Buying a new home is a big deal. For many homeowners, it's one of the most important decisions they ever make. When it comes to such a substantial choice, there are a lot of factors to consider, like:
Getting the answers to those questions can be hard but finding a trustworthy manufactured home company can be even more challenging. Sure, you could settle for a fly-by-night company or a shady mobile home dealer. But if you're like most folks, you want to work with a reliable company that has been in business for years. You need a team of professionals who can answer your questions, address your concerns, and sell you a quality home that will keep your family safe and sound.
Welcome to Ken-Co Homes Inc. - your premier choice for mobile home sales in Hammond Crossroads, SC. Ken-Co Homes has been Lake City's go-to manufactured home since 1974. With several locations in South Carolina, we're the first choice for manufactured homes in the state. As longtime locals in the community, we pride ourselves on honesty, hard work, and running a manufactured home business that you can count on.
There's no secret sauce that makes Ken-Co Homes successful. We work hard, sell the finest Clayton, Destiny, Scotbilt, Homes, and treat our customers like we would like to be treated. That's why, when you meet our team for your home tour, you'll be treated with respect and greeted with a warm smile. Whether you have questions regarding financing or the fit and finish of a floorplan, we'll maintain that same level of kindness, courtesy, and honesty. That way, you know for sure that you have invested in a top-notch manufactured home that your family will love.
Unlike other manufactured home dealers, we have a full selection of Clayton Homes for sale with attractive floor plans to fit your unique lifestyle. When you choose Ken-Co Homes, you're also choosing:
We offer our valued customers a $500 guarantee that we will meet or beat ANY competitor who has a lower price on one of our homes with the same options. Don't believe us? Contact our office today!
With decades of combined experience, our team has the tools and know-how to make your buying process smooth and stress-free.
Buying a home can be challenging, especially with travel logistics and other factors at play. Our team can help answer any questions you have about buying a home and transporting it to a park or piece of private land.
When you buy from Ken-Co Homes, you're investing in a high-quality product that your family will love for years to come. With more than a dozen home choices, you're sure to find a new home that matches your lifestyle.
We'll work with you one-on-one to ensure you get the home of your dreams. If you have questions or concerns once you move in, give us a call - we're here to help.
We offer detail-oriented, experienced set-up crews that make living life in your new home easy and efficient.
At Ken-Co Homes, we offer flexible financing options to help make buying your dream home a reality.
Whether you're looking for a smaller two-bedroom manufactured home or a large, luxurious four-bedroom manufactured home, our friendly consultants are ready to help you build the home of your dreams.
"Is there a difference between a mobile home and a manufactured home?" is one of the most common questions we get online and in person. Today, many people use mobile home and manufactured home interchangeably. That's understandable because both types of homes share similar features and benefits for homeowners. However, understanding the minor differences can be valuable when searching for a new place to call home.
Unlike site-built homes, manufactured homes are built in a factory. Once completed, they're shipped to a specific location where the homeowner will live. The term "manufactured home" refers to any factory-built home constructed after June 15, 1976. That date is when the HUD or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development implemented guidelines centered around manufactured home construction.
HUD code requires manufactured homes to be constructed on a base frame with wheels with a minimum of 320 square feet.
Thanks to fast build times and lower material costs, manufactured homes for sale in Hammond Crossroads, SC is often more cost-effective for home buyers. Compared to traditional site-built homes, many manufactured homes can be up to 35% less than more traditional houses.
Any mobile homes built after June 15, 1976, are considered manufactured homes today, though many people use the term mobile home casually. In the past, these homes were used to travel and were more like the expensive RVs that people use today than true manufactured homes. Back then, mobile homes received a bad reputation due to poor build quality, but they've come a long way since that time. Today, mobile homes are safe, comfortable, and structurally sound, with many types of amenities and floor plans.
Manufactured homes are more popular in the U.S. than ever, and for good reason: prospective homeowners are looking for affordable, quality alternatives to traditional homes. That's especially true today, with inflation on the rise, necessitating more budget-friendly options for anyone who wants to put a roof over their heads.
