper part of Dorchester County. The commerce park’s prominent
location will be a big draw for those industries interested in locating near
the I-95 corridor."
Totaling $3.6
million, the project will include the installation of sewer and reclaim water
line that will stretch nearly 2.6 miles along Highway 78 to provide a "shovel-ready" site for prospective industries.
The water to serve
the site will be provided by the Dorchester County Water Authority.
"Today’s
groundbreaking has been a long time coming for Dorchester County, as well as
those that helped make this project a reality. Winding Woods has truly been a team effort," said Representative Patsy
Knight. "Days like today are very
rewarding, as we finally see our hard work come to fruition. With infrastructure now being added to the
site, the final piece of the puzzle is in place to attract industry to create more
jobs for our citizens. Today is a sign
that good things are in store for Dorchester County."
Speaking as a
longtime supporter of this project, Senator John Matthews said, "Winding Woods is
one of Dorchester County’s key business assets with a location at the
intersection of I-95 and I-26 ideal for large manufacturing and distribution
operations. Infrastructure investment
was the last major hurdle to overcome in this process and through efforts by many;
we can now support businesses in this part of the County."
Concluding the
celebration, both Representative Patsy Knight and Senator John Matthews
presented a check to Dorchester County for $1 million from the Upper Dorchester
County Economic Development Fund to contribute to the County’s infrastructure
investment project. Matching funds included
a $2.1 million loan from Santee Cooper, in addition to water and sewer impact
fees.
Construction for the
project will be led by Tideland Utilities, and is estimated to be complete by
March 2013.
About the Dorchester County Economic
Development
Dorchester County Economic Development is the
organization responsible for growing and retaining business in the County. Its mission is to work to create and support
an environment that welcomes business, and helps companies to grow and succeed
over the long-term. This ultimately will
increase the standard of living for all of Dorchester County’s citizens by providing
more job opportunities with higher skills and better wages.
