Land grab continues for industrial parks in Jedburg, S.C.

Texas-based Trammell Crow Co. recently closed on 97 acres in the Jedburg area on which it plans to develop Omni Commerce Park.

The Dallas developer purchased the land for $6 million from Eastway Properties LLC, according to Grubb & Ellis Barkley Fraser, which represented the seller in the deal.

The plot, on the site of the former Baucom Nursery, is next to New York-based Rockefeller Group’s planned industrial park site and across the street from Hillwood Development Co. LLC’s proposed industrial park and Johnson Development Co.’s existing site.

The developers are prospecting that the Jedburg area near Summerville will become the next logistics center because of its proximity to the Port of Charleston and Interstates 95 and 26.

The first phase of Omni Commerce Park will include 1.35 million square feet, according to promotional material published by Trammell Crow Co. The company expects the first 500,000 square feet to be available in the first quarter of 2009.

Trammell Crow representatives could not be reached for comment. The real estate development and investment firm reported June 30 that it had more than $9.9 billion worth of projects at varying stages of development and owns or has developed more than 500 million square feet of buildings.

By Daily Journal Staff

Mount Pleasant SC - Southern National BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival

Barbecue and bluegrass - served up southern style all day Sunday August 31, 2008 at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, S.C.. Legendary bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys are the musical headliners along with the Nashville Bluegrass Band and local favorites Homeboy Reunion. Professional barbecue teams will compete in a cook-off sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Locals and amateurs are invited to show-off their talents. Come enjoy a big plate of Haven (barbecue). There will also be a mechanical bull-riding competition, celebrity dunking booth, jump castles, and carnival games with the day ending with a fireworks show. Events are 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are $20 in advance; $8 for children ages 6-12; no charges for children younger than 6. Tickets will be available at the gate for $22 and $10 for children. No coolers are allowed.

4th Annual Furry Affair

Benefit for the Charleston Animal Society (formerly the John Ancrum SPCA). The event is designed to increase awareness of the Charleston Animal Society's 128-year history and its role in the community while raising funds to care for the shelter's homeless animals.

The juried art exhibit and auction is from 6:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday at Memminger Auditorium, 56 Beaufain St. in downtown Charleston. Tickets are $75 each. 

Dozens of items, including jewelry and artwork, will be available and reflect the theme of "animals or the world they live in." For more information, call 843-329-1545 or click here.

Mount Pleasant to consider new housing ordinance

The Mount Pleasant Planning Commission will consider a proposal Wednesday aimed at giving developers incentive to build affordable work force housing.

The proposed planned development, work force housing zoning district would allow developers to deviate from traditional land restrictions, allowing higher density on less acreage and leeway on other tenets such as setback requirements, said Kelly Cousino, a town planner.

In exchange, a developer would have to sell or rent 30% of the units as work force housing units. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deems work force housing units as those priced appropriately for a family of four earning up to 120% of the area median income, which in Mount Pleasant would equal $70,050. For rental units, it is 80% of the median area income, or $46,700.

The median area income for the Charleston-North Charleston statistical area, taking in Mount Pleasant, is $58,400. HUD guidelines establish that a family or individual should not spend more than one-third of household income on housing.

At the end of 2007, Mount Pleasant’s median home price was well over $365,000, which shuts out many in its own work force, particularly those in the hospitality and retail sectors, according to the Lowcountry Housing Trust, which supports the new ordinance.

“Land costs in Mount Pleasant are really high. It really puts it out of range for essential workers: teachers, firefighters and that sort of thing,” Cousino said. “Affordable housing is also really important for economic development. For companies moving to an area, having affordable housing helps them attract and retain workers.”

The planning commission meets at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Town Hall. The commission gives recommendations to the council but doesn’t make final decisions. The ordinance was drafted with recommendations from the town’s work force housing advisory committee, which has been working on the issue for more than nine months, Cousino said.
 

as provided by Charleston Regional Business Journal By Molly Parker , Daily Journal Staff