Grants & Projects

The City of Hardeeville received SC PARD funding that was approved by Jasper County Delegation and administered through the SC Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for improvements to be made to the Richard Gray Sports Complex. Projects included design for a new community park located in the center of the complex along with a new scoreboard for the football/soccer stadium.

Update

City of Hardeeville Richard Gray Sports Complex - City completed its design of the new Ju Ju Hutson Park and installed a new scoreboard for the multipurpose turf stadium. The City completed a Master Plan for the Richard Gray Sports complex and is now on the following projects that will be completed in the summer of 2020: new playground equipment at the Ju Ju Hutson Park, unleashed Dog Park, covered basketball court and court improvements.

The City of Hardeeville was also awarded the following grants and will start receiving funds sometime in Fiscal Year 2020.

The city of Hardeeville was recently awarded a South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (SC RIA) grant in the amount of $500,000 and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded a $1.86 million grant to make infrastructure improvements to the Hardeeville Commerce Park. The City worked closely and partnered with the Lowcountry Council of Governments (LCOG) and BJWSA to help secure the EDA grant.

Certified Park

The Hardeeville Commerce Park is a 167-acre SC Department of Commerce site certified park, located just north of the I-95 Exit 5 interchange adjacent to U.S. 17/Whyte Hardee Boulevard

Project Purpose

The purpose of the project is to develop the necessary infrastructure including entrance, roadway, and water/wastewater in efforts of supporting eleven to fifteen new and potential industrial/commercial businesses of various sizes. Other than working closely with BJWSA with the water/wastewater expansion to service the commerce park, the City is working with other local utility partners including Hargray and Dominion Energy for possible solutions with fiber and connectivity along with gas services.

Update

The Commerce Park infrastructure project is being designed and permitted with planned construction to begin during the summer of 2020 and is estimated to be completed by the spring of 2021.

The City of Hardeeville along with Jasper County worked to submit a funding package and application for funding assistance from the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank (SCTIB) for the new (I-95) Exit 3 Interchange and Parkway project. The total project costs are estimated to be $82,463,073.

Funding Proposal

The funding proposal consists of a SCTIB grant request totaling $28 million, a loan request from the SCTIB in the amount of $28 million to be repaid by Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and other "local financial support" worth $26.4 million. The local contribution amounts to $54.4 million of the total project cost.

Goals

The goal of the Project is to create a safe and efficient interstate access in and out of new economic and community development sites, fostering economic growth, and regional connectivity. The project will furthermore serve as a centralized hub bringing together and advancing intermodal activity, including adding an additional connector of I-95 and U.S. 17 both highways recognized on the National Highway System, allowing improved transportation of cargo on trucks, freight trains and ships establishing the much-needed industrial growth and providing increased skilled labor force for the City of Hardeeville and Jasper County.

Update

The City's SCTIB application is currently being considered. The City is working to finalize the Interstate Justification Report  (IJR) and satisfy the NEPA requirements.

The City of Hardeeville is working closely with Jasper County and South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) in determining project scope and design for Exit 8 improvements.

Phase 1

The focus of Phase I of the project will include enhancing mobility and improving the safety and security for the intersection of U.S. 278, Medical Center Drive and Henry Moss Boulevard The project also includes improving the safety and security near the interchange, U.S. 278 and the intersection along with making the area more aesthetically pleasing with the addition of lighting, landscape, and wayward signage.

Update

The city is cooperatively working with Jasper County and SCDOT to implement the projects contained in the I-95 Exit 8 Master Plan with Phase I to be completed in 2021. The City and County have passed resolutions associated with the Interlocal Agreement associated with the first phase of the project funded through Jasper County Local Option Sales Tax for approximately $1.9 million dollars to work on the intersection of U.S. 278 and Medical Center Drive and adjacent roads. The project is currently being designed and permitted.