SPARC breaks ground on major expansion

Charleston-based software developer SPARC officially kick-started major expansion plans of its Clements Ferry Road campus near Wando today.

The company hosted the official groundbreaking of construction to expand its Daniel Island footprint to include more space and employees.

Late last year the software developer for government and private entities announced plans to more than double its workforce to 500 workers by the end of 2016.

The company also plans to add another office building and an auditorium on its 14-acre technology campus near Wando.

Construction of the building, which will feature skylights and other appointments similar to SPARC’s current structure, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

SPARC founder and CEO Eric Bowman said Monday that business has been growing steadily, including “every four months we have a new product that is launched out of SPARC.”

The uptick in business has meant growing pains for the company, which moved its headquarters to the 34,000-square-foot building on Clements Ferry Road in 2010. SPARC has outgrown its current footprint and been forced to shift workers to flex space and trailers on the property.

Bowman said expansion plans were made possible by a state incentives package. The company’s investment, essentially the cost to buy and build on the land, is valued at $11 million, state officials have said.

During Monday’s event, Gov. Nikki Haley lauded SPARC’s expansion plans, dubbing it a “great innovative” company.”

“We are now celebrating an expansion,” she said. “Anytime you look at an expansion there is no greater compliment to the Lowcountry and no greater compliment to the state than to have a company say not only are we doing well and we are doing well in this environment and we want to keep doing better,”