Upstate to build George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics

USC Upstate will construct a new facility for its business school in the heart of the city of Spartanburg.

The school will be named the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics. The building will be the first in Spartanburg that will bear the name of Spartanburg native George Dean Johnson Jr., chair of Johnson Development Associates Inc.

The University's Board of Trustees approved this project and the immediate renaming of the USC Upstate School of Business Administration and Economics to the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics at its meeting Dec. 17.

The new facility will be located adjacent to the Chapman Cultural Center in the Renaissance Park facing Saint John Street. Initial plans call for a three-story, 44,000-square-foot building. USC Upstate expects to break ground in late fall 2008 and anticipates that construction will be completed in December 2009.

"USC Upstate is greatly honored by the identification of its business school with Mr. Johnson. Locating the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics in the center of Renaissance Park will be a tremendous asset not only to downtown development but, because of the naming, to the reputation of the campus," said John Stockwell, chancellor of USC Upstate. "The implications of this project will be far-reaching. It will assist in the economic development of the city, the region, and the state; serve as a magnet for corporate investment; aid in pre-startup and incubation support of small business; and introduce thousands of business majors over the years to the opportunities for investment in the city."

"Our future is tied to education, and, I believe, that this project will help us all in ways that we can't yet imagine," Johnson said. "This is an investment in the University of South Carolina Upstate and in the College of Business and Economics, but more importantly, it is an investment in the community. It is setting the stage for economic development, the creation of entrepreneurs, and for life-long learning. It is an investment in Spartanburg--one that, I hope will give people's children and grandchildren a place to live, work and prosper."

The estimated cost of the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics is valued at $26 million, including the city of Spartanburg's provision of land (approximately one acre) valued at $650,000.  The city also will partner with the campus in the construction of a new 780-space parking garage at a cost of $11 million with a minimum of 250 parking spaces provided for USC Upstate. The city will provide infrastructure to include sidewalks, streets, and landscaping.

In addition to the city's financial commitment, more than $10 million in private contributions, including $2 million to endow the college, was raised in less than 30 days.

USC Upstate is putting great thought into how this downtown campus can fully engage the business sector and the community. Immediate attention is being focused on the architectural and design phase.

"First priorities for the college are modern facilities with current technology, shared space for executive and continuing education opportunities, and a 'Class A' office environment that welcomes and serves the business community," said Darrell Parker, dean of the George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics. "This new facility will relieve pressures on restricted space for teaching and learning through the creation of sufficient classrooms and offices for future growth. In addition, it will permit the development of specialized instructional space including dedicated computer labs with business software, a stock market trading room for finance classes, and classrooms with computers to permit students to individually run educational software during class. It will also support executive education and other academic outreach activities, enabling expanded services for small businesses and connecting business leaders with the University and its students."

The George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics at USC Upstate currently enrolls nearly 850 majors and is the fastest growing unit in the University. It is fully accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, one of 41 institutions worldwide with undergraduate-only programs that are accredited.

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