JANUARY 2019 PROGRESS: Denmark stadium, new Orangeburg jail among construction projects

Claflin University

Claflin University kicked things off when it celebrated the completion of its Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex in January 2019.

The new construction expanded the former Jonas T. Kennedy gym. The facility now includes a modern weight room, group fitness area, community kitchen, indoor walking track, auxiliary gym and classrooms.

S.C. State

South Carolina State University also made strides by bringing Camp Harry Daniels in Elloree back to life.

The university’s 1890 Research and Extension Program received a $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to construct a new 1890 Research and Extension Center on the Camp Harry Daniels property near Elloree.

Orangeburg County DSS/DHHS

April 2019 marked the ribbon cutting for the new, $5.6 million Orangeburg County Department of Social Services/Department of Health and Human Services building.

The single-story, 30,000-square feet building is located near The Technology Center on Magnolia Street. It houses about 120 employees.

Bamberg-Barnwell center

The Regional Medical Center’s $8.6 million Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency Medical Center opened in April.

The 20,500-square-foot facility is located at 1524 Barnwell Highway (Highway 70 between Denmark and Barnwell).

BlueBird Theatre

Entertainment options expanded with the reopening of Orangeburg's BlueBird Theatre following structural repairs and other improvements made at the historic theater in 2019.

Gnotec

In the area of economic development, a Swedish automotive supplier cut the ribbon on its Orangeburg County plant in September. Gnotec Group is investing $5.9 million and creating 78 new jobs over the next five years at the plant.

Denmark-Olar stadium

In the area of recreation, it was in August that Denmark-Olar High School cut the ribbon on a new stadium, which has the capacity to seat 1,500 and the power to switch lights on and off with a smartphone app.

Todd McElveen, senior project manager of Thompson Turner Construction, has said the completion of the football stadium, concession stand and restroom facilities is part of a multi-phase project.

As part of the first phase, Thompson Turner renovated classrooms at the high school and built the new stadium.

McElveen said the second phase will include constructing a gymnasium.

Orangeburg park complex

The Orangeburg community got its first look at the City of Orangeburg's new North Road recreational park complex during its own ribbon-cutting ceremony in December.

The complex is located behind Orangeburg Preparatory Schools’ North Road campus.

It has two clusters of baseball and softball fields, restrooms, walking and biking trails, picnic tables, playground equipment and open green space.

Projects underway

• Farmers market/pavilion: The Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association’s farmers market/pavilion on the square is a The 6,000-square-foot, open-air pavilion will serve as the permanent home of the downtown farmers market. It will also host other community events.

The pavilion is located at the site of the former Sifly furniture building at the corner of Church and Russell streets.

• OCtech's Nursing and Health Sciences building: Classes began in January for Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College’s new $12.5 million, 30,000-square-foot Nursing and Health Science building. The official opening is in February.

• Orangeburg-Calhoun Detention Center: Orangeburg County will be opening a new jail in 2020.

Enhanced safety is a priority with the construction of the new, $26 million jail.

“With the new jail, everything is on one stretch. When you have somebody working in the control room, they'll actually be able to see the entire area with all the cells. All the areas let out into one hallway so that it's easier to do surveillance and maintain our security, our protocol, because you have the ability to see from the hallway in both directions,” County Administrator Harold Young said.