News
November 30, 2009
‘Virtual spec’ building to be created for Wateree Executive Park
By Trevor Baratko
C-I (Camden, S.C.) staff reporter
At its last meeting, Kershaw County Council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Warren and Associates of Greenville for construction of a virtual call center “spec” building.
The benefit of the virtual building, said Kershaw County Economic Development Director Nelson Lindsay, is to have a permit-ready building to show prospective companies without enduring the upfront cost of construction.
The memorandum recognizes a partnership between Kershaw County and Warren and Associates Design-Build LCC to provide design specifications, scope of work and a fixed, lump sum price for the future construction of a 60,000-square-foot “virtual call center spec building” on a pad-ready site in the Wateree Executive Park.
After council approved the memorandum last week, Warren and Associates was to begin design work immediately. Warren will complete the following at no cost to the county:
• Permit-ready architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical drawing for shell building.
• Building specification data sheet.
• Milestone schedule for design and construction.
• 3-D video of the virtual spec building, integrated with Google Earth software, placing the building on the owner-provided pad-ready site.
• Construction of the shell building in 90 days or less.
• Firm, lump sum price for design and construction of the virtual building per scope of work. Pricing to be updated on a quarterly basis.
• Warren and Associates will provide a firm lease rate with full financing for credit-worthy tenants.
If the eventual purchaser of the site decides not to use Warren for design and construction, Warren will be reimbursed a lump sum amount of $52,000 for their services.
When asked whether this is a likely trend in development, Lindsay said he believes so.
“This is the way things are moving,” Lindsay said. “Developers are looking for ways to compete and present their work while limiting their upfront cost.”
Talks between Warren and the county took place during the last three to four months, Lindsay said.
The virtual building in Wateree Executive Park will be Warren’s first office building, but the company has previously completed various industrial spec buildings.
Lindsay said it’s all “speculative” at this point in terms of what businesses could be interested in the space.
(Contact Trevor Baratko at 432-6157 or county@ci-camden.com.)
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