Grading begins on Fairfield’s I-77 megasite

WINNSBORO – Grading at Fairfield County’s I-77 megasite has begun. The 1,500 acre county-owned megasite is Fairfield County’s largest industrial site, and can support up to 9.2 million square feet of industrial space.

The grading was made possible by $6,475,000 from the $99 million Dominion settlement.

According to Zachariah Willoughby, project manager in Fairfield County’s Economic Development office, the bid for the grading came in at $3,600,000, leaving about $2.8 million to use for other economic development projects.

Those projects, Willoughby said, would have to be approved by Dominion. Some of that savings might also be used to excavate rock that will likely be found in some areas of the site.

The megasite was purchased by the county in 2016 with $2 million from the county and $6 million from the state. Another $2 million grant from the SC Department of Commerce was used to provide infrastructure on the site.

The megasite is located on the east side of I-77 north of Exit 34. The location provides direct access to I-77, along with regional access to several other major interstates, the port in Charleston and two major airports.

“During a time of record-level investment in South Carolina and across the United States, it is key to have an industrial site ready to handle this growing demand,” Willougby said.

“Once fully developed, the I-77 megasite is poised to be a key economic development driver in Fairfield County and across South Carolina.”

Residents can expect to see heavy equipment on the site first, followed by tree removal and mass grading through the fall of 2022.