Augusta | Richmond County: The Build Up

Augusta is making quite the mark after many years of working to get the recognition it deserves. The smooth-flowing river, historic downtown buildings and prime location practically beg for Augusta to receive positive attention. And these days, that’s what it’s getting.

Hands-On Learning: Augusta Tech President Jermaine Whirl at the school’s mechatronics lab. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

“Augusta is really a sleeping giant in the state of Georgia,” says Jermaine Whirl, president of Augusta Technical College. First lady Jill Biden agrees. On a visit to Augusta in November 2023, she referenced a conversation she’d had with Mayor Garnett Johnson: “When I was last here, you talked about how much fight there was in Augusta, how this city was growing and ready to take on the world.” And the city is proving the mayor right.

Jill Biden twice visited Augusta related to Investing in America Workforce Hubs. Augusta is one of the inaugural five U.S. cities participating in the project, which seeks to ensure quality jobs are available to all Americans. The Augusta area specifically focuses on clean-energy jobs.

As a Workforce Hub, Augusta brings key regional players together. “We are embracing regionalism and recognize that we are stronger when we work together,” says Johnson. “[Our] partners have launched new registered apprenticeship programs and over $1 million in employer investments in workforce pipelines.”

Through the program, Augusta hits three major aims: Five regional employers, Syensqo, Aurubis, Manus, Kubota and Savannah River Site (SRS), will aid in workforce development. Major regional training providers will expand skill-development programs related to key industries, including manufacturing, nuclear energy, construction and clean energy. And regional stakeholders will collaborate to help address systemic workforce barriers.

Embracing Regionalism: Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

“Augusta’s selection as one of five Biden-Harris Workforce Hub cities has given us a national spotlight to create increased awareness around our region’s workforce shortage and provided an opportunity to create a plan and programs that increase access to good-paying jobs for young people through trainings and education,” Johnson wrote in an email.

Strategic Asset: Cal Wray, president of the Augusta Economic Development Authority, second from left, Augusta Tech President Jermaine Whirl, and Mayor Garnett Johnson, center, flanked by other officials, at the April 2024 groundbreaking of the new Syensqo facility in Augusta. Photo credit: Syensqo

Syensqo, which already has a footprint in Augusta, began construction in April on a facility to manufacture new battery-grade PVDF (thermoplastic fluoropolymers used in electric-vehicle batteries).

“Our site will represent a strategic asset at [a] national level,” says Mike Finelli, chief technology and innovation officer and chief North America officer at Syensqo. “With the industry regionalizing, North America is set to become the fastest-growing EV market in the next 10 years.” Syensqo is investing $1 million to support local workforce development, including creating a mobile learning unit to expand training opportunities. The plant will be North America’s largest PVDF production facility and provide 100 new full-time, highly skilled manufacturing jobs.

“We are preparing for the hiring by building stronger relationships with engineering colleges [and] tech schools and participating in outreach programs for STEM careers in local schools [grade schools and high schools],” says Finelli. “Syensqo will also increase its participation in the Future of Stem Scholars Initiative program, which is aimed at creating pathways for more underrepresented groups to enter and succeed in STEM careers within the chemical industries.”

This goes hand in hand with Johnson’s plan.

Preparing the Future Workforce

Eclectic and Welcoming: Margaret Woodard, executive director for the Downtown Development Authority. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

Some of the most crucial workers are those of the future, and regional leaders keep that in mind. This includes people who work at Savannah River Site, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) site that focuses on producing and storing nuclear materials, developing technologies to protect the environment, including treating nuclear and hazardous waste, and conducting ecological research. According to Johnson, SRS will double the size of its youth apprenticeship program in the next year, as well as expand its Introduce a Girl to Engineering program by 25%.

“SRS is also committed to developing a consortium with the Augusta Building and Trades Council and area K-12 schools dedicated to expanding career opportunities in the nuclear industry by fall 2024,” he says. The Battelle Savannah River Alliance, which operates the Savannah River National Laboratory, a research and development lab for the DOE, is investing $125,000 in grants to advance STEM-related education opportunities in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) schools. Johnson says that Aurubis, a German-based copper recycling plant, will invest more than $200,000 in scholarship and job training programs for young workers, hire from the local workforce when possible and launch the first U.S. chapter of Women4Metals, a network created to attract women to the metals industry and support them on their career paths.

