ORANGEBURG — An unidentified company is eyeing a mammoth “power site” for a possible multiphase investment south of downtown.
A permit request filed with the Army Corps of Engineers shows “Project Panther” plans to “construct and operate a new food or beverage production, packaging and distribution facility” on the 918-acre Midlands site, south of where Highway 21 meets Highway 178.
The document was submitted by S.C. Commerce Department and the Orangeburg County Development Commission. They said their jobs prospect needs “sufficient contiguous acreage” and access to a major railroad and interstate highway “that will allow the company to meet existing demand with adequate acreage to accommodate future development and expansion.”
The public agencies are asking the Army Corps for permission to fill 7.6 acres of wetlands and relocate 7,400 feet of an existing tributary on the property, which is west of Interstate 26 and near Orangeburg Municipal Airport.
“The construction limit for the proposed facility would comprise approximately 570 acres of the 918-acre project site,” according to the filing, which included detailed engineering drawings.
The plans show at least three to four potential expansions after the first building is completed. Also, a nearby Norfolk Southern rail line would be extended onto the property.
Most of the undeveloped former “Shirer” tract is owned by the county, which is marketing its 743 acres as the “Orangeburg Power Site.” It’s about 24 miles north of Interstate 95. The asking price is about $11.2 million, or $15,000 an acre.
The rest belongs to Nottoc Farms LLC, according to public real estate records. About two years ago, the private landowner agreed to lease some of its neighboring agricultural property to the county for economic development purposes, according to information included in government documents and local media reports.
The Army Corps filing did not include details about the number of jobs Project Panther would create, the size of the investment or a construction schedule.
A spokeswoman for the county commission declined to comment July 31. As a policy, S.C. Commerce does not publicly discuss economic development deals until they’re finalized and announced.
The Army Corps and state Department of Environmental Services are taking comments about the wetlands requests through Aug. 14. They could call for a public hearing based on the feedback.
Project Panther is at least the second large business scouting the area, where the unemployment rate of 6.4 percent is more than two points above the 4.1 percent statewide average, according to the latest data. Last month, the City of Orangeburg agreed to give the county $950,000 to help buy property for an economic development deal that could produce 600 or more new jobs.
The code name in that instance also was inspired by an exotic animal: Project Rhino.
Last year, Delta Children’s Products announced plans to invest $33.1 million to build a 400,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution site in Orangeburg that will create more than 120 jobs starting next year. The New York-based company makes cribs, dressers, bassinets, strollers, beds, mattresses and bedroom accessories for infants, toddlers and tweens.
