Year: 2017

Clemson University’s December 2017 graduates from the Master of Real Estate Development program completed their final Practicum projects in November of 2017, presenting to a professional jury that consisted of Julie Franklin, Justin Hirsch, David Rosenberg, and Craig Stipes. Since 2004, these capstone projects have been sponsored by the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) Foundation®, through the SIOR Carolinas Chapter, which awards an annual scholarship to the winning team.

In years past, students used the practicum to prepare a detailed feasibility analysis and development proposal for real sites across the Southeast region. This was the first year where teams submitted packages on mix-used development sites in a case study format. Teams were able to select their own projects for the case study and were required to highlight site, market, and financial analyses in their reporting. Each team incorporated information about the developer’s goal, while highlighting the history, challenges, and benefits that these developments have stimulated. This year’s competition also marked the first year there was a three way tie. Below are the following teams that were awarded a scholarship by the professional jurors:

Drayton Mill – Hemadi Hamam, Kurt Wallenborn, and Daniel Wright
Midtown – Brunson Miller, Andrew Simmons, and Wes Whitlock
Pacific Box and Crate – Andrew Cohen, Stuart Hall, and Craig Gearhart

Drayton Mill: Drayton Mills is a historic textile mill, located in Spartanburg, SC, that has been transformed into a thriving mixed-use development with 289 luxury apartment units and 70,000 square feet of office and retail. The once prosperous textile mill closed in 1994 and was slated for demolition. TMS Development could not tolerate destroying this piece of history and decided to purchase and redevelop the property. Working with the community TMS has successfully recreated the mill village, which is the largest historic rehabilitation in the state of South Carolina to date. Most local residents had forgotten that mill village once existed here, so repositioning the site was a challenge. Through a tremendous collaboration between the Developer and local officials, the mill quickly became an attraction to the area.

Midtown: Midtown is an urban infill mixed-use development project located in the renowned historic district of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, with frontage on King, Spring, and Meeting Street. Overcoming a fourteen-year development process, the project represents what can be achieved in real estate development through perseverance, creative thinking, public-private partnership, and resilience. CC&T Real Estate Services assembled the property, which consisted of five parcels owned by 70 individual property owners. The phased project, completed in 2015, brought a Class A apartment complex, a dual flag hotel, a parking garage, and several retail and office spaces to the historic peninsula.

Pacific Box & Crate: With a company mission to breathe new life into neighborhoods, the Raven Cliff Company purchased a ten acre site on Charleston’s upper peninsula – an area more commonly known as “the neck.” Completed in 2017, the developers delivered a unique office and commercial space in a mixed-use campus setting, consisting of two, 20,000 SF buildings, which are now fully occupied with tech companies, a brewery, and restaurant incubator. The development has launched a spike in land prices in the surrounding area and has caused more businesses to tap into land north of the sacred peninsula.

Dr. Terry Farris was the Founding Director of Clemson’s nationally renowned Master of Real Development Program (2004-2010), a joint initiative between the College of Architecture, Arts & Humanities and the College of Business. The MRED is an interdisciplinary 56-credit, full-time, 12 or 18-month program (based on experience) with courses from MBA/Finance, Law, Planning, Architecture, Construction Science and Real Estate Development. He previously served as the Director of the Master of City and Regional Planning Program for four years prior to founding the MRED program.

Founded in 2004, MRED has admitted 205 students, who graduated from 88 Undergraduate Colleges in 28 States and 6 countries (Brazil, China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia and S. Korea).  Approximately 28% of our 205 students have Design/Construction related undergraduate degrees, 48% Business/Finance Related, and 24% Social Science/other related degrees.  He is very proud of the 174 supportive alumni employed in 45 metro areas in 26 States and Asia making better community places.  He is also very proud of the approximately 400 planning students in his classes through the years.

At Clemson since 1994, he has taught Market Analysis, Public-Private Partnership, Mixed-Use Development, and RE Technology.  He also taught Development Process, Resort Development, Planning Administration, Housing and Community Development, Roundtable, and Land Use Law.  For seventeen years, Dr. Farris has taken 15-20 graduate students on a 10-day Coastal trip in May touring premier developments from Myrtle Beach through Charleston to Hilton Head Island and Savannah GA.

Prior to joining academia in 1991, Dr. Farris had a 17-year development planning/consulting, homebuilding, and administrative career in St. Louis. He packaged $1.5 billion of public-private partnership projects in forty cities and ten states.  He came into academia primarily to teach, work with the professional community, and perform some applied research—his  main desire was to work with students and see them become successful in their careers.

Dr. Farris has a BA in Urban Geography from St. Louis University (’72), and a Master of Urban Planning (’74) and PhD in Urban Planning (’96) from Michigan State University.

He received the 2006 “Distinguished Planner” Award by the SC American Planning Association. Dr. Farris was appointed by Governor Sanford as an initial member of the new State Advisory Committee on Educational Requirements for Local Government Planning or Zoning Officials or Employees through 2008. He is the Primary Author of the Urban Land Institute’s Growing by Choice or Chance: State Strategies for Quality Growth in South Carolina.  The MRED Program was a Founding Sponsor of the SC ULI District Council, where he served on the founding Executive Committee.

