The 30,000-square-foot facility will feature a large tiered classroom, computer lab, study rooms, skills practice lab and simulation labs with the latest technology to prepare students for careers as health care professionals.

The $12.5 million building is scheduled to be ready for classes in spring 2019.

“One of the things I think is important to mention is that this project, when it was approved by the Commission on Higher Education, was considered a ‘best practice,’” OCtech President Dr. Walt Tobin said.

“The reason it was considered a best practice was because of the variety of funding sources that we received in support of this project,” he said.

The funding includes $6 million from the state; $1.96 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration; $500,000 from Orangeburg County; $32,000 from Calhoun County; and about $1 million from the OCtech Foundation. The remaining money, about $3 million, came from the college’s capital projects fund.

Lower Savannah Council of Governments Executive Director Bill Molnar said that the Economic Development Administration has several projects in the region.

“This is one that we are extremely, extremely proud of because of the cooperation – not just in the building itself, but in the programs that go into this building afterwards,” Molnar said. “The opportunities here to take students and have them be able to go next door (to the Regional Medical Center) and get the practicum is absolutely fantastic.”

The new two-story structure will be located between buildings K and M, on the side of the campus near the Regional Medical Center.

“This is a pilot program, something we would like to see replicated here in South Carolina and hopefully across the Southeast and the nation,” Molnar said.

Cobb-Hunter commended Tobin, area commissioners and the foundation “for the great job that y’all do in making sure that this institution is ready to meet the workforce needs of the tri-county area.”

She said she was also pleased with what the state has been able to do.

“When we talk about health care workforce, we know that in rural communities in particular, there is a desperate need for training nurses, PAs and all the allied health professionals,” she said.

“But we really want to make sure that we do all that we can to retain those trained workforce people in rural communities,” she said.

She encouraged everyone to recommend OCtech to students considering health care careers.

“We need the help of all of you to make sure that students know what is here right in our own community,” she said.

“It is a very exciting day today as we look behind us and we hear the bulldozers running and we see the beginning of something very special for OCtech and Orangeburg County,” said state Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews.

OCtech is known as a leader in putting out quality students in the health care profession, he said.

“And I think this building is only going to continue with that trend,” he said.

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said, “We are extremely excited about the opportunity that this building will bring to our region and to our county to open up those educational opportunities to grow our students and hopefully try to keep them close to home.”

OCtech Area Commission Vice Chair Margaret Felder Wilson said the construction of the new facility demonstrates the college’s dedication to the diagnosis and treatment of more chronic diseases using advanced technology.

OCtech Foundation Chair Cathy Hughes said the foundation helped find private funding for the building.

“Now the foundation’s emphasis is shifting to raising funds for scholarships for the students who’ll soon occupy the building by offering naming rights for rooms in the building,” she said.

About $14 million would go toward buildings, $3.7 million toward machinery and $800,000 toward pollution control equipment.

Orangeburg County Council on Monday approved a resolution and first reading of two ordinances providing incentives for the project.

One ordinance establishes a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement with the project, the other provides it with the multicounty industrial park incentive.

The multicounty industrial park is a mechanism designed to provide an industry with additional incentives. There is no physical park.

The company is choosing to remain confidential at the moment and operates under the name Project Recycle.

In other business:

• Council approved third and final reading of an ordinance issuing no more than $2.5 million in general obligation bonds to fund the purchase of county vehicles.

Young said this is part of a regular five-year plan to replace vehicles as part of the county’s Vehicle Replacement Plan. It will go toward replacing five ambulances, several public works vehicles, sheriff command vehicles and a detention center vehicle.

The county is moving toward replacing the sedan-style vehicles with Chevy Tahoes.

The SUVs will be about $2,000 more up front. The county estimates they’ll save money by holding up better than the current sedan-style vehicles on rural roads.

• Council gave second-reading approval to two ordinances in connection with a project currently operating confidentially under the name Project Profile. The ordinances give certain tax credits to the project and places it in a multi-county industrial park.

Anderson said it is the first prospect looking to take advantage of the opportunity zone created off exit 145.

The prospect will make a capital investment of $8 million and create 15 full-time jobs and five part-time jobs.

• Council passed third reading of an ordinance rezoning property at 2437 Russell Street from Residential General to Commercial General for the construction of a restaurant.

• Council carried forward to the next meeting a resolution and ordinance regarding an economic development project operating confidentially under the name Project Huntley.

Anderson said the project involves a solar farm. The prospect promises a minimum investment of $115 million in solar panels and equipment but no new jobs.