If you're used to living in a traditional, site-built home, you may be wondering what the advantages are of buying a manufactured home. Here are just a few of the most common benefits of buying a manufactured home:
When you boil it down to the basics, buying a new home is all about the money. One of the most attractive reasons for buying a manufactured home is that they are often much less expensive than traditional site-built homes. Today, manufactured housing is considered a crucial part of the housing shortage solution and a viable option with inflation rising. According to statistics, the average square-foot cost of a site-built home is $107, while the average price is only $49 in a manufactured home. Whether you're sticking to a strict budget or your finances have changed due to poor economic conditions, going manufactured might be your best choice.
Owning a manufactured home gives the homeowner long-term living options. Because basic manufactured homes are usually very affordable, families with enough land can start with a small home and add additional units as their needs change. Manufactured homes are also great as starter homes, especially for families that plan on building a permanent structure on their land in the future. Though it could be logistically challenging, manufactured homes can also be moved to a different site if the initial one was on rented property.
Manufactured homes have received a bad rap over the last few decades. In reality, most manufactured homes are purpose-built for longevity with structural integrity. Every manufactured home built today is subject to the HUD code adopted in 1976. This code is the only federally-mandated code in existence. It was designed to ensure that manufactured homes meet strict standards regarding fire safety, structural design, energy efficiency, transportation to home sites, and overall construction. All manufactured homes sold in the U.S. have a permanent red seal to confirm they meet HUD standards.
When you buy a manufactured home, you may be able to move in faster than you would via traditional routes. Some manufactured homes are even move-in ready in less than 45 days. Compared to a traditional home, once a new manufactured home is built in the factory, buyers usually find that installation is a quick process. Once the manufactured home is delivered, utility work usually moves quickly, regardless of whether you're moving to a park or transporting your home to a piece of land. Before you know it, you're eating, sleeping, and enjoying life in your new manufactured home.
When asked about the pros and cons, many buyers cite energy efficiency as one of the most significant benefits of owning a manufactured home. In general, manufactured housing is more energy efficient than traditional because HUD mandates ensure that homes have high energy efficiency ratings.
These ratings are achieved through upgraded insulation installation, on-demand water heaters, and energy-efficient windows. These upgrades often make entire manufactured homes Energy Star certified. It's no surprise that manufactured homes are 27% more efficient than they used to be with other additions like energy-saving appliances in kitchens and bathrooms.
If you've ever lived in an apartment complex before, chances are you heard sounds and noises through your walls that you never wanted to hear. If you hate hearing your neighbors and despise thin walls, looking for mobile home sales in Hammond Crossroads, SC is a great idea. Why? Manufactured homes are typically built using separate modules, which reduces sound transference from room to room. When two or more modules are combined and insulated separately, buyers enjoy an even quieter, stronger home with less outside noise.
If there's one disappointing aspect of manufactured homes, the stigma seems to surround them. Yes, mobile homes from 30 or more years ago aren't exactly marvels of construction and deserve to be criticized. However, modern manufactured homes are cut from a different cloth and are often every bit as safe and luxurious as site-built homes.
Here are some of the most common (and annoying) mobile home myths debunked:
Modern manufactured homes are factory-built homes crafted with quality materials that meet comprehensive federal construction and safety standards. These standards, called the "HUD Code," outline how the homes must be built, including safety guidelines. For example, manufactured home builders must take strict measures to ensure their homes are resistant to wind. In terms of hurricanes and tornados, having such measures in place can prevent a tragedy from happening.
The bottom line is that manufactured homes are plenty safe and provide a quality product to people who want a lower-cost option over traditional housing.
One of the most repeated myths surrounding manufactured homes is that they are in poor shape and have an overall poor quality. Today, many manufactured homes are built with quality materials and care. It's not unusual to find a manufactured home with luxurious amenities and features lie state-of-the-art kitchens, high-end appliances, and chic open floor plans. At Ken-Co Homes, we can provide you with a complete list of available upgrades and amenities for you to enjoy in your new home.
Perhaps it's due to their popularity and lower prices, but we often hear that it's hard to find manufactured homes for sale. As seasoned home dealers, we can say this is categorically false. Whether you head over to Google and search for "mobile homes near me in Hammond Crossroads, SC," or simply head to Ken-Co Homes' website, you'll see plenty of homes to choose from. Contact our office today for a full list of our homes for sale!
