Burroughs & Chapin looking at 17,000 acres in Marion County

[vicupstate]

Burroughs & Chapin looking at 17,000 acres in Marion County

WOW!

An Industrial park, an industrial airport, and thousands of residential homes.

This could be a HUGE transforming event in the history of Marion & the Pee Dee if it comes about. To put some perspective on this, 17,000 acres is 26.5 sq, miles. The equivalent of the entire Greenville City Limits.

It is patterned after a 17,000 development near Fort Worth Texas. It has 24,000 jobs. See the link below.

alliancetexas.com

The attitude of Senator Leatherman is pretty pathtic though. He would prefer to keep out union jobs rather than supply jobs in a county with 15% unemployment (last month at least). I guess we can't have upward wage pressure in the Pee Dee, else those suffering with paltry wages in the existing work force, might actually make a decent living.

In case the Senator didn't know, the Port of Charleston is unionized too!

Frankly, he is actually a good senator. He is usually pretty responsible and progressive compared to the dimwits he serves with. There stupidity must be rubbing off on him.

Another interesting thing is the SC Port Authority seems to want to bet B&C to teh punch, and do there own inland port.

Does anyone have any info. on the one in Summerville? Is it as big as this one is planning to be?

[krazeeboi]

I know there is an inland port planned for eastern Orangeburg County. The info is somewhere in the Charleston subforum.

Given B&C's development history, I initially thought "No!," but as long as it is developed in an environmentally sensitive fashion, bring it on, especially if this is any indication of what we could see:

The Alliance Texas project, which was started in 1989 by Hillwood Development Co., is a 17,000-acre, mixed-use, master-planned community. The development now houses more than 140 companies that have invested more than $5 billion and employ 24,000 full-time workers.

The Pee Dee has needed this for a LONG time. This would really turn the region on its head, in a good way.

[sonofaque86]

OMFG...Now when I go to Marion to visit my grandmother they'll be something FINALLY to do!!

[monsoon]

Well I hope they travel to NC to see the failed Global Transpark facility. An inland port the state spent billions on, and now there are cries to shut it down because it costs the state so much money to maintain. (its not being used) The point of this is that you can build these places but that doesn't mean people will use it or want to move there.

Unfortunately Marion county is full of pristine forest, wetlands and rivers. I shudder the thought of 24 square miles of it being flattened to build a facility such as this. SC has had a terrible history of protecting the environment vs development and this would be a huge blow to the ecology of the Pee Dee area.

[krazeeboi]

Every parcel of land in the world that has been developed was formerly home to pristine forests, wetlands, etc. Whatever is truly ecologically valuable in the county should have already been designated as such, and thus, exempt from development. Just because it wasn't done correctly in NC doesn't mean the same has to happen in Marion County. B&C has done some unacceptable things in its corporate history, but you can't deny the fact that they've also been successful. I'm sure a development of this magnitude wasn't considered lightly.

[monsoon]

..... B&C has done some unacceptable things in its corporate history, but you can't deny the fact that they've also been successful. I'm sure a development of this magnitude wasn't considered lightly.

Depends on what you call success. If you call stripping the environment to put money into private pockets, then yes they are successful. Have they done much for the common person in Horry, I don't think so. The state needs more business investment that actually has a long term future built on it and stop this process of exploiting land and encouraging businesses that depend upon cheap uneducated labor. It is a self destructive cycle that we are seeing played out in the state now and it keeps holding much of SC back in the dark ages.

[krazeeboi]

^If the Texas template holds true, I don't think this proposed development will be of the same nature. As of now, the high-tech jobs are gravitating more towards Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville-Spartanburg. When your employment figures are as high as Marion County's, you have to start somewhere. Plus, an inland port is something that is needed within the state. At least this development doesn't consist of a bunch of gaudy tourist attractions that don't pay very well.

[monsoon]

These were the exact same excuses used to justify the Global Transpark in eastern NC. As I mentioned earlier, it did not live up to the billing as it did nothing for the high un-employement in the area. They really ought to do a study of the failure of that thing, before they make the same mistake just down the road in eastern SC.

[krazeeboi]

I'm sure B&C will do their homework on this one; if not, the legislators and county officials should (which they should do anyway).

[Jerseyman4]

One advantage to Marion County is that it is much closer to I-95. US 501 NORTH via SC 38 NORTH/WEST are currently under construction to be widened to four lanes north of the Marion Bypass. The multilane highway, even though it changes route numbers at SC 38, the four lane construction continues on SC 38, not US 501 and heads towards Exit 181. This is all part of the I-73 corridor as well.

Over at the Global Transpark in Kinston, it was in the dead middle of eastern NC being at least an hour away from I-95. NC 11 is not a bad road but if it were ever a freeway to lets say Suffolk, VA via US 13 to US 58, it may have made somewhat a difference but not a big one.

