Spec building in Dorchester County opening this year

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Construction is underway on a 128,000-square-foot speculative industrial building in Dorchester County.

The Eastport Commerce Center sits in the Eastport Industrial Park off U.S. Highway 78 in Summerville.

Project planners designed the building for multiple tenants, including manufacturers, suppliers and other industrial companies, a news release said. Tenant spaces can be separated into 8,000 square feet and up. The building is set to open later this year.

Several county officials said they expect the building to attract new companies into the area, which boosts available jobs for area residents. It is the county’s first privately funded speculative building in more than 15 years, according to the news release.

John Truluck, Dorchester County’s economic development director said “80% of prospects arrive looking for existing buildings. … Adding a building of this size and caliber to the county’s offerings will provide a boost to our already robust economic development strategy, and we’re looking forward to the prospect visits it is sure to inspire.”

Cityvolve, a North Charleston-based development and consultant company, developed the building. Charleston-based MayRiver Industries owns it.

The development team included: HLA, R IV Architecture, Celek & Celek Construction and Choate Construction. Avison Young will handle the leasing.

“In my 13 years involved with economic development, one thing I have learned is that successful economic development initiatives hinge on the availability of products you have to offer,” said Hank Taylor, chairman of the Dorchester Economic Development Corp.’s board of directors, in the release.