At the 10^th Year Anniversary celebration, MRED Alumni established the Dr. J. Terrence Farris Annual Award for an outstanding graduating MRED student who exhibits outstanding scholastic achievement and interest in public-private partnerships.

In his retirement letter, he thanked all of Clemson’s administration, faculty, staff, Advancement Board, and friends.  He especially thanked the professional community, who has worked with our students in so many ways by participating as mentors, tour guides, lecturers, employers, and general advisors. He indicated that developing the MRED program is the proudest achievement of his life.

He stated, “Most importantly, I want to thank the 205 MRED students/alumni who have formed a tremendous foundation for all of us to build upon. I admire and respect all of you greatly and am proud of your achievements to date—you have many years ahead of you to be great Place Makers—not just builders of projects.  The Future is Developing!  I sincerely look forward to following your careers for many years as you develop that great future.  Do it with honor and integrity, as I know you will.  Go Tigers!”

Dr. Farris lives in Clemson’s Patrick Square. He intends on focusing on his research—at his own pace!—and being involved with community service.  Dr. Farris’s father was nationally-known in the field of urban redevelopment for over forty years. Complemented with Dr. Farris’s 17-year professional and 26-year academic career, he will enjoy writing in essence family history about urban renewal and urban futures.

As Faculty Emeritus, he will continue teaching Public-Private Partnership and the SC Coastal Development Tour.

The MRED student Spring 2017 Practicum Presentations were presented on Thursday, April 20 to a five panel jury. The jury consisted of Shelby Dodson (CBRE); Mary Douglas Hirsch (City of Greenville); Laurens Nicholson (Windsor Aughtry); Ryan Johnston (Upstate Business Journal); and Holly Douglas Schaumber (Douglas Development).

Three teams presented redevelopment proposals on three different comparable sites in the Village of West Greenville. Now an upcoming arts district, in the early 1900s, West Greenville was home to the textile mill “crescent.” Everything in the crescent at that time revolved around the mills, in a true live, work, play community.

The Mosaic at West Village Team included David Bivens, Vera Han, Ace Richardson, and Cliff Timmons.

Their 2.3 acre team master plan for the arts district included a two phase plan for 65 co-living apartments totaling 43,600 sqft, a 16,000 sqft market, and 12,600 sqft of retail in Phase 1. Phase 2 included additional co-working Class A office space and additional retail.

The Saltbox Team included Randy Clack, Wain Owings, and Scott Rogers.

Their 2.17 acre team master plan recommended on the 1st floor: a 9,500 sqft Co-Op grocery store, 2,500 sqft GHS Primary Care physician, and 2,500 micro Bank of America branch. The 2nd floor included 15,000 sqft of office, with 15,000 sqft of an art co-work space on the 3rd floor. Their master plan also included 12 townhomes and a hostel.

The Village Crossing Team included Walker Sojourner, Kaki Smith, Arthur Chen, and Gilbert Liang.

Their 2.94 acre team master plan recommended a mixed use development that included a 9,000 sqft community owned Co-Op grocery store, 12 apartments above ground floor retail, 15,000 sqft of class A office space, adaptive reuse creative art studios and an outdoor public space.

Saltbox Development’s plan and presentation was announced the winner of the 2017 Practicum Presentations.

MRED students in the August and December 2017 classes toured Charlotte on Friday, April 7, 2017. ABRED Director Dave Chandler of Faison and MRED Alumni Charlie Rulick, ’07 and Chad Platt, ’15 both of Miller-Valentine Group discussed NoDa and Chadbourn Mill as part of a walking tour. Chadbourne Mill, a 1947 hosiery mill, was the site for the 2015 MRED Practicum Presentations. MRED Alumni Rob Turk ’15 of Levine Properties gave a tour of First Ward Park and the Google Fiber Building. Faison hosted students for lunch in their offices followed by a presentation on city trends from Michael Smith with Charlotte Center City Partners in their offices.

Andrew Baysden ’15 and Jim Kwasnowski of Crescent Communities ended the day’s tours with a presentation on current construction and timeline for Stonewall Station set to open in late 2017.

Nashville and Chattanooga, TN were new city destinations for the MRED Program in late March 2017. Stops and tours on Day 1 in Nashville included ONE Nashville Place, 505 Nashville, Capitol View, and Gulch Crossing. MRED alumni Trevor Cross ’11, Matt Evans ’13, Brent Janan ’16, Derek Lisle ’08, and Josh Mitchell ’16 hosted the first year students for an evening reception at LA Jackson’s.

Day 2 of the trip began with a tours of Hill Center Brentwood and Berry Farms before the group headed to Chattanooga, TN. Hutton Company CEO Karen Hutton and MRED alumni Matt Phillips ’07 met the group upon arrival for a tour of Hutton. While in Chattanooga, Lamp Post Properties provided a tour of the Tomorrow Building and they heard the Chattanooga Story from River City Company’s Jim Willamson.

Unfortunately the scheduled Day 3 tours in Atlanta had to be cut short due to the I-85 bridge collapse.