[krazeeboi]

I'm sure Kinston's distance from an interstate had something to do with Global Transpark not being successful. Even then, if something like this is not near a major, heavily traveled interstate, it won't have much success. This is one reason why Wilmington's port pales in comparison to others on the east coast. This is also why I feel that Orangeburg County's inland port in the eastern part of the county will be relatively successful, as it will have direct access to I-26 and I-95.

[Spartan]

Its Marion county though. Realistically, they will have to do more than build it to make it successful. And considering the company, I am not particularly thrilled about it. This is a large development though, and I'm sure that Marion County's economy could really use a boost.

[Jerseyman4]

From WBTW's website, they show a graphic of where it is exactly. If i can see I-95 on the map, thats already a good start

[UrbanSoutherner]

Well I hope they travel to NC to see the failed Global Transpark facility. An inland port the state spent billions on, and now there are cries to shut it down because it costs the state so much money to maintain. (its not being used) The point of this is that you can build these places but that doesn't mean people will use it or want to move there.

Unfortunately Marion county is full of pristine forest, wetlands and rivers. I shudder the thought of 24 square miles of it being flattened to build a facility such as this. SC has had a terrible history of protecting the environment vs development and this would be a huge blow to the ecology of the Pee Dee area.

Excellent points Metro. It seems to me that many small town/rural areas get these big projects that never amount to anything even years after all the money is spent on infrastructure. I think economic development has to be rethough for small town/rural areas. It may be that they need to focus on small enterprises rather than some massive project. And as Spartan pointed out, Marion County probably has other issues too.

Another example of this that I have pointed out before is the biotech park and incubator in Greenwood. It is a great concept and all, but I just do not think it can suceed in a community like Greenwood. State departments of transportation are bad about doing projects that are really not needed too (i.e., the connector road and long bridge they want to build across some pristine wetlands to connect rural Calhoun County with rural Sumter or County. The justification is economic development, but I just do not see what economic development that is going to bring besides the short-term jobs that come with the construction itself).

It is NOT a fact that simply building some infrastructure anywhere will prime the pump and attract people or money.

[vicupstate]

Company looking for Inland Port site

Well apparently the SPA is NOT looking for an inland port of it's own. The port would support not only Chas. but Wilmington and Savannah. GA and NC are options as well.

This all sounds a little to good to be true to me.

[btoy]

Every parcel of land in the world that has been developed was formerly home to pristine forests, wetlands, etc. Whatever is truly ecologically valuable in the county should have already been designated as such, and thus, exempt from development. Just because it wasn't done correctly in NC doesn't mean the same has to happen in Marion County. B&C has done some unacceptable things in its corporate history, but you can't deny the fact that they've also been successful. I'm sure a development of this magnitude wasn't considered lightly.

For those of us that do not know, could someone please explain what B&C has done that is so bad? And what projects are they known for?

Also, between this project and the Jasper County project on the Savanah River, are we not creating to much competition for Charleston?

[digital_sandlapper]

For those of us that do not know, could someone please explain what B&C has done that is so bad? And what projects are they known for?

Also, between this project and the Jasper County project on the Savanah River, are we not creating to much competition for Charleston?

B&C completely controls and is responsible for what we know today as Myrtle Beach. (Enough said? No . . I can't just leave it at that!) They have WAY too much pull in that town, and ANYTHING they want, they get. They are akin to the mob running Las Vegas until recently. And look what happened to that city when the fat cats and ruthless people were run out of town. IMO, Myrtle Beach will never amount to anything substantial as long as the evil empire is running the show. I wouldn't let them step foot in any other part of the state. B&C will continue to meet resistance whenever they try: no one wants their community turned into another Myrtle Beach. This is too bad that MB has that stigma, because it could've been done so differently (right) if B&C wouldn't have existed.

Another port is totally unnecessary. We need to concentrate on strengthening the already excellent port of Charleston. The new bridge will be a boon for the port, and moves it WAY up the scale in world view. Too bad the bridge is so damn ugly! (Another missed opportunity for greatness . . . )

IMO . . sorry to rant so.

[krazeeboi]

^You think the new Cooper River bridge is ugly? Wow, that's a first.

[Jerseyman4]

^You think the new Cooper River bridge is ugly? Wow, that's a first.

Yea really

I cant get my eyes off that magnificant suspension bridge still to this day

[monsoon]

The bridge is an engineering marvel and certainly better looking over what is there, but the architecture has been used in countless other places around the world and it was a missed opportunity to do something really different.

[krazeeboi]

Well, the bridge does look like a few others, such as the one in Boston. But still, it's the largest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere; I think that fact somewhat makes up for a relative lack of uniqueness. The design is what the people wanted anyway.

