Jafza property attracting interest, company says

By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer

SANTEE – An active marketing campaign for the Jafza Americas industrial park is in full swing as interest in the 1,324-acre parcel increases, according to the company hired to market the property.

“There is some interest thus far,” said Hagood Morrison, senior vice president and principal of Colliers International’s Charleston office. “It is light interest from big users looking around other sites in the Southeast.

“There are not many sites this size with the amenities this site will have.”

Dubai-based Jafza purchased the Santee land in 2007 to develop a distribution, manufacturing and logistics center. Phase 1 of Jafza Magna park consists of 47 acres on the west side of Interstate 95, next to the Santee Town Hall, and 76 acres on the east side of I-95, behind the Santee Outlet Mall.

Jafza retained Colliers International, a commercial brokerage firm, to market the Jafza Magna Park last month.

Morrison said interest has spiked somewhat, especially since federal funds came in to upgrade the I-95 and U.S. 301 interchange.

Orangeburg County received $12.1 million in federal money toward the upgrade in December. It now has the $26.4 million it needs to build the project. Construction could begin by the end of this year.

Morrison said he expects interest to continue to grow in the property over the next six months.

“There are a lot of moving pieces,” he said, noting much depends on the economic situation. “This is a big deal and it can take a lot of time.”

Morrison said he expects a new industrial announcement at the park by this time next year.

Colliers already markets the property on its website, touting its location and rail access as well as Orangeburg County’s “strong incentives, low utility rates and an extensive technical college system.” The company also plans to ramp up its marketing efforts.

“We will be setting up a separate website for the property and will be doing direct communications with site selection consultants marketing to them and marketing directly to these manufacturing users as well,” he said. “There is a good story to be told.”

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said there has been significant interest in the Jafza property.

“It is just a matter of time,” Robinson said. He said in any given week he may receive about four or five inquiries about the site.

He said some of companies in the aerospace, automotive, advanced materials, metal fabrication, plastics and distribution sectors have expressed an interest.

“We are marketing to existing industry and other industries throughout the state,” Robinson said.

The first building in the Jafza South Carolina project, the Jafza Enterprise Center, officially opened in July 2011. The 16,000-square-foot building houses the S.C. Technical Institute Inc.

Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551.