When it comes to home prices in today's day and age, manufactured homes are among the most affordable options available.
That's because manufactured homes cost less to construct than site-built homes, with the average price costing $92K for new construction and $60K for a pre-owned manufactured home, according to recent data. The cost of a traditional home is much higher, with an average of $408K, according to Statista data from 2021. Even though manufactured home living costs change depending on the community, they're often much less expensive than their site-built cousins in the long run.
This myth parallels the stereotype that manufactured homes are cheap and poorly built. Unfortunately, many people still believe that living in a manufactured home community isn't safe. They think that the parks are run down and riddled with reprobates. In reality, many manufactured home parks mimic gated communities with 24-hour security and mandated quiet hours. Some manufactured home neighborhoods even offer community-wide amenities like spas and pools. If you're a fan of the gated community lifestyle but don't want to pay hundreds of thousands for a site-built home, a manufactured home community could be your best bet.
Are you giving serious thought to buying a manufactured home for sale in South Carolina? You're not alone - more than 365K people in the Palmetto State live in manufactured homes. At Ken-Co Homes Inc., we're not your average run-of-the-mill manufactured home dealer. We only do business with manufacturing partners committed to building top-quality products that our customers are proud to own.
If you're looking for modern amenities, energy-efficient appliances, unique floorplans, and homes constructed with quality materials, Ken-Co Homes is the company for you. Contact our office today to learn more about our beautiful Clayton homes for sale in Hammond Crossroads, SC.
All six lanes of Interstate 20 in Lexington County are open along an 11-mile stretch that was the focus of a widening and improvement project.“Six new concrete lanes were built including widening each travel direction of I-20 from two to three lanes from marker 60.6 west of US 378 to mile marker 49.8, west of Longs Pond Road,” the state Department of Transportation posted to Twitter. “A new bridge was built over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line.”The construction project had been in progress since 2016 ...
All six lanes of Interstate 20 in Lexington County are open along an 11-mile stretch that was the focus of a widening and improvement project.
“Six new concrete lanes were built including widening each travel direction of I-20 from two to three lanes from marker 60.6 west of US 378 to mile marker 49.8, west of Longs Pond Road,” the state Department of Transportation posted to Twitter. “A new bridge was built over the Norfolk Southern Railroad Line.”
The construction project had been in progress since 2016 and was completed by Zachry Construction, which was given a $99 million contract.
According to the construction company’s website, the project included the construction of median travel lanes and reconstructing existing lanes, placing 180,000 cubic yards of cement concrete pavement; a new bridge over a railroad; a mile-long section of noise wall, 36,100 linear feet of concrete median barrier; along with the removal of more than 325,000 square yards of existing pavement.
“The result is a safer, much improved roadway with two additional lanes to help traffic flow,” the department tweeted. “This project is part of SCDOT’s Strategic 10-Year Plan to improve interstate highways, repave road surfaces, replace and repair aging bridges and improve the safety of rural roads.”
I-20 remains the subject of other construction projects in the counties of Lexington and Richland.
The interchange connecting I-20 and U.S. 1 near the Town of Lexington is undergoing improvements, including the replacement of the overpass.
“The construction is currently on schedule with a completion date of June 2024,” a spokesperson for DOT shared with the Chronicle. “The current traffic configuration along US-1 and the I-20 on/off ramps will remain unchanged during the first stage of construction of the interchange.
“Traffic patterns will change slightly for each stage as new I-20 on/off ramps are constructed. With the completion of each new ramp, traffic will be directed onto the improved ramp configuration, which will reduce overall congestion and left turn movements on US-1. Upon the completion of the new US-1 over I-20 Bridge, traffic will see a final shift from the old US-1 alignment to the new US-1 alignment. The existing US-1 over I-20 Bridge and approaching roadway will be demolished.”
Carolina Crossroads, a $1.7 billion state infrastructure project, is ongoing, centered on the clustered Columbia interchanges of I-20, Interstate 26 and Interstate 126, commonly referred to as “Malfunction Junction.”