[krazeeboi]

Another port is totally unnecessary. We need to concentrate on strengthening the already excellent port of Charleston. The new bridge will be a boon for the port, and moves it WAY up the scale in world view.

Well, I'm not sure how the dynamics of coastal ports and inland ports work; an inland port is just an extension of a coastal port, so it doesn't seem as though inland ports necessarily compete with coastal ports. I could be wrong about that though.

At any rate, I could see a development like this working better in eastern Orangeburg County, where an inland port is definitely going to be built. With the intersection of two interstates (I-26/I-95), a great quality of life (Lake Marion, golf courses, etc.), and being in a county that has something going for itself, Orangeburg County would definitely be a better fit. I really hope Marion benefits from this, though.

[Spartan]

I like the new Cooper River Bridge. I like it better than the one in Boston too. All of the other bridges look the same. It is a new icon for Charleston. The East Cooper Medical Center has a cool ad out that I have seen on the P&C website that uses the bridge.

[Charleston native]

...Another port is totally unnecessary. We need to concentrate on strengthening the already excellent port of Charleston. The new bridge will be a boon for the port, and moves it WAY up the scale in world view. Too bad the bridge is so damn ugly! (Another missed opportunity for greatness . . . )

IMO . . sorry to rant so.

Wow, I am amazed that I find myself agreeing with you very much in one-half of your post and completely disagreeing with you in the other half.

The inland port in Orangeburg and this possibility in Marion will only further boost the port of Chas, believe it or not. These will be intermodal ports, facilitating rail cars from the coastal port terminals to shipping trucks in O'burg and Marion. All this will do is increase the efficiency for the Port of Chas, drawing more of the shipping industry to Chas, bringing in more shipments. However, the coastal port in Jasper County is terribly unnecessary. This terminal will fuel more shipping to Savannah's port, bypassing SC altogether! Granted, Chas has great advantages with accessibility, the new bridge, and efficiency, but freight companies want to go where facilities are newer and more advanced. Jasper officials hope to provide that very thing, but they are failing to see the bigger picture. If the SPA concentrates its efforts primarily in Chas, SC will have much more to gain in the future.

As for the bridge comment, I was going to say the same thing krazeeboi said: that's a first! I have to vehemently disagree. This beautiful bridge is the South's Golden Gate. It is quickly becoming a Chas and SC icon!

[digital_sandlapper]

Wow, I am amazed that I find myself agreeing with you very much in one-half of your post and completely disagreeing with you in the other half.

The inland port in Orangeburg and this possibility in Marion will only further boost the port of Chas, believe it or not. These will be intermodal ports, facilitating rail cars from the coastal port terminals to shipping trucks in O'burg and Marion. All this will do is increase the efficiency for the Port of Chas, drawing more of the shipping industry to Chas, bringing in more shipments. However, the coastal port in Jasper County is terribly unnecessary. This terminal will fuel more shipping to Savannah's port, bypassing SC altogether! Granted, Chas has great advantages with accessibility, the new bridge, and efficiency, but freight companies want to go where facilities are newer and more advanced. Jasper officials hope to provide that very thing, but they are failing to see the bigger picture. If the SPA concentrates its efforts primarily in Chas, SC will have much more to gain in the future.

As for the bridge comment, I was going to say the same thing krazeeboi said: that's a first! I have to vehemently disagree. This beautiful bridge is the South's Golden Gate. It is quickly becoming a Chas and SC icon!

My apologies to everyone who loves the Ravenel Bridge design-wise, I didn't mean to offend. It IS a wonderful thing to finally have for practical purposes, of course. Its size is quite impressive. It is a HUGE, in every way, for the economy.

The design, however, is NOT world-class, which is what Charleston deserves since it IS a world-class city. The Ravenel Bridge's dunce-cap towers are what I find completely out of place in the old harbor city. They are an industrial, severe, dull gray concrete jolt to the otherwise organic peninsular city.

Take a trip to that breath-taking beauty the Golden Gate for a comparison, or the Brooklyn Bridge. Or, for modern examples, any of those gravity-defying, awe-inspiring, bold designs being built left and right in Europe and Asia. We should have hired an experienced bridge designer (don't think they call them architects) to design the bridge, instead of letting SCDOT's in-house engineers who design overpasses (quite well, I might add) do it. I know this takes $$, but a design competition would have seemed obvious--something along the lines of "Bids out for design of largest cable-stayed bridge in North America." You know that would have garnered an international "who's who" of bridge designers with brilliant takes on our historic and vibrant city. I can't believe Joe Riley didn't raise heck to do just that. (Or perhaps he did but was "silenced" some how to keep him quiet?)

I just love Charleston (and my state) dearly, and yearn just as dearly for it to get the world-class treatment it deserves--which would have happened, with gusto, if only given the chance. [sigh]