The one that got away: County couldn’t lock down one property for library

The 47,000-square-foot library’s modern design sprawls across 5.5 acres and six individual parcels.

Orangeburg County locked down these parcels by purchasing them from property owners to make the library a reality.

There is one property county officials also wanted to purchase but the deal fell through.

A two-story residential home was also targeted for purchase by the county. It’s located at 148 Lowman St. and is situated near the new library’s Lowman Street entrance.

“We made multiple offers and it got declined,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.

“We were too far apart,” he said.

When asked how much the offer was, Young said, “It was a legitimate offer.”

Young said the library project had to be adjusted a bit because the county was unable to buy the property, but he said the county was able to work around it and that it was not crucial to the library project moving forward.

According to Orangeburg County property records, the property occupies .19 acres. It is owned by Jabezz Investment Corp., whose principal agent is listed as Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg.

Jabezz Investment Corp. was incorporated in June 2015, according to online records.

County records show the total appraised value of the property is $74,562.

Govan declined comment, noting there are other individuals involved in the limited-liability corporation and that he did not want to speak for the entire group. He said he would speak to the press if given the authority to do so.

Unlike the Lowman Street property, the county was able to lock down several pieces of property enabling the library project to move forward.

Orangeburg County spent about $890,000 for the properties over a two-year period from December 2018 through April 2020, according to county records.

In December 2018, the county purchased the former Piggly Wiggly on 3.45 acres for $405,000 from Waters LLP.

The county also purchased the former gas station at 1605 Russell St. gas station on .19 acres for $90,000.

When the purchase of the former gas station was made, Young had suggested the spot could have been a good place for a coffee shop if the building remained. The building has since been torn down due to driveway access into the property not being to SCDOT standards.

Young said the county does have plans to use the property to “accent and help the library,” though specific details were not provided.

“We are kicking around some stuff,” Young said.

The former Greyhound station on .34 acres on Lowman Street was also purchased in December 2018 for $50,000. The property is now being used as parking lot space for the new library.

The Greyhound station was about 50 years old. It closed in the spring of 2010.

The county also purchased Waters LLP property at 138 Lowman St. The property now serves as an entranceway to the new library.

In April 2020, the county ended up purchasing about .29 acres of adjacent property on Russell Street which formerly housed the Acacia Flower Shop. The property was purchased from Thomas H. Scarborough Jr. for about $115,000, according to property records.

That same month, the county purchased another adjacent 1.4-acre parcel of land for about $185,000 from Marvin Robinson. The property was occupied by a two-story residential unit.

The former flower shop and the property from Robinson also are a part of the library’s parking lot.

The county now pretty much owns the entire Russell Street block between Treadwell and Lowman Streets.

When library patrons visit the library they will have access to its parking lot from Russell Street and Lowman Street.

The money to purchase the properties came from the capital projects sales tax and capital improvement funds, Young said.