Commercial real estate brokers in Summers Corner, SC

SUMMERS CORNER, SC (WCIV) — Imagine a real Hallmark Movie.

That's what a Summers Corner home looks like this holiday season. It's the type of decked-out holiday display to immediately catch the eyes of everyone driving by. It's hard to look left or right without seeing lights or decorations.

The most unique part is that each item has a story. Some of them traveled by car for nearly 17 hours in order to make it to the Lowcountry, and others would only fit in a rental car. Even the Grinch himself, can't steal this Christmas spirit.

"I think it’s wonderful what they are doing and if this was a decoration competition. I would say they win," neighbor Stella Taber said.

Reindeers, snowmen, and even Santa Claus are seasonal neighbors.

"Santa actually writes back to the kids, and the hot cocoa, and all of the treats they are so lovely to put together for everyone in the neighborhood," Neighbor Karina Aymerich said.

It's a holiday tradition for the O'Hea family. Brandy O'Hea said, "It started with one decoration and led to another."

Though, O'Hea said a new HOA wants to tone down the merry and bright.

"We got a letter that was dated 16th of November stating it was our second letter, we were in violation because we had decorations on the adjoining property. At that time of the letter, there was nothing out there," she said.

The letter asked the O'Hea family to have a "reasonable number of holiday and religious lights." It also said a fine of $25 dollars has been applied to their account. A third violation is 50 dollars.

"I don’t know what the definition of reasonable is," O'Hea said.

Some neighbors said it's a display of holiday magic.

"My son here Zachary has autism. He doesn't like gifts. A couple of years ago we were walking, and we walked past every single day by that pig that didn’t say Zach’s pig. We came back up a week later and it said Zach’s pig on it. I don’t like to admit this but I started tearing up because it hit me in my heart that these wonderful people are doing it not just for them, they are doing it for other people," neighbor Dino Pustalka said.

It's a gift that keeps on giving.

"This is the last thing that happens this year that we have hope. That we can feel a little bit or normality. We have had a horrible year. This is bringing everything that was normal back," Aymerich added.

Homeowners said they don't plan to take it down.

"I want the HOA to come here and see the joy that these kids have...running through taking pictures. Hugging the unicorns. And then see what it's like if you take it away from them," O'Hea said.

Kids in Summers Corner shared their personal display favorites with hopes of keeping joy alive this holiday season.

"I like the mermaids, and the angel. I think the mermaid is guidance and the angel is hope," Taber said.

There is a petition online that asks the HOA to change its mind about the Summers Corner holiday display.

ABC News 4 called the homeowners association and left a voicemail. An email was also sent to the office for a response to the neighborhood complaints. As of Wednesday evening, there has been no response. The story will be updated as soon as there is.

More than $12K raised for Apel family who lost Summers Corner home in fire. (GoFundMe)

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Last week, a fire devastated the Apel family's home in the Summers Corner community.

AGoFundMe was quickly started to support the Apel family and in just a few hours, the $5,000 goal had already been reached.

Yet people continued to donate and in 24 hours? The fund had reached about $11,000.

Read More: Flames envelop home in Summers Corner community of Dorchester County

As of Monday morning, donations were just over $12,530, with people still actively donating.

The GoFundMe states the money will help the family replace all that was lost in the house fire and support them until they reestablish a new home.

The photo used on the page shows two adults and four children.

Read More: Dozens give back in North Charleston on Easter Sunday

Flames could be seen shooting out of the kitchen of the home on Gnarly Oak lane at around 5 p.m. Friday.

The homeowner said the fire started on the porch of the home and quickly spread. Fire officials said the cause was an apparent electrical issue.

Everyone home at the time was able to escape without injury.

While council may have passed second reading for an improvement plan for as much as $100 million for a new mixed-use community inside the county, some of the governing body’s members still have lingering questions.

Dorchester County Council approved second reading during its meeting March 20 in Summerville. First reading passed in January.

The ordinance pertains to Summers Corner, a segment of the East Edisto property which spans Dorchester and Charleston counties. Summers Corner is specifically located between Beech Hill Road and Summers Drive—also along U.S. 17-A—and encompasses nearly 7,000 acres in Dorchester County.

WestRock Land and Development plans—at no cost to the county—to fund the Summers Corner Improvement Plan through a property assessment on homes and commercial businesses.