According to the project website, it will install a ”new Turbine I-20/26 Interchange replacing existing loops with Directional and Collector- Distributor Ramps to separate exiting traffic from the main interstate” and “relocate the I-26 Bush River Road Interchange to a new Full Access Interchange at Colonial Life Boulevard at I-126.”
The project includes improvements to 14 miles of I-20, I-26 and I-126. The stretch of I-20 goes from just shy of the bridge over the Broad River to just shy of the U.S. 378 interchange.
June 29 brought shoulder closures to I-20 westbound in this stretch between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and July 11 was slated to bring lane closures “associated with construction sign installation along I-20 westbound and eastbound from the I-20/I-26 Interchange to the Broad River.”
The lane closures are anticipated to remain in place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through July 15.
interstate 20 lexington county, i-20 columbia, midlands road constructoins, carolina crossroads project
Cinderella plays in Sydney until Sunday 29 January 2023.Final tickets are on sale this week for the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, which has waltzed into Sydney's Lyric Theatre this week, performing to packed audiences. Cinderella plays in Sydney until Sunday 29 January 2023.Audiences and critics have been unanimous in their praise for this lavish production during the wildly successful Melbourne and Brisbane seasons, produced by Opera Australia and ...
Final tickets are on sale this week for the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, which has waltzed into Sydney's Lyric Theatre this week, performing to packed audiences. Cinderella plays in Sydney until Sunday 29 January 2023.
Audiences and critics have been unanimous in their praise for this lavish production during the wildly successful Melbourne and Brisbane seasons, produced by Opera Australia and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia.
Leading the cast are Shubshri Kandiah as Ella (Cinderella), Ainsley Melham as Prince Topher, Silvie Paladino as Marie, the Fairy Godmother, Tina Bursill as Madame, Ella's stepmother, and Nicholas Hammond as Lord Chancellor Sebastian. Matilda Moran and Bianca Bruce play Ella's stepsisters Gabrielle and Charlotte, while Daniel Belle is Lord Pinkleton, the second-in-command in the Royal household, and Josh Gardiner is Jean-Michel, the poor revolutionary who is in love with Gabrielle. Completing the cast are Sarah Bourke, William Brougham, Todd Dewberry, Danielle Evrat, Luke Haberecht, Matthew Jenson, Lauren Jimmieson, Leah Lim, Kassie Martin, Rubin Matters, Joshua Russell, Greta Sherriff, Lewis Shilvock, Suzanne Steele, Tom Struik, Daniel Szesiong Todd, Alexis van Maanen, Dean Vince, Daniel Wijngaarden, Erica Wild and Emily Wood.
John Frost and Opera Australia are delighted at audience reactions to this wonderful production. "We are thrilled that capacity audiences are loving this glorious and uplifting Broadway favourite," said John Frost on behalf of the producers. "Cinderella is one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's greatest scores and this production, with beautiful orchestrations, magnificent costumes and sets, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love from the classic story, is enchanting everyone who sees it. Sydney is in for a treat!"
The Sydney season of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is proudly supported by the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency Destination NSW
Minister for Tourism, Ben Franklin said the production would be a major drawcard for visitors to NSW. "I am delighted the Sydney season of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella has waltzed into the state-of-the-art Sydney Lyric. This production is anticipated to draw more than 22,000 visitors to Sydney, injecting around $13 million into the NSW economy and supporting hundreds of jobs in our creative and hospitality industries. Investing in world-class musical productions like Cinderella is a key pillar in our ambition to make NSW the major events capital and premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific."
With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella combines the story's classic elements - the glass slippers, pumpkin, a beautiful masked ball and more - along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. A spirited young woman with savvy and soul, she not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realise his dreams too.
One of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular titles, Cinderella was written for television, debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance. More than 100 million viewers saw the broadcast, more people than any other program in the history of television at the time. Cinderella was re-made for television in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren in the title role, Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon as the King and Queen, and Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother. A further television remake followed in 1997 with Brandy as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother, Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen and Jason Alexander as Lionel.
