The City of Hardeeville has received a Municipal Achievement Award for the new Hardeeville Commerce Park. The city won in the 5,001 – 10,000 population category. Forty cities and towns submitted their projects and initiatives for consideration in the annual awards.
Located in the fast-growing Southern Lowcountry and along Interstate 95, Hardeeville has historically hosted a tourism-focused and travel-driven economy. City leaders sought higher-paying jobs for its growing population with the Hardeeville Commerce Park, a 170-acre facility on Exit 5.
The project began with the gift of 130 acres to the city in 2012, and the city acquired the remaining 40 acres. For water and sewer infrastructure development, the city obtained $850,000 in grants from the SC Rural Infrastructure Authority and $480,000 from the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority. The park’s access road, Prosper Parkway, received $1.9 million from the SC Economic Development Administration — made possible through federal Opportunity Zone and Promise Zone designations — and $1.65 million from Jasper County’s local option sales tax. SC Dominion provided $70,000 to expand broadband development, and total grant funds secured amounted to $4.6 million.
With the commerce park established, 10 landowners purchased all of its available parcels, and are now developing it with hundreds of millions of investment dollars. Once construction is complete, the park will add at least 250 high-paying jobs in logistics, commercial shipping and light industrial professions.
Hardeeville will also use its workforce training program for residents to gain the skills the new industries need, such as welding, forklift and Occupational Safety and Health Administration certification, as well as commercial driver’s licenses.
“The Hardeeville Commerce Park led to the creation of the city’s Economic Development Fund and will be a catalyst for future development within the city,” said Todd Glover, executive director for the Municipal Association.
These winning entries represent innovative projects undertaken by Municipal Association member cities and towns. Information and a video about the project are available on the Association’s website www.masc.sc (keyword: Achievement Awards).
The Municipal Association of SC initiated the Achievement Awards in 1987 to recognize and encourage innovations and excellence in local government.
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