Wonderful Ideas: Vinea Capital Founder and Managing Partner Allan Soto, on right, greets a student at the 2024 Augusta University business pitch competition called Innovate. Photo credit: contributed

Augusta Tech’s workforce-related programs are changing the scope of tech education. The college will soon add a program that qualifies truck drivers to receive a commercial driver’s license, and the intent is to graduate 200-plus drivers a year. “Amazon is right down the street,” says Whirl. “They’re employing 4,000 people and are begging for truck drivers.”

Augusta Tech is also working to maximize the region’s growth in manufacturing, one of the region’s largest industries that employs more than 29,000 people. Progress on the college’s 81,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing training facility is moving forward as state funds are approved. “This building is incredibly important to ensure that this region has what it needs for training – for not only incumbent workers but also as a recruitment strategy,” Whirl says.

Bright Future: Aerial view of the Augusta skyline and the Savannah River. Photo credit: contributed

Another way the college will help businesses in the region is by providing graduates trained in the workplace. For instance, the health science school is within an actual hospital, the coming manufacturing training facility will simulate a plant and soon, a 65,000-square-foot car dealership will act as a classroom for the school’s new associate’s degree in automotive business management. The dealership classroom was born from an idea to expand the current automotive program to cover everything related to a dealership. “The intention is to then help local dealers and related businesses who have been unable to find people in service, sales, finance and parts,” Whirl says. “It’s a model that nobody else is attempting or has attempted to do in the country.”

As Augusta Tech students get these one-of-a-kind experiences and degrees, 93% of graduates over the last decade have stayed local. “We had a $263 million economic impact from our alumni just in the area alone, just in [what they] spend per year,” says Whirl, based on a 2022 economic impact study. “We’re going to offer programs that we know students can get jobs [with] right here in the local economy.”

To help eliminate the cybersecurity worker shortage, the Georgia Cyber Innovation & Training Center works to train a current and future workforce. In partnership with Augusta Tech and Augusta University, it offers certification and degrees in information technology, cybersecurity and cyber sciences, and its enrollment keeps increasing.

Entrepreneurial Spirit: Bennish Brown, president and CEO of Destination Augusta, Photo credit: contributed

“The Georgia Cyber Center will continue to make a significant and lasting impact on the region and the state by fostering the growth and development of a robust workforce while attracting subject matter experts,” says Cal Wray, president of the Augusta Economic Development Authority. “The relationships and programs built will serve as a catalyst for continuing to grow the talent pipeline, foster innovation and research, support entrepreneurism and further economic growth.”

Augusta University is also focused on preparing students for the workforce, something that will remain a priority under new president Russell Keen, who was formerly the school’s executive vice president for administration. Keen’s appointment in June follows an announcement in September by former AU President Brooks A. Keel that he would retire after the 2023-24 academic year.

Small Businesses and Downtown Housing

Augusta is keen to include everyone in its evolution. For the past three-plus years, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has primarily focused on small-business/entrepreneur development and downtown housing. In 2023, the Broad Street Corridor had a net gain of 56 new businesses, with 80 new businesses in the district, according to Margaret Woodard, president of the DDA. Of the businesses, 40.4% are minority owned. “I think that says that downtown Augusta is eclectic and welcomes all new businesses, and we’ll do everything that we can to make sure that you succeed,” says Woodard.

Promoting the City: Jennifer Bowen, vice president of Destination Development and Community Engagement for Destination Augusta, near the James Brown mural downtown. Photo credit: Hillary Kay

Augusta is primed to assist emerging small businesses and entrepreneurs with Accelerate Augusta, a microenterprise center that is expected to become operational in early 2025. Whirl points out that even big employers, who hire in large numbers, can’t provide enough jobs for everyone. “We feel, by having this program and being able to grow small businesses, it’s going to make Augusta much more successful down the road.” In addition to an education component, users can get a certificate in entrepreneurship, and the region’s existing small businesses can receive legal, financial, human resources and software training.