The stage version of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella made its long-awaited Broadway debut in January 2013, featuring a new book by Douglas Carter Beane and direction by Mark Brokaw, and it ran for two years. Mr Beane's book blends masterfully with the musical's cherished score, with songs including In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/It's Possible, Ten Minutes Ago and Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is a romantic and exciting experience for anyone who's ever had a dream.
On the bank of the Savannah River in the exquisite planned community of Hammond’s Ferry, tree-shaded streets converge on a commercial crossroads that is home to Manuel’s Bread Café.The menu has a French accent. You can savor such continental classics as boeuf bourguignon or pheasant chasseur. On the other hand, you might choose St. Louis fried ravioli, a Kentucky hot brown, Caribbean salmon salad or Cajun shrimp tartine. Are you in the mood for a cheeseburger or charred octopus? Manuel’s fits no dining-out pig...
On the bank of the Savannah River in the exquisite planned community of Hammond’s Ferry, tree-shaded streets converge on a commercial crossroads that is home to Manuel’s Bread Café.
The menu has a French accent. You can savor such continental classics as boeuf bourguignon or pheasant chasseur. On the other hand, you might choose St. Louis fried ravioli, a Kentucky hot brown, Caribbean salmon salad or Cajun shrimp tartine. Are you in the mood for a cheeseburger or charred octopus? Manuel’s fits no dining-out pigeonhole.
Whatever you eat, you will know for sure that the man behind this establishment, French-born Manuel Verney-Carron, knows his kitchen ABCs.
Talented cuisinier he certainly is, but Monsieur Verney-Carron’s skill goes beyond cooking food. He is a restaurateur. He has created a destination dining establishment with a personality that is both downtown and country casual. It isn’t fancy, but dining here feels like a special occasion.
Sunday brunch is especially inviting. Creole eggs Sardou is like eggs Benedict, but with artichoke hearts instead of an English muffin, all on a slurry of creamed spinach. Other brunch notables: shrimp & grits, crème brulée French toast, a Swiss chocolate-stuffed croissant.
Manuel’s salmon patty is an everyday highlight, made of good-size pieces of pink meat interspersed with crisp bits of vegetable. On a ciabatta bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and aioli, it becomes a salmon burger.
Pan seared trout is a fish dish not to miss. It comes scattered with capers atop a colorful salad made with produce from the proprietor’s own Blue Clay Farm. Trout meat effortlessly detaches from its skin below. The flavor is gentle. Want it funkier? Fork up skin, too.
On occasion, the kitchen offers a handsome plate of grilled swordfish with pearl couscous in citrus beurre blanc.
Carnivores aren’t neglected. Evening specials can include prime sirloin steak garlanded with sautéed wild mushrooms. The juice-heavy meat spurts flavor at every bite. Frequently there are Kobe beef burgers.
Manuel’s inclination is to upgrade traditional dishes. Quebec’s signature poutine includes andouille sausage and Gruyere cheese. Croque monsieur is dressed with herbed béchamel. An hors d’oeuvre of French fries comes not with ketchup but with roasted red pepper aioli.
Sweet tooths love this place. Just inside the front door, a glass case holds shelves of eye-catching desserts. Here you find stylish cheesecakes and chocolate crème brûlée. Five-flavor pound cake looks like typical pound cake, but its plain appearance camouflages a whirl of orange, lemon, pineapple, coconut and rum.
Layer cakes are tall and generously iced. Among the rotating selection are hummingbird cake, sweet chocolate cake with salty caramel frosting and white chocolate lemon cake. A single favorite? That’s banana cream pie cake, whose egg-rich yellow layers are nearly as silky as custard.
With its impressive desserts, artisan cuisine and lighthearted charm, plus its Hammond’s Ferry fairytale location, Manuel’s is like a place you’d discover on vacation, then dream of revisiting. We lucky locals don’t need to dream. Manuel’s is ours, right here.
Note: Manuel’s is popular. At peak hours, people wait for a table. Reservations are recommended.
Manuel’s Bread Café: 505 Railroad Ave., North Augusta, SC. 803-380-1323. http://www.manuelsbreadcafe.com
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From the November/December 2022 IssueStates leveraged their fiscal year 2022 federal highway formula funds to jumpstart nearly 25,000 new improvement projects in communities across America during the first year of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a review of U.S. Treasury Department data through August 31 shows.“A key takeaway from the Treasury data is that the bipartisan infrastructure law is working in year one as intended, with state transportation departments disbursing their funds and proje...