But Councilman Larry Hargett told fellow committee members during a meeting Monday in Summerville that he isn’t on board with certain language included in the improvement plan’s language and will not vote in favor of the ordinance’s third reading unless changes to it are made.

“I’m in favor of what we’re trying to do,” Hargett said, “(but) I have great concern over some of the words.”

Hargett is particularly worried about the plan stating “county council requested” it.

“We did not request it; it was requested by WestRock,” he said—though the state requires the county to be a partner of the plan.

“We have to be a partner with them and be one of the ‘requesters,’ but we didn’t make this (initiative) happen.”

Because a public hearing for the ordinance isn’t required, Hargett said his concerns are vital and need immediate addressing.

“If council doesn’t bring up concerns then they won’t get brought up,” he said.

Finally Hargett wants future buyers in Summers Corner to know exactly what they’re getting into when they sign a contract—that the area’s a special tax district and has an additional HOA fee.

“I’m in favor of full disclosure,” he said.

Hargett said he plans to hand his questions over to County Attorney John Frampton to review and bring before council at the third and final reading.

And Hargett’s not alone in his concerns about the improvement plan.

Councilman Willie Davis said he hopes the assessment doesn’t later spread beyond Summers Corner or become competitive with adjacent neighborhoods.

“I’ve seen it happen too many times,” he said of other developments across the state. “(They) come in with good intentions and can’t pay for it. I think we’re smarter than that.”

According to Councilman David Chinnis—committee chairman—parts of the plan once concerned him, too—especially with regard to the county’s ultimate liability—but he said he’s now “satisfied” with the effort, even if it’s an unconventional development method.

“I’m satisfied at this point,” he said. “(The plan) is a way to ensure (development) gets done and residents maintain it in the future.”

According to the plan, an assessment of $30-$70 per unit per month—not a property tax but a rate—will be reflected on real property tax bills for property owners in the district. The assessments, which affect more than 9,000 residential and commercial properties, will fund $65 million of the $100 million in possible improvements and over the next 20 to 30 years, will annually increase by a rate of no more than 2 percent, depending on the speed of development.

The developer will determine which improvements, other than parks and trails, to build, but Council is in charge of approving any extra recreational facilities. Summers Corner residents will pay for their operation and maintenance, the plan states.

WestRock officials said since Summers Corner is located in an unincorporated part of the county where no city property tax exists, the assessment is a “smart, sustainable approach to fund parks, trails and roads."

Recommended improvements include public facilities: park, trails, connector roads and transportation improvements, water and sewer service, drainage and detention assets, and street improvements, among others.

Overall, a large portion of the East Edisto property will remain protected through deed restrictions, WestRock officials have said.

A date for the ordinance’s third and final reading has yet to be determined.

Managing growth was an essential and recurring topic during the Dorchester School District Two State of the District address Friday, Feb. 2, at the Summer Corner Performing Arts Center.

DD2 Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Ashley Wimberly told the crowd that growth is good but has presented some challenges.

“The definition of growth is the process of increasing in size or development. Some synonyms are advancement, expansion, gain and improvement, all words that bring a positive connotation,” she said. “And yet the issue of growth for us is certainly a difficult one. It is creating some challenges and anxiety about how we will manage the consequences.”

Wimberly said there is some fear surrounding the funding for the changes needed to accommodate the growth DD2 is experiencing. Still, she urged people to also look at the good that comes with growth and the idea that physical growth, just as personal growth, can lead to remarkable things.

“Research shows we often judge normal human experiences that come with growth, like nervousness, stress and discomfort, too harshly,” she said. “While our inclination might be to avoid them, we can become better people and live a richer life if we embrace them. The physical growth we’re facing comes with challenges, just as any other type of growth does. Navigating it will require effort, determination and the willingness to step out of our comfort zones. It may also involve facing setbacks, making mistakes and experiencing temporary failures. But it is through these challenges that we grow the most; as the saying goes, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

DD2 Superintendent Dr. Shane Robbins said managing the district’s growth has been, is and will be difficult. He said Sand Hill Elementary and Beech Hill Elementary are at 125% capacity because of the new housing construction in those areas.

“In Dorchester County alone, over a 10-year forecast, over 10,000 (housing) units are on the books to be built,” Robbins said. “Now, lots of things can happen that could change that forecast. But what I’m seeing from the state level is that South Carolina is the No. 1 fastest-growing state in the United States right now, and the Lowcountry is the fastest-growing area in South Carolina.”