Additional Augusta-area programs also help entrepreneurs step toward success. Innovate is an annual Augusta University student pitch competition held at The Garage at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. Allan Soto, founder and managing partner of Vinea Capital, was a judge of the recent competition. “There’s hundreds of other people in the Augusta area that have wonderful ideas,” he says. “They just need a little boost or some mentorship to get their businesses off the ground.”

The DDA hopes the city’s rise will encourage even more businesses to see what it has to offer. “With our statistics over the last three years, we hope people within a three-hour radius are going to say, ‘You know what? I think I want to expand and open up [in Augusta],’” says Woodard. The city also has its eye on expanding retail and reducing blight through the DDA’s chronic vacancy initiative, which aims to transform vacant buildings into vibrant and income-producing properties.

New Construction: Rendering of the Augusta Entertainment Complex, which voters approved to replace the Bell Auditorium and James Brown Arena. Photo credit: contributed

Plans also include increasing housing downtown. “No grocery store’s going to look at you [to locate in the city center] until you have a vibrant downtown living population,” says Woodard. And the DDA is working hard to get there, keeping the downtown preference for high-quality rentals in mind. Currently, 300 market-rate apartments are under construction; another 700 are slated for 2025. According to Realtor.com, Augusta’s median home price in April 2024 was $222,000, an 11.1% upward trend year-over-year.

Tourism Means Spending

Visitors are key for Augusta-Richmond County. In about 10 years, the impact of visitor spending related to tourism has doubled. “We have $800 million in visitor spending, which says to me that trend will easily lead us into the next few years being a $1 billion industry,” says Bennish Brown, president and CEO of Destination Augusta, the area’s convention and visitors bureau. Of course, part of that is the Masters Tournament, which brings in big numbers for a week every year – but there is much more to Augusta tourism.

Community Focused: Brian Martin, general manager of the Augusta Entertainment Complex. Photo contributed

One tourism-related industry – owner-operated experiences – is especially having a moment. “That piece of the market seems to be really growing in Augusta,” says Jennifer Bowen, vice president of Destination Development & Community Engagement for Destination Augusta. “It’s exciting to see that owner-operators are willing to invest their own money, dirt, sweat and tears into making Augusta a better place to live and visit.”

The James Brown Family Foundation is doing its part to bring more to Augusta. A home purchased some 50 years ago by the Godfather of Soul for his father and family will soon open for tours. It will add to the rich assortment of popular James Brown-related attractions within Augusta, including his statue, the most photographed location in the city.

Festivals bring in visitors and increase awareness of local businesses. The area’s largest and most well-known festival is Arts in the Heart of Augusta, with visitor spending equaling more than $1 million over three days each spring. Last year saw a large-scale festival enter the fall lineup: the Foodees Food and Culture Festival. Festival organizers estimated the 2023 Foodees festival brought in about 100,000 people over three days. Those initial-year numbers have the organizers considering Augusta as host for a run at a Guinness Book of World Records title for the most food trucks in one location.

Highlighted by festivals, outdoor adventure companies and sporting events, the Savannah River is a special source of activity and revenue. According to Bowen, a new outdoor urban adventure center is planned for the near future. “It has been a part of our destination blueprint, which is our tourism product development plan, for a number of years,” she says.

Sports are certainly key to Augusta’s economy and community spirit – and the Augusta Sports Council focuses on sports for the entire community, including adaptive sports. The council has several key annual events, the three largest being the Nike EYBL Peach Jam basketball tournament, Ironman 70.3 race and USSSA Military World Championship. By bringing in a range of events and people, more visitors come to Augusta. “[Those folks] are exploring our community and communities,” says Michelle Pippin, CEO of the Augusta Sports Council. “[We want them to] want to come back, over and over again.” With an economic impact of $26.3 million in 2023 (up over $3 million from 2022) and around 17,000 room nights booked, the council expects those numbers to rise – especially in the coming years with a brand-new arena complex to house more variety.

