The Economic Development Authority of Columbia County (EDACC) has closed on the sale of its property to Atlanta developer Trammell Crow.
Friday morning, the Authority held a called meeting to ratify purchase-and-sale agreements for portions of its property in Appling, including tracts on Progress Drive, Catalyst Drive and Appling Harlem Highway, totaling more than 170 acres, for more than $19 million; and its 1,624 property along Morris Callaway Road, which the Authority successfully petitioned the county to rezone earlier this year to make way for data center developments, for over $59 million, plus EDACC’s carrying costs.
EDACC had bought the properties for its White Oak Technology Park expansion.
“Today’s closing reflects the Development Authority fulfilling its responsibility to manage strategic property for the community’s benefit,” said EDACC Chairman Rick Evans. “All proceeds stay with the Authority and are reinvested into future economic development efforts that support job growth, business attraction and long-term community benefit.”
Evans went on to express appreciation for the “community’s interest in the future of this property,” underscoring that further stages “such as zoning or land-use decisions” will go through Columbia County’s protocols, complete with input from residents.
EDACC further emphasized in a statement that the closing “does not determine or approve any specific project, end user, or future activity at the site,” reiterating, amid vocal concerns from locals about data center development, throughout the course of the rezoning process and the recent text amendment adding the data center district zoning, that as of yet there’s no end user for the data storage facility project.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering general reporting for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com
