Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
St. George won’t ever be central to the Charleston-North Charleston MSA, but the Highway 15 St. George exit on the St. George side of I-26 now has a big real estate sign advertising housing-development-sized acreage. That actually breaks my heart, because my relatives live in the country where Dorchester County becomes Orangeburg County, between highways 15 and 210, the next exit, and I never want to see the farm and timberland I know and love so much be run over by exurbia. Literally, if you take that St. George exit toward St. George and take the first right onto Duncan Chapel Road and stay on that road, after the road makes a 90-degree turn to the right, the first house on the left is my grandparents’ old house, where my mother and grandmother were born and raised, and nearly all the people living in that community who are white are related to me either closely or distantly. It’s as country as it gets, and I want it to stay that way forever.
And it didn't have to be this way. It's sad to see so many empty plants in town that were once hubs of economic activity. And for all of the (justified) bellyaching nationally concerning the prevalence of white-collar and tech jobs going to large metro areas, in SC the same thing is happening when it comes to the manufacturing/distribution sector.
True I guess. Everyone wants to blame China and manufacturing going overseas, but the state failed at adapting and providing opportunities for that corridor. The education and health standards are very low and havent improved in generations. Williamsburg County has a worse infant mortality rate than Syria and Colleton is worse than Libya. Even Florence would rank 106th if it were a country. 8 counties don't have one obgyn.
That area can be more than manufacturing and agriculture. There could've been prosperity. Greenville lost its textiles and look at it now. Charleston bounced back. Of course the jobs aren't going to go to those areas if the opportunities and infrastructure aren't there. Yeah Volvo could've went to Bamberg, but who is moving there?
Never too late for things to change, but at this rate, I feel like those people will continue to just move elsewhere around the state like Charleston.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlestondata
St. George won’t ever be central to the Charleston-North Charleston MSA, but the Highway 15 St. George exit on the St. George side of I-26 now has a big real estate sign advertising housing-development-sized acreage. That actually breaks my heart, because my relatives live in the country where Dorchester County becomes Orangeburg County, between highways 15 and 210, the next exit, and I never want to see the farm and timberland I know and love so much be run over by exurbia. Literally, if you take that St. George exit toward St. George and take the first right onto Duncan Chapel Road and stay on that road, after the road makes a 90-degree turn to the right, the first house on the left is my grandparents’ old house, where my mother and grandmother were born and raised, and nearly all the people living in that community who are white are related to me either closely or distantly. It’s as country as it gets, and I want it to stay that way forever.
I don't feel like that means it's about to get bulldozed. Some of Charleston's current mega developments aren't planned to be finished until the 2030s/40s as late as the 2060s. By that time hopefully Charleston will have taken density more serious rather than sprawl.
Unless climate change is super accelerated and Charleston is suddenly buried, I feel like that area around 26/95 will look around the same in 2090 as it does in 2020.
True I guess. Everyone wants to blame China and manufacturing going overseas, but the state failed at adapting and providing opportunities for that corridor. The education and health standards are very low and havent improved in generations. Williamsburg County has a worse infant mortality rate than Syria and Colleton is worse than Libya. Even Florence would rank 106th if it were a country. 8 counties don't have one obgyn.
That area can be more than manufacturing and agriculture. There could've been prosperity. Greenville lost its textiles and look at it now. Charleston bounced back. Of course the jobs aren't going to go to those areas if the opportunities and infrastructure aren't there. Yeah Volvo could've went to Bamberg, but who is moving there?
Never too late for things to change, but at this rate, I feel like those people will continue to just move elsewhere around the state like Charleston.
I don't feel like that means it's about to get bulldozed. Some of Charleston's current mega developments aren't planned to be finished until the 2030s/40s as late as the 2060s. By that time hopefully Charleston will have taken density more serious rather than sprawl.
Unless climate change is super accelerated and Charleston is suddenly buried, I feel like that area around 26/95 will look around the same in 2090 as it does in 2020.
When you look at Williamsburg County it feels like it hasn’t changed since about 1985. The median household income has stayed at about $24K since the 2000 census. Berkeley County was $51K in the 2010 census.
The southern part of the county has average household income in the 40s now. Most of Kingstree is in the 20s. You have to drive to Florence or Moncks Corner (or even North Charleston) for more than basic shopping. A good chunk of people take the bus over to Myrtle Beach to work.
Looking at Charleston proper Georgetown is closer to Charleston than orangeburg is. Even though is connected to mrtyle beach that should be the area of growth. I wouldnt be surprised if talks come up in the next 5 to 10 years about turning 17 in to some type of highway with exits. Notice i said talks btw..
The infrastructure for the Orangeburg growth is better suited for expansion than Hwy 17 north or south. There's just more room and less to do, plus, Charleston to Columbia is a major logistics route compared to routes heading north to Myrtle Beach. I feel it would make more sense to head west.