From the November/December 2022 Issue
States leveraged their fiscal year 2022 federal highway formula funds to jumpstart nearly 25,000 new improvement projects in communities across America during the first year of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), a review of U.S. Treasury Department data through August 31 shows.
“A key takeaway from the Treasury data is that the bipartisan infrastructure law is working in year one as intended, with state transportation departments disbursing their funds and projects breaking ground,” said American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Chief Economist Dr. Alison Premo Black, who reviewed and compiled the data for the report.
“The economic and quality of life benefits of the infrastructure law will become even more apparent as funding continues in coming years,” added ARTBA Chair Paula Hammond, a WSP USA senior vice president. “The beneficiaries of these long-term investments will be the American traveling public in their communities.”
President Biden signed the IIJA into law on November15, 2021. Nearly 90% of IIJA’s highway funds are dispersed by existing formula to states, with the remainder distributed through discretionary grant awards and other allocated programs.
ARTBA has created a digital tool, artbahighwaydashboard.org, to provide national and state-by-state information on the projects and more specifics on how IIJA funds are being invested. Visit the site to see where projects are in progress or in planning. To date, the 20 largest IIJA projects supported by formula funds to date are:
Case Study: Kilgore, TX
As states, regions, counties, communities, and site owners/developers assess the infrastructure in and around their locations, the value to industry and the workforce is top of mind. Essential infrastructure incorporates major highways to back roads, from traditional utilities to digital must-haves, from employees’ wants to employers’ needs.
In Kilgore, TX, the economic development team keeps a close eye on the myriad elements, working with local and state stakeholders, public and private, to ensure the hub will be a destination for growing businesses. There’s no X-factor in the city’s progress—it builds on a cohesive blend of the elements.
For Kilgore Economic Development Corporation Executive Director, Lisa Denton, the sum paints an attractive picture for companies looking to expand into a thriving area. “It has enabled us to continue to be competitive on projects, to diversify and locate industry in Kilgore,” she explains.
Transportation tops the list for many prospects. On the near horizon, TxDOT has committed more than $150 million toward improving Kilgore’s interchange at Interstate 20 and State Hwy. 31.
“That is going to be a major improvement to our primary business route for I-20,” Denton said. “The access to and from market is going to be a huge asset to companies, such as Orgill, who operate in distribution and logistics.”
Road conditions add to a locale’s general appeal, an essential bridge between the practical needs of prospective business and the quality of life cornerstones of employees.
“Having a visually appealing community, when workforce or companies are first entering your city, plays a large part in their overall first impression and opinion of your location. Having good streets and the right infrastructure in place is paramount to attracting talent and business,” says Denton
Since 2015, the City of Kilgore has completed $22.3 million in enhancements to utilities, roads, and facilities with $12 million more allocated. Work on quality of life elements like parks and cemeteries has been completed to the tune of $3.6 million with a $27.6 million investment in sight for the Roy H. Laird Regional Science Center. The local government’s grand investment of $65.7 million is part of a long-term, evolving master plan.
Likewise, private investment includes CenterPoint Energy’s update to its natural gas transmission infrastructure alongside a multimillion investment by AEP/SWEPCO in reliability upgrades for Synergy Park customers as well as options for dual feed.
Four carriers are building or enhancing their infrastructure to further provide hi-speed, reliable broadband in the community. That connectivity offers much-needed redundancy for companies like high-performance auto parts manufacturer Wagner Tuning, which cut the ribbon on its Synergy Park operation in May 2022 and enjoys a dependable digital pipeline to its German headquarters.
“It certainly makes us more attractive to companies that have a heavier presence in the technology side of things,” Denton noted, “whether it be engineering, research and development, or FDI connectivity. It puts us in a better spot to attract those businesses and talent when we have that kind of infrastructure in place.”
