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Spartanburg Community College celebrated the beautification of a major gateway into
Spartanburg on Thursday.
A new sign with surrounding landscaping has been put up at the entrance to the college's
Giles campus at the Business 85 and New Cut Road interchange. I see the sign as more
than just for Spartanburg Community College, said SCC President Henry Giles. I see
it as a sign welcoming people to Spartanburg. The celebration included a number of
officials with various partners on the project, including John Montgomery, CEO of
Montgomery Development; Sue Schneider, CEO of Spartanburg Water; George Dodkin, warden
of Livesay Correctional Institution; and Monty Mullen, chairwoman of the Spartanburg
Spot of Pride Committee. The Business 85 effort will enhance our gateways and instill
pride in our community, Montgomery said. Three years ago, Pacolet Milliken Enterprises
completed a large landscaping effort at Interstates 85 and I-585, which had been a
vision of the late philanthropist and textile magnate Roger Milliken, he said. In
2015, the community college, local businesses and community leaders began working
together to revitalize the Business 85 corridor, an eight-mile stretch that serves
the Spartanburg County communities of Fairforest, Johnson City, Loan Oak, the SCC
Giles campus and USC Upstate. Giles said. We became involved in this collaboration
with other local leaders after addressing our own signage needs and our presence on
Business I-85, which is what visitors see first when entering our Giles campus, Giles
said. A section of old fence was removed in front of the campus. Vegetation and trees
had been growing over the fence after years of neglect. Giles credited Spartanburg
County Administrator Katherine O Neill, County Council Chairman Jeff Horton, former
Mayor Bill Barnet and Schneider for their support. He also thanked Schneider for agreeing
to paint a water tower at the interchange with Spartanburg Community College s name.
Dodkin said inmates are used to help keep the roadways free of litter.