Robbins discussed four ways to address enrollment growth, from the fastest and least expensive to the longest and most costly: rezoning, learning cottages, brick-and-mortar classroom additions and new construction.

“The first three options, we need to do most of that internally with our own budget to some degree,” Robbins said. “The fourth option must be voter-approved as a referendum.”

The rezoning option involves moving areas where children go to a school that is at or over capacity to a school that is not at or over capacity.

“This may increase drive times for some people,” Robbins said. “Because of the way Dorchester County is developed, it could actually mean shorter drive times for some people. But rezoning is our first option, and it has no costs.”

The second option is installing learning cottages.

“I say learning cottages, and that’s just a fancy word for trailers,” Robbins said. That option takes about 12 to 18 months because the cottages have to be ADA-compliant, and we have to run utilities to them.

The third option, brick-and-mortar additions onto existing buildings, could take up to 24 months and is more expensive than adding the learning cottages. The fourth option, new construction, could take up to 36 months, depending on the design and permitting processes and whether land is available.

“New construction is something we cannot do as a district. We cannot afford that, and we do not have the revenue for that,” Robbins said. “This one requires a referendum by the voters. There is no state funding for school districts in South Carolina other than for those that are consolidating.”

The option for DD2 is the district’s 8% tax rate authority, meaning the tax rate of 8% can be raised at any time without approval request to maintain buildings. Robbins said the money can also be used for technology or infrastructure upgrades.

“We maintain more than 30 buildings in the district,” Robbins said, including 25 school buildings, the district office, the transportation depot, the community learning center, and the alternative school.

Robbins said the district has access to a couple of small tax-increment financing (TIF) funds, but a referendum may be the best way to get funding.

“We haven’t had a major referendum in Dorchester District Two for 12 years,” Robbins said. “That is why we are in a very good position to possibly ask the voters for that and to help us with our growth issues.”

They might not have the bright lights of the big city, the hustle and bustle of crowds on Fifth Avenue or the Miracle Mile, but South Carolina's metropolitan areas have an appeal all their own.

Not surprisingly, people from large cities across the country have been discovering the benefits of the Palmetto State's smaller metro areas and have been moving in droves since the pandemic to improve their work-life balance.

As of July 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau reported South Carolina's population of 5.19 million was 1.4 percent higher than the previous year, and the metropolitan centers accounted for much of the growth.

"These areas have a lot of the same amenities as the bigger cities, like New York and Chicago, good retail, entertainment; they still have that city vibe, that's what makes them so attractive," said Laura Ullrich, an economist at the Charlotte branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

As the population grows in Charleston, Greenville and Charlotte-Gastonia at the North and South Carolina border, like the Pied Piper, companies are following the crowd of young workers and taking advantage of other amenities the state has to offer.

"Companies want a place where younger people are moving," said Ullrich.

Greenville Business

Add the state's location on the East Coast, Charleston's port and tax incentives related to driving additional population growth, and it's an ideal enticement for businesses to invest in the state, said Ullrich.

Walmart Inc., encouraged by Charleston's vibrancy, growing population, the state's pro-business environment and its proximity to the deep-water Port of Charleston, opened a 3 million-square-foot import distribution

"One of the advantages of being a member of this vibrant community is the region's existing infrastructure, including the Port of Charleston and Interstates 26 and 95," said Charles Crowson, director of corporate communications.

Other large corporations and smaller businesses are, like Walmart, establishing themselves or expanding in and around the state's bigger metropolitan areas.

It's showing up in employment numbers. Statewide, seasonally adjusted figures from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce shows 79,900 new jobs were created since July 2021. Charleston drove 23 percent of the growth, with 18,400 jobs added. Greenville was second with 12,300 new positions, or 15 percent of the total.

Greenville Business

Over the last 12 months, $3.8 billion in new investments have been made through 115 projects developed across the state, said Kelly Coakley, director of marketing and communications at the S.C. Department of Commerce.

"We've tracked about a billion dollars' worth of capital infusion announced in the Charleston region over the past year," said Megan Fink, director of marketing and communications at the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. "That includes capital raises by local firms as well as capital investments by local firms."

In the 10-county Upstate region that includes Greenville, "We have been remarkably successful coming out of and during COVID," said John Lummus, president and CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance.

