USC Upstate To Build George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business And Economics At Renaissance Park
Spartanburg, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Upstate announced today that it will construct a new facility for its business school in the heart of the City of Spartanburg, which will be named the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics. This will be the first building in Spartanburg that bears the name of Spartanburg native George Dean Johnson, Jr., chairman of Johnson Development Associates, Inc.
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved this project and the immediate renaming of the USC Upstate School of Business Administration and Economics to the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics at its meeting on December 17.
The new facility will be located adjacent to the Chapman Cultural Center in the Renaissance Park facing Saint John Street. Initial plans call for a three-story, 44,000 square foot building. The University expects to break ground in late fall 2008 and anticipates that construction will be completed in December 2009.
“The University is greatly honored by the identification of its business school with Mr. Johnson. And locating the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics in the center of Renaissance Park will be a tremendous asset not only to downtown development but, because of the naming, to the reputation of the University,” said Dr. John Stockwell, chancellor of USC Upstate. “The implications of this project will be far-reaching. It will assist in the economic development of the City, the region and the State; serve as a magnet for corporate investment; aid in pre-start-up and incubation support of small business; and introduce thousands of business majors over the years to the opportunities for investment in the City.”
“Our future is tied to education and I believe that this project will help us all in ways that we can’t yet imagine,” said Johnson. “This is an investment in the University of South Carolina Upstate and in the College of Business and Economics but more importantly, it is an investment in the community. It is setting the stage for economic development, the creation of entrepreneurs and for life-long learning. It is an investment in Spartanburg - one that I hope will give people’s children and grandchildren a place to live, work and prosper.”
Bill Cobb, CEO of QS/1 and a 1974 graduate of the University of South Carolina Upstate, is quick to point out the advantages of locating the College of Business and Economics in the heart of the Central Business District.
“Having 850 business students in the heart of downtown is advantageous not only in terms of economic development but also the overall education of the students,” said Cobb. “The move downtown will connect students with the business world in a way that location on the campus cannot. The school and students will be highly visible to the community. Proximity will create opportunity for students and businesses.”
The estimated cost of The George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics is valued at $26 million, including the City of Spartanburg’s provision of land (approximately one acre) valued at $650,000. The City also will partner with the University in the construction of a new 780-space parking garage at a cost of $11 million with a minimum of 250 parking spaces provided for USC Upstate. The City will also provide infrastructure to include sidewalks, streets and landscaping.
In addition to the City’s financial commitment, more than $10 million in private contributions, including $2 million to endow the College, was raised in less than 30 days. Mayor Bill Barnet attributes the speed and ease with which this funding came together with the obvious potential this project brings to the community. The University will contribute $5 million toward the project. The capital project will be developed and managed by the Carolina Piedmont Foundation Properties II, LLC.
"The Johnson College of Business and Economics is a gift to this community in many ways,” said City Manager Mark Scott. “The St. John Street address should be among the best in the entire Upstate and our Downtown Master Plan singles out the Renaissance Park area as key to our future downtown development. It is located to support our charming, historic downtown core by bringing vibrance and economic strength. The College of Business and Economics will stimulate pedestrian activity, generate professional level job creation in the area, bring meetings and tourism to the Marriott Hotel, and perhaps best of all, it will expose thousands of future business leaders to the joys of living and working in downtown Spartanburg. It would be hard to find a better fit for the goals the Master Plan presents."
Mayor Barnet added, “The City Leadership Team immediately grasped the potential of locating the business school downtown. It’s exciting and shows the commitment the Spartanburg community has for future generations to come. To create a vibrant and dynamic city center in order to keep our young people here, this is an essential step forward for this community.”
Chancellor Stockwell acknowledged that “this project would not be possible without the private financial resources of a dozen or more very committed donors – a dozen or more to date – and the leadership of Mayor Barnet, the City Council, City Manager Mark Scott and the City planning team.”
USC Upstate is putting great thought into how this downtown campus can fully engage the business sector and the community. While there are talks of a Lecture Series, distance learning opportunities, mentor programs, and space for small business incubation, immediate attention is being focused on the architectural and design phase.
“First priorities for the College are modern facilities with current technology, shared space for executive and continuing education opportunities, and a "Class A" office environment that welcomes and serves the business community,” said Dr. Darrell Parker, dean of the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics at USC Upstate. “This new facility will relieve pressures on restricted space for teaching and learning through the creation of sufficient classrooms and offices for future growth. In addition, it will permit the development of specialized instructional space including dedicated computer labs with business software, a stock market trading room for finance classes, and classrooms with computers to permit students to individually run educational software during class. It will also support executive education and other academic outreach activities, enabling expanded services for small businesses and connecting business leaders with the University and its students.”
The George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics at USC Upstate currently enrolls nearly 850 majors and is the fastest growing unit in the University. It is fully accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, one of 41 institutions worldwide with undergraduate only programs that are accredited. Few business schools in the nation with a predominantly undergraduate mission are accredited by this prestigious international association.
In addition to its major programs in business administration, finance, marketing, management, accounting and economics, the College will offer USC’s PMBA degree on-site.
“Continuing education, together with the small business management and support for incubation services, are areas for expansion in the coming years. Our faculty members are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, consulting and continuing education,” said Parker. “With this new facility the Johnson College will become uniquely focused on Spartanburg and the Upstate's economic development.”
Founded in 1967, the University of South Carolina Upstate has spent the last 40 years developing its mission as one of the Southeast’s leading metropolitan universities. In addition to building acclaimed and accredited academic programs, the University has recruited a faculty with excellent credentials and experience and a student population of great potential and diversity. USC Upstate is home nearly 5,000 students from 38 states and 71 nations. More than 16,000 students have earned their degrees with 80% of graduates remaining in the Upstate to build their lives and careers.
For more information, contact Dr. Darrell Parker at (864) 503-5581 or visit www.uscupstate.edu/johnsoncollege.