St. George won’t ever be central to the Charleston-North Charleston MSA, but the Highway 15 St. George exit on the St. George side of I-26 now has a big real estate sign advertising housing-development-sized acreage. That actually breaks my heart, because my relatives live in the country where Dorchester County becomes Orangeburg County, between highways 15 and 210, the next exit, and I never want to see the farm and timberland I know and love so much be run over by exurbia. Literally, if you take that St. George exit toward St. George and take the first right onto Duncan Chapel Road and stay on that road, after the road makes a 90-degree turn to the right, the first house on the left is my grandparents’ old house, where my mother and grandmother were born and raised, and nearly all the people living in that community who are white are related to me either closely or distantly. It’s as country as it gets, and I want it to stay that way forever.
Sadly it won't. I work with investors who are buying up every inch of land out there and they're eyeing tract, commercial, and multi-family projects, even as far as I-95 is being considered.
Nexton Parkway tracts, the ones near I-26 are some of the most valuable parcels of land in the metro area right now. Car dealers like Stokes, Baker, Hudson, and Hendrick are all land owners out there. Picture the entrance of Nexton Parkway as the next auto mile (Savannah Highway).
When you look at Williamsburg County it feels like it hasn’t changed since about 1985. The median household income has stayed at about $24K since the 2000 census. Berkeley County was $51K in the 2010 census.
The southern part of the county has average household income in the 40s now. Most of Kingstree is in the 20s. You have to drive to Florence or Moncks Corner (or even North Charleston) for more than basic shopping. A good chunk of people take the bus over to Myrtle Beach to work.
I'm wondering if the folks in Williamsburg County would want to see growth and sprawl out their way if it meant jobs and higher wages?
I'm wondering if the folks in Williamsburg County would want to see growth and sprawl out their way if it meant jobs and higher wages?
Looking at the growth rates theyre simply leaving rather than staying and hoping for that. Wburg had an even harsher percentage drop than Oburg. Also that would just come with higher costs. If you live in Williamsburg and have mobility, I dont see what's stopping you from heading to Berkeley or Horry at this point, unless you like the rural atmosphere.
True I guess. Everyone wants to blame China and manufacturing going overseas, but the state failed at adapting and providing opportunities for that corridor. The education and health standards are very low and havent improved in generations. Williamsburg County has a worse infant mortality rate than Syria and Colleton is worse than Libya. Even Florence would rank 106th if it were a country. 8 counties don't have one obgyn.
That area can be more than manufacturing and agriculture. There could've been prosperity. Greenville lost its textiles and look at it now. Charleston bounced back. Of course the jobs aren't going to go to those areas if the opportunities and infrastructure aren't there. Yeah Volvo could've went to Bamberg, but who is moving there?
Never too late for things to change, but at this rate, I feel like those people will continue to just move elsewhere around the state like Charleston.
While I disagree with most of his positions and all of his bombast, this is something Trump was right about as far as China goes. I blame our national leadership in both parties in the 90's, including President Clinton. While hindsight is 20/20, labor unions and others warned about the steep economic losses we would suffer if China were allowed to become a full member of the WTO, and they were proven right. As a result, rural America is on the decline and the top tier jobs are only going to a few select major cities. We're in a mess and there was only so much the state of SC could do, at least initially. But the state's ultraconservative approach to taxation has led to lagging road maintenance and now it's feverishly trying to catch up in the Charleston, Upstate, and Columbia areas so the smaller and more rural areas will continue to not have the infrastructure needed to at least land a decent cluster of suppliers to the automotive and aerospace industries. Now of course there was still automation to contend with as well as competition from Mexico that would have resulted in some manufacturing job losses, but with very, very few exceptions, non-metropolitan counties are going to have it very hard for the foreseeable future. Every time I go back to the town I grew up in in Orangeburg County, I'm a little heartbroken to see it in its death throes. When I was growing up, it was definitely a town with more life and a tight-knit community but there's no reason for younger generations to stick around since work has dried up in Orangeburg considerably.
The infrastructure for the Orangeburg growth is better suited for expansion than Hwy 17 north or south. There's just more room and less to do, plus, Charleston to Columbia is a major logistics route compared to routes heading north to Myrtle Beach. I feel it would make more sense to head west.
Orangeburg is 50 miles away, closer to Columbia, and you exclude huge swaths of land between 17 and 17A which are just waiting to be developed. What about all the land on 176?
Orangeburg is 50 miles away, closer to Columbia, and you exclude huge swaths of land between 17 and 17A which are just waiting to be developed. What about all the land on 176?
Every bit of it is currently owned by developers and in the process of getting permits. Almost all the way to Holly Hill. DR Horton just made the largest purchase of land that DR Horton, the national company, has ever made. Mr. Horton himself came to the closing to give you an idea of how important this buy was to them. It's on the backside of Cane Bay, called the Wildcat tract, and will be off of Black Tom Road, over that way. Other builders and developers are already pushing west and you'll see if we continue to add 50-60 people per day in population growth, that Hwy 176 will take the brunt of most of that development. Some other areas expected to grow rapidly are Highway 165 from Bacon's Bridge to Ravenel, and the Wando/Cainhoy area.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
