VOLUME 15 NUMBER 17 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM
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DECEMBER 5-DECEMBER 18, 2022 ■ $2.25
Plans revealed for $100M Richland Mall renovation By Christina Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com
New life for Walmart site
Distribution hub means 133 jobs on Bush River Road. Page 6
R
ichland Mall will be sold and demolished and a redevelopment project with an estimated value of $100 million will go up in its place, according to detailed plans released Nov. 9. Southeastern Development of
Augusta, Ga., is under contract to buy the property at the intersection of Forest Drive and Beltline Boulevard. City of Forest Acres officials in a news release called the plan the “single-largest economic development investment in Forest Acres in 35 years.” The redevelopment plan for the 32-acre site calls for a mixed-
use property that includes retail, a brewery or tap room, a large green space for events and concerts, a grocery store and apartments, according to the release. “We wanted a long-term solution for the mall property,” said Tom Andrews, a member of the Forest Acres City Council and mayor pro tem. “We’ve come to learn that to be successful, the
mall property has to be completely reimagined to deliver a thriving commercial space.” On Oct. 18, Richland County Council approved up to $23 million in tax credits for redevelopment of the mall property, and Forest Acres City Council also passed a $3 million tax credit See MALL, Page 9
Productive partnership
See what happens when a city and developers work toward a common goal. Page 13
Business showcase
BOPs opens access for black-owned enterprise. Page 4
Midlands pleasure Chick-fil-A chooses Lexington County distribution site. Page 6
Elemental design
School project earns honor for Quackenbush. Page 14
INSIDE
Upfront ................................ 2 SC State News ...................... 3 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering, Construction .. 13 List: Commercial Project Management Companies .... 19 At Work ............................. 20 Viewpoint ...........................23
SHARING SPACES
The commons area of Expansive provides a quiet space for a coworker to get her work done. Members and operators say the pandemic has been good for the sector. (Photo/Provided)
COVID-19 pandemic brings work alternative to the forefront By Krys Merryman
kmerryman@scbiznews.com and Christina Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com
W
hen Shannon Wilbanks and Joe Erwin, managing partners of Endeavor, left their advertising firm in 2015, they collaborated on how
they could provide an office-working environment with the energy, technology and training opportunities that they could get at larger agencies but weren’t able to access being in business as a sole proprietor or small business. It was out of this concept that they realized they were talking about coworking.
Columbia Under Construction
“We hadn’t planned on being in the coworking game,” said Wilbanks. “It really grew out of that (concept). Our mission is to do whatever we can to help our members succeed, and that’s coming from a very genuine place.” Coworking is the use of a collaborative workspace that offers an alternative way to work. In cowork-
Take a look at some of the Midlands’ latest construction projects. Page 16
ing spaces, people work independently or in groups to complete projects. This concept is popular, because it provides a sense of community and a conducive working atmosphere you wouldn’t be able to receive if working for a larger company. See CO-WORKING, Page 8