Richland County to develop Blythewood business park

Listen to this article

Richland County has purchased more than 1,300 acres in Blythewood to develop into a Class A business park for approximately $26 million.

The Blythewood Business Park site is located off Interstate 77 and, according to a news release from Richland County, is one of the largest land parcels in the area. The property includes enough space to build 5.3 million square feet of office space, Class A space and manufacturing buildings. About 100 acres will be set aside for commercial use that must adhere to Town of Blythewood zoning.

The purchase allows the county to control land development in its fast-growing northern corner, according to the release, and could add to the county’s tax base if businesses locate or expand to the property. The county hired an independent site location consultant to work with the S.C. Department of Commerce to conduct due diligence and develop a master plan.

The site was identified two decades ago when it was considered by a technology company for construction of a new campus. The project did not advance, and the Richland County Economic Development Office worked to gain control of the property. It is accessible from two interchanges off I-77.

“Richland County is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of our citizens and boosting the economic competitiveness of our region,” Richland County Council Chair Paul Livingston said in the release. “With the new Blythewood Business Park, we are able to continue to compete with similar mid-sized metropolitan regions across the Southeast — and win.”

“The development of the Blythewood Business Park places Richland County in a position to attract new industry, which would in turn create new, diverse jobs in our community,” said Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson, who represents District 2, where the Blythewood Business Park will be located. “Similar development the county has taken on in the past has paid off with major investment and new jobs, and this project has the potential for similar growth and success.”

The county purchased the Pineview Industrial Park in 2012 and recruited fiberglass supplier China Jushi and its $300 million manufacturing facility. In 2016, the county purchased 103 acres in Blythewood’s Carolina Pines Industrial Park, and Charter NEX Films, a manufacturer of polyethylene film for industrial and medical applications, announced an $85 million investment in a new facility there in September 2017.