IRMO — With renovations to the Chapin High School athletic stadium and a wing of Irmo High School already set in motion, voters in the Lexington-Richland Five school district will decide on a $150 million bond for more construction projects.The 17,000 student district — serving parts of Columbia, Chapin and Irmo — is putting $8 million into the Chapin High School stadium and $50 million into the west wing of Irmo High.But those are separate from any projects completed over the next five years if people vote &l...
IRMO — With renovations to the Chapin High School athletic stadium and a wing of Irmo High School already set in motion, voters in the Lexington-Richland Five school district will decide on a $150 million bond for more construction projects.
The 17,000 student district — serving parts of Columbia, Chapin and Irmo — is putting $8 million into the Chapin High School stadium and $50 million into the west wing of Irmo High.
But those are separate from any projects completed over the next five years if people vote “yes” on the bond referendum, board Vice Chairman Ken Loveless said at a May 9 meeting.
“These two projects we just presented are done with or without the bond,” board Chairwoman Jan Hammond said to Loveless. “I don’t know why that got confused, but thank you for bringing that up.”
Under the proposed bond plan, the district would fix schools in poor condition, including some in the areas of Chapin, Irmo and Dutch Fork — which covers parts of both Lexington and Richland counties. Ross cited a 2019 study by Columbia-based M.B. Kahn construction firm that rated building conditions.
“There’s a lot of different things you can do to rate schools, and you can disagree with the methodology,” Ross said, “but three of our high schools are in the top 15 in the state, and we believe all of our high schools should be there.”
Another plan for the bond is using $20.9 million to split the sixth grade CrossRoads Intermediate School into two sixth grade academies, one at Dutch Fork Middle School and one at Irmo Middle school, between 2023 and 2025.
The district also wants to remodel Nursery Road Elementary School in 2025 for $21 million, moving students to the CrossRoads campus on St. Andrews Road while the project is completed.
Once those students are back at Nursery Road, in 2027, the district would sell the Harbison West Elementary School building for $3 million and move those students to the CrossRoads campus permanently.
Regardless of the bond, the district plans to add 2,500 seats to the Chapin stadium for a total of 6,500 — standard for Class 5A football team and for hosting playoff games — along with revamped restrooms and new press box, concession stand and locker rooms. A spokeswoman said the district hopes to complete the project by August 2023.
As for the Irmo High wing, there is no clear completion date yet. But district Superintendent Akil Ross said the idea behind the project is to create a “small business incubator” for students in an effort to highlight post-high school options other than college.
“We’re going to give access to the economy right now by allowing students to open up their own businesses while they’re at school,” Ross said, “to learn their business models, to work on payrolls, to handle finance.”
Ross said he and the board want feedback from the community before moving forward with the Irmo school addition. He invited parents to attend a meeting on May 18 in the school’s auditorium to give their input on a scaled model of the project.
The decisions to renovate the Chapin stadium and add the Irmo wing are final.
After board members hear community input on how to prioritize the proposed bond projects, they will vote in June to put the referendum on the ballot. The board will then have have until Aug. 15 to do so.
Of the changes the district could make with the bond funds, the most controversial is moving students at Harbison West Elementary School to the CrossRoads Intermediate campus. The superintendent pointed to a lack of science labs and art spaces at Harbison West as a reason for this.
“It’s not the best decision, but it was a reason that (Harbison West) received a poor rating,” the superintendent said.
Other bond plans for the next five years include a $3.5 million renovation of the CrossRoads Early Childhood Education Center, a $41 million new Dutch Fork Elementary School, a $26 million fine arts center for Chapin High, $2.9 million renovations to Dutch Fork High, $3.9 million renovations to the stadiums at both Dutch Fork and Irmo High and $1.6 million districtwide security upgrades.
Ross said nothing is set in stone yet. There will be a virtual forum on May 17 — the day before the community meeting about the Irmo High wing project — to hear feedback regarding the bond.
Board member Tifani Moore suggested hosting another feedback session, but on a weekend, for people whose work schedules may not allow them the time or internet access to tune in during the week.
“We’d just be able to reach out and really get the town involved,” Moore said. “That’s a lot of changes, and as representatives we definitely want to make sure that we’re including everybody.”
The board did not specify any other plans for community feedback at the May 9 meeting.