He attributed much of the state's good economic fortune to the statewide policy that allowed manufacturers to be considered a necessary business and stay open during the pandemic.

From 2020 to last month, 22 new projects brought a total investment of about $495 million to Greenville, according to the alliance.

At its new Dorchester County distribution center, Walmart employs more than 1,300 workers. It anticipates hiring and investing in the training and development of more than 200 more local full-timers.

And for manufacturers — one of the leading job growth sectors in the state — South Carolina has a "real advantage over competitor regions," said Lummus.

"The state has an incredible manufacturing economy and high-tech companies in the manufacturing sphere," he said. "In the Upstate, we have 110,000 people working in manufacturing and 2,100 manufacturers."

Looking at the unemployment rate — 3.2 percent in July — one might think that the industry is having trouble going to find the workforce they need, Lummus said.

"But they are finding workers from employed and underemployed people who can make more by moving up into higher tech jobs," he said.

Combine that with ReadySC — a workforce training program that is part of the state's technical college system — and manufacturers have a healthy pool of workers to draw from.

The same holds in Charleston and its suburbs, where Volvo Car USA announced it would build its first US plant in 2015 to manufacture its S60 mid-size sedan and XC90 sport utility vehicle.

"The Lowcountry offers easy access to international ports and infrastructure, a well-trained labor force, an attractive investment environment and experience in the high-tech manufacturing sector," said Katherine Bergmann, head of communications and community relations. "All of that, combined with the quality of life, makes Charleston a great place to live and build a career."

Volvo expects to grow its workforce over the next year and is looking for talent from all areas and demographics. As it competes for workers, recruitment challenges exist, Bergmann said.

But workforce challenges are particularly prevalent for smaller businesses in growth sectors, including leisure and hospitality, where 6,000 jobs have been added in the Charleston region over the last 12 months as the industry continued to recover from the pandemic.

One of the Charleston area's longtime restaurant chains knows the labor challenges all too well. The Kickin' Chicken is now closed on Tuesdays at all five locations throughout the Lowcountry because it can't get enough help.

"It's a struggle at all locations," said Chip Roberts, president and co-founder of the 25-year-old dining chain. "The problem is from top to bottom, from management all the way down. It's thin all over."

The restaurant group should have about 250 employees, but Roberts said it's operating on about 150.

The Kickin' Chicken has done better during the summer on hourly staff, but Roberts said, "If they don't feel like coming to work, they don't. You are already thin, so what are you going to do, fire them?"

Roberts said the chain considered closing part of the dining rooms to limit demands on the waitstaff, but he noted the restaurants still need someone with management skills to open and close.

"It's hard to find some skilled labor and cooks," he said.

Roberts pointed out it's easier to find help in the Charleston area's suburbs of Ladson, Goose Creek and Summerville.

Marilyn Knox with Culver's restaurant experienced that firsthand.

When the franchisee opened her second Charleston-area Culver's frozen custard and ButterBurger restaurant on Ladson Road on Aug. 29, she already had all 60 new employees lined up.

Knox said it took about a month to hire all the workers she needed at the new restaurant site.

She believes the secret is the way the company takes care of its employees through incentives, bonuses and holiday parties.

"People want to feel like they are part of a team," she said.

At the newly opened Pasture & Grain restaurant in Mount Pleasant, owner Ira Hill remembered being fully staffed almost immediately after announcing the new eatery planned to open in a former pizza restaurant in June.

"As time went on, we lost 40 percent of those we hired," he said in mid-August.

"It's been a labor of love for interviews," Hill said. "We are short-staffed, but we're not poorly staffed. It's universally challenging. You want quality workers as well."

He also is well aware of the challenges throughout the food-service industry in hiring and retaining workers.

"We are entering the business at one of the worst times in the industry, so we have to get it right and provide quality."

Construction is another sector grappling since COVID-19 with a nationwide labor shortage driven by a lack of qualified help, and that could impede progress in areas that need improvement to ensure the continued growth of South Carolina's metropolitan centers.

In South Carolina, more than 90 percent of companies responding to an Associated General Contractors of America survey said they have positions open. Nearly 80 percent are having difficulty finding workers to fill them. Employers that belong to the trade group attribute the crunch to a lack of candidates with the specific jobsite skills they need.

"There is plenty of work to perform and not enough people to do the projects," said Ken Simonson, AGC's chief economist