Councilman Willie B. Owens originally decided to move for the approval of the project but later rescinded his motion.

Council took no further action on Project Huntley.

• Council passed a resolution honoring the late Councilman Clyde B. Livingston and presented it to his family.

• Council passed a resolution declaring the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Orangeburg County.

• Council passed a resolution in support of prescribed fire in Orangeburg County.

• Council passed a resolution honoring the founders of the Orangeburg County Consumer Health Council.

• Council passed a resolution honoring Paul M. Rollison Jr. for serving on the board of Santee’s fire services district for 25 years.

• Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith commended those who took part in the litter challenge between Sept. 16 and 30.

“It was very successful for those that took part,” Cooper-Smith said. “A lot of people had a hand in it.”

She added, “Something bad is about to happen to those litterers in Orangeburg.”

• Brian Cue, a student at S.C. State, appeared before council to discuss a concern with sidewalks along Russell and Magnolia Streets.

“I have a hard time navigating the streets down there,” Cue said. “I can’t cross the light because there’s no ramp down to the sidewalk.”

He added that the curbs are really steep, which could put him directly in the street in front of oncoming traffic.

“There’s no curve on the sidewalk at all,” Cue said. “We need to make our sidewalks safe.”

County Administrator Harold Young said the streets fall under the control of the state, not the county, but they are already working with the Department of Transportation to revamp the area.

“There’s already been a study and money allocated for a portion of that up to Highway 33 coming from the other side,” Young said.

He added that Congressman Jim Clyburn has earmarked some money to help do some projects or streetscapes along the Russell Street corridor down to Highway 33 as well.

“I’m pretty sure that would take care of his issue because that’s a revamping of the sidewalks,” Young said.

• Council went into closed, executive session to discuss contractual matters involving the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office and seven economic development updates for confidential projects operating under the names Project Trade, Project Recycle, Project Halo, Project Blue Lake, Project Profile, Project Palmetto and the Gateway Enterprise Zone.

The opportunity zone designations currently include three “gateways” in the county: U.S. 601 off of Exit 145 near Interstate 26 and Exits 98 and 97 in Santee.

The idea of an opportunity zone was conceived by One Orangeburg County, a grassroots organization of community leaders and concerned residents that meet throughout the year to find ways to improve Orangeburg County.

“We are trying to incentivise more commercial activity on these primary gateways,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said, noting Orangeburg County can often fall short on venues that enhance “livability, lifestyle and things to do.

“Orangeburg County Council was supportive of the investment efforts to try to develop areas that make most sense.”

“The idea is to set us apart,” Robinson said.

The opportunity zone at Exit 145 on U.S. 601 will provide a reduction in property taxes to a commercial venture that invests more than $6 million over a two-year period and creates at least 15 new jobs.

The tax reduction would be a minimum Special Source Revenue Credit of 25 percent. The opportunity zone for the U.S. 601 corridor was a concept created a couple of months ago.

The zone includes the U.S. 601 corridor from about State A&M Road to about Hickson Drive past the U.S. 301 and I-26 interchange.

The zone also includes portions of St. Matthews Road to about the Orangeburg County YMCA, according to an overlay map provided by the OCDC.

In Santee, the incentive includes a commercial venture investment of at least $5 million over a two-year period and at least 15 new jobs created. The Santee opportunity zone was created upon completion of the U.S. 301-Interstate 95 interchange and new exit in May.

The zone includes a circumference around Exits 98 and 97.

Robinson said the opportunity zone incentives will end after a period of time (which has not yet been identified).

“We will try it while the economy is heating back up,” Robinson said, adding that council will be responsible for approving the commercial entity that comes into the zone. “The intent is to turn St. Matthews Road into a boulevard.”

An example of what Orangeburg County envisions is the Dave Lyle Boulevard in Rock Hill. It once was identified as a road.

“A number of areas have provided gateway enhancements and the investment has followed,” Robinson said. “Walterboro has an example, North Charleston, Summerville etc. The ability for us to brand our gateway to colleges and downtown is how we get the commercial to flourish. We have way too much money leaving the community to shop in Summerville and Columbia.”

“If we meet with success, we can expand those zones to other exits,” Robinson said, noting other areas that could be looked at would include U.S. 301 and North Road.

Council this past week gave two ordinances first reading regarding an economic development project operating anonymously under the name Project Profile. The company had expressed interest in the opportunity zone as part of its decisionmaking process.

The company is considering investing either $8 million with the creation of 15 full-time jobs and five part-time jobs or investing at least $10 million and creating 15 full-time jobs and five part-time jobs.  A decision by the company will be made by second reading.

