Suspended work on controversial childhood center has cost Richland 1 $800K. Here’s why

Halting construction on a controversial multi-million dollar project has cost Richland School District 1 more than $800,000 so far, the district said Thursday.

The Vince Ford Early Learning Center, a $31 million building planned for Rawlinson Road in Lower Richland, had been under construction since late last year. But the work was paused after Richland County officials issued a stop work order, citing violations of state and local codes, no approved permits or plans, and no record of required inspections.

Construction remains on hold while the district is under investigation by the South Carolina Inspector General .

Since the work was stopped, the district has spent $813,000, some of which for security, inspections by a company called KCI, and stabilization to ensure that soil from the construction site does not get washed onto other properties, according to the district.

At a January school board meeting, Richland 1 Chief Operations Officer Bob Grant estimated that while the project was stalled, it would cost the district about $2,300 each day. That cost has grown since Jan. 19. The estimate hadn’t included additional fees, Richland 1 spokesperson Karen York told The State.

School board Chair Aaron Bishop and Vice Chair Angela Clyburn could not be reached for comment Friday morning.

“This is