Airport ready for industries to make landing

By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer

The Orangeburg County Development Commission is looking to bring in aviation-served companies to locate on about 90 acres of city-owned property at Orangeburg Municipal Airport.

“We are full but we can do more directly with it,” OCDC Executive Director Gregg Robinson told Orangeburg County Council members Wednesday afternoon as part of the annual two-day Orangeburg County Council Planning Retreat. With Boeing locating in Charleston, the local airport is ideal for aviation-related industry.

“That is a great piece of property,” he said. “We have over 5,000 linear feet right there and that is a critical piece for us to development.”

Robinson said the county is prepared for the airplane manufacturer.

“I literally have obtained the entire supplier list of Boeing,” Robinson said, noting the tier 1 supplier radius is within 75 miles of the county. “We are there. We are perfect.”

Robinson said the key will be to partner with the city of Orangeburg in marketing and showcasing the property.

Orangeburg City Administrator John Yow reiterated the city’s support of developing the land for job and wealth creation.

“It is included in our municipal airport master plan,” Yow said, noting the master plan is currently being revisited as required every five to seven years.

He said the master plan will look to specify which properties would be suitable for economic development. “We are in agreement that it has to be economic development that is compatible with airport operations.

Compatibility would include height and emission standards as approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Any development would have to be approved by the FAA, Yow said.

The site is serviced by utilities, though a road would have to be built to help bring these services to any potential development.

The retreat provides an opportunity for OCDC officials, the economic development arm of the county, to update county elected and government officials on the latest in county economic development.

Robinson touted the importance of ensuring the county continues as a “right to work” location with a low union profile. He also said it is necessary that legislation ensures least-developed and rural counties will not be at a competitive disadvantage.

Robinson said 2009 was a record year with 115 prospect visits or companies coming into the county to look at properties.

Of the 115 prospect visits, 81 or 77 percent of the visits were new company visits. He said 89 percent of the projects were new or expanding manufacturing operations.

He said about 33 percent of the 115 projects were generated by the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“This greatly concerns me … because Commerce is getting cut again,” Robinson said. “That is less resources we will have to generate these potential projects.”

Robinson said the OCDC is also working with the Central South Carolina Alliance, a regional economic development marketing agency, on an inbound call service where regional representatives with CSCA will call potential companies about the opportunities available in Orangeburg County.

The last calendar year saw 4800 calls made, with about 478 reaching company decision-makers.

About 80 calls were conference calls and information was requested from about 199 of these calls.

“We are doing more of this because it is less travel time, less marketing mission and it is a smarter dollar,” Robinson said.

Robinson touted the need for product development as a potential company this past week came inquiring about where it can locate within 30 minutes of the Columbia area.

“Neeses fell right in the heart of that and he wanted to know if I had any buildings over there,” Robinson said. “I don’t. They need it right now. Those are the types of things that we will start to see more and more companies come … due to that proximity of 321, 389 and I-20.”

Robinson said the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park’s $5 million 150,000-square-foot speculative building continues to be viewed with about 11 written proposals on the building in the 2009 calendar year.

“It is a matter of time before we sell that building,” Robinson said. “It is great to have product in the downturn, but we will be ready when the uptick starts back up.”

Robinson said the Jafza Magna Park-Santee project has been “slower” than initially envisioned due to the downturn in the global economy and market.

“They are clearing trees as we speak,” Robinson said. “They are hopefully going to be turning dirt here in the next quarter.”

He said the first phase of the project on both sides of Interstate 95 will begin directly behind Santee City Hall and off Empire Lane.