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright credits the formation of the opportunity zone and the expected bright future of the county to teamwork and a desire on the part of all to improve Orangeburg County and its county seat Orangeburg.

“Some of these ideas and dreams are coming to realization,” Wright said. “I am very optimistic and very grateful for what I feel is coming down the path for the future of the county.

“We are not clones but at the end of the day, we realize we all need each other and to work together rather than heading in different directions.”

Robinson said there are other commercial entities that have expressed interest in the opportunity zone but he would not disclose details of specific businesses.

Robinson said U.S. 601 was chosen as a gateway to focus the incentives due to its connections with the area’s colleges and universities as well as its connection to downtown Russell Street.

Most recently, the interchange of U.S. 601 and Interstate 26 has been upgraded and there are further plans to beautify the area with the placement of mast arms from U.S. 601 to U.S. 301. The project will be done as funding becomes available.

Currently, one mast arm has been put in place near the I-26 and U.S. 601 interchange. The arm was funded by the Lower Savannah Council of Governments, the South Carolina Department of Transportation through federal funds and a county match.

Design proposals are already on the table for beautification projects at the interchange, including underground wiring, fencing and a gateway monument.

About $3.5 million has been set aside for the improvements in the next round of Orangeburg County’s capital projects sales tax.

Congressman James Clyburn has also been able to allocate about $6.5 million toward the revitalization of Russell Street and Magnolia Street also known as “Railroad Corner.”

“We want to marry everything up,” Robinson said about the opportunity zone and the proposed Railroad Corner revitalization.

Robinson also noted now that Orangeburg County voters have approved Sunday alcohol sales, commercial developers will find the area more attractive as well.

“This is an opportunity to leverage all that has happened in the last year and to send the message to the Outbacks of the world that Orangeburg County is probusiness,” he said.

If successful, Robinson said he would hope the City of Orangeburg would also consider a similar incentive structure to help revitalize the downtown district.

The zone also includes an area north of I-26 on U.S. 601 heading toward St. Matthews. Currently, the area on the other side of I-26 does not have necessary water and sewer infrastructure to support commercial growth.

Providing incentives for companies and businesses to locate to the county is nothing new.

The county has provided a number of incentives including the traditional fee-in-lieu of taxes as well as the multicounty industrial park credits for industrial recruitment.

Robinson said opportunity zones are the commercial equivalent of industrial incentives.

All credits are performance-based.

“It was just overgrown,” Bagasra said. “We had the permission to use the lot and to do whatever we needed to do with it.”

Bagasra said work began in February on cleaning up the lot, cutting down trees, removing weeds and pulling stumps.

“We worked on it all spring,” she said.

The patio, which is now complete, has brick pavers and has various herbs, perennials and even tomato plants for use in the business. The courtyard can seat up to 32 people.

“We have tables and umbrellas out there where people can sit and enjoy when the weather is nice,” Bagasra said.

She said there are plans to have events in the evenings such as the most recent Tea Thyme Tasting Table Event held July 18.

The event featured Sallie’s Greatest Jams & Simple Syrups.

Tea Thyme opened in October 2016 and has seen a steady customer base over the past nine months,  Bagasra said. “It has been great. We have been really received well.”

The restaurant attracts courthouse employees and visitors, and other office employees from the downtown area.

And there are patrons from afar.

“People have come from Florida and those traveling to Charleston,” Bagasra said. “A lot of out-of-towners have come into downtown Orangeburg.”

The popularity of the restaurant, which primarily operates as a carry-out service, has produced requests from patrons for more dine-in options.

Tea Thyme provides specialty foods and freshly ground spices and loose teas. The store has more than 140 different spices from across the world and 40 different tea varieties.

Bagasra is joined in the business by her daughter, Dr. Anisah, as well as husband and wife, Krishna Addanki and Madhu Bandhi and Muhammad Hossain. Both Addanki and Hossain are colleagues of Bagasra at Claflin University.

The Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association renovated 1122 Church St. last year to create a space for business occupancy and start a positive buzz about downtown Orangeburg.

DORA collaborated with local businesses and organizations to create the pop-up shop called “Surcee,” for the regional custom of giving small, unexpected gifts.

The building’s renovation was intended to eventually result in a permanent business.

DORA has focused on a recruitment of businesses to the downtown district as part of its community vision plan

The business plan competition, “Endeavor,” is being modeled after the successful Main Street Challenge programs in Spartanburg and Pickens.