Voters approved the new arena and auditorium last year to replace the current Bell Auditorium and James Brown Arena. Project completion is in phases, with the auditorium opening in May 2024 and the arena expected in late 2026 or early 2027. Oak View Group, the complex’s management company, prioritizes local vendors – especially local minority- and women-owned businesses – to build and fill the complex, according to Brian Martin, general manager of the Augusta Entertainment Complex. And when it comes to planning for and booking acts for the coming site, it keeps the entire community in mind. “Our focus is on what our market demographics want to see,” Martin says. “Those folks traveling in from outside the [area] are staying in our hotels, visiting our restaurants and frequenting historical landmarks in Augusta.” Based on the complex’s financial and impact analysis 2023 update, over 30 years the site is projected to have $718 billion in earnings and $1.65 billion in direct, indirect and induced spending.

Helping Each Other Succeed

Key to Augusta’s climb is how well the community collaborates. Destination Augusta’s Brown says that his tourism team and other local agencies frequently meet to discuss what’s going on, any challenges and ways to support each other. He also notes that, thanks to the area’s entrepreneurial spirit, local businesses and entrepreneurs find value in promoting Augusta, which further shines a light on the city.

Attracting Visitors: Rendering of a concert inside the Augusta Entertainment Complex, which is opening in phases; the auditorium opened in May. Photo contributed

Examples of community agencies and businesses helping each other are easy to find throughout the region. The Augusta Arts Council provides artists and musicians with success tools, such as marketing and website-building classes. Destination Augusta’s award-winning experience center, Augusta & Co., is primed to help local businesses. For instance, you can buy a locally handmade Augusta-themed mug, but you can also make your own mug with the potter – and then fill it with locally roasted coffee found through Destination Augusta’s coffee trail. “A majority of the products are purposely selected so we can help push people to those experiences,” says Bowen.

Vinea Capital’s Vinea Foundation, a donor-advised fund, targets three additional areas of need that are often overlooked: individuals with special needs, underserved children and generational poverty. “By [giving money] as a grant process, we let these nonprofits kind of come to us and tell us what they’re doing,” says Soto. “We’re proud to be able to give to them so that they can keep going.”

Augusta continues to have something to celebrate, with more momentum growing every day in generally bettering Augusta. As Johnson says, “Despite any challenges we may face, the state of our city is strong and resilient, and our future is bright.”

Local Flavor

Fantastical Journey

Oddities and Peculiarities: Peter Excho welcomes guests into Pexcho’s American Dime Museum. Photo credit: Melissa Hemer

“When our visitors step through our doors, we want them to feel the transformation from their busy lives to a place before cell phones, the internet and even television,” says Peter Excho, owner of Pexcho’s American Dime Museum. And you can’t help but be taken in by all the oddities Excho’s museum – and experience – has to offer.

The museum houses more than 600 peculiarities and even some live creatures, such as a Colombian red-tailed boa. Dressed in Victorian-era finery, Excho gives guided tours, highlighting different pieces each time. At the end of the tour, John “Red” Stuart, the world’s oldest sword-swallower, gives a short history on the carnival/sideshow world and a demonstration. The museum also hosts special performances and lectures. And, perhaps most importantly, visitors get Excho. “[Visitors] have expressed how the experience would not be the same without me, and I appreciate their kind words,” he says. “But we are family owned and operated, so my children often take the lead in entertaining our visitors.” They also assist in working on the exhibits.

The term “dime museum” refers to the 1840s cost to enter. At Pexcho’s, that is only still true for those under age 9 (though its 9-and-up admission of $17.96 does reference the year the dime was first minted). Excho wants every visitor to go back in time for as long as they’d like. He conducts tours that average about two hours (unless he gets sidetracked; either way, he says the time flies by for everyone),
but he’s willing to chat for as long as you like. “I love entertaining our visitors and making them laugh. And why? Because people need to slow down, enjoy the smell of the flowers and laugh with us for a while.”

Excho has found Augusta to be a true home for him, his family and his business. “I absolutely love the small-town charm that surrounds Augusta,” he says. “Filled with small business, downtown feels more like family … who actually love and support each other. For these reasons, we feel that [Pexcho’s] has found a perfect home in downtown Augusta. It is an ideal location to bring a dying history of Americana to an already-rich-in-history city.”

Future plans include an alien exhibit and a swamp-creature room. He has dreams of a future building expansion of grand design. Pexcho’s, located at 216 Sixth St., is open for tours by appointment only.