Recently, EnviroPro was dispatched from Augusta to check on a residential remodel in progress. Team members were surprised to learn what they found. EnviroPro’s Joseph Galpin explains what happens when a state inspector gets involved. Click here.
Four of five key economic indicators dipped in our region. The most volatile component may be the housing market. The Augusta Leading Economic Index (LEI) fell 0.7 percent in July. It remains 0.9 percent higher than July 2025. Residential building permits in the Augusta metro area fell 25 percent. This component is quite volatile; in June permits were at the highest level since March 2025. Initial claims for unemployment insurance were up 50 percent, not unusual in the summer months with school leavers entering the labor market. Job openings in
While the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is soliciting input on road projects for east-central Georgia, the City of Augusta and Accelerate Augusta have teamed up to help small businesses reap financial benefits from the projects. A key meeting is set for next Thursday. The State Supported Funding Program (SSFP) Workshop will connect local businesses, contractors, consultants, and service providers with GDOT contracting opportunities. It was organized by Dr. Yolanda Jackson, the city’s Compliance Director. “The exciting thing about it is it doesn’t require the local businesses to have any
Friday, September 27, 2024, was not business as usual. In almost every neighborhood in the CSRA, there were signs of destruction after Hurricane Helene blew through in the early morning hours. Helene left her mark by dumping as much as 13 inches of rain, equivalent to a once-in-500-year occurrence in many areas of Richmond, Columbia, Jefferson, Edgefield, and Saluda counties, and packing winds of 100 mph. Local tourism and hospitality lost millions of dollars from canceled events. The destruction left many business owners stuck in a maze of insurance-related uncertainties.
Columbia County is getting ready for the design, RFP, and construction phase in renovating the Savannah Rapids Pavilion. In the early morning hours of Sept. 27, 2024, Metro Augusta experienced something it had never had before: a direct hit by a hurricane. The extent of damage was being tallied across the region in the days that followed. One of the most popular venues for meetings and events was among the heavily damaged buildings. Savannah Rapids Pavilion, noted for its large, glass windows, sits 80 feet high on the bluff overlooking
Augusta-Richmond County Commissioners are preparing to finalize the list of projects for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 9. The initial wish list of projects totaled more than one billion dollars. County Administrator Tameka Allen whittled it down to $426 million over seven years, and the tax will be collected. One of the projects that made Allen’s list would have a substantial impact on developing South Richmond County. The Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) is requesting $25 million to extend residential, commercial, and industrial sewer capacity through South Augusta.
The old James Brown Arena is no more, and crews continue the step-by-step process to prepare the site for the construction of the new arena. News crews were given a walk-through at the now-empty tract where the new arena will be built. John Rawlins, project manager with Nations Group, said the current step is using engineered backfill materials in what used to be the old arena’s basement. The material has a better compaction rating. Rollers are then used to help complete the process. “We’ve got a special inspection sub (contractor)
The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority is settling into a new location for its meetings, the Grand Lobby at the newly renovated Bell Auditorium. The location gives authority members and staff a front-row seat to watch the demolition of the James Brown Arena. Well, you can see a building torn down right now. The insides don’t look like what I thought they were going to look like,” quipped Mike Harvey of Nations Group, the owner’s representative for the construction of the new JBA and concourse connecting it to the Bell. He
Construction on Columbia County’s first-ever hospital is slightly ahead of schedule, despite some problems in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The ground was broken for the hospital, being built on the Gateway to Grovetown, exit 190 off Interstate 20, in April of this year. Construction crews “topped out” the hospital, that is they reached the top of the structure, in June. Construction includes a separate building providing space for medical offices beside the main hospital. It was topped off in July. “So, since the summer, we’ve really been working on
Construction on a project that will help young adults prepare for their future and contribute to the economy is underway on Merry Street in Augusta. Demolition has started on a building at a former Augusta park, clearing the way for a tiny homes community. It is for young people who are aging out of the foster care system with little or no ability to transition into society. Spearheading the project is Bridge Builders Communities, Inc. (BBC). Penny Wasden with First Citizens Bank is on BBC’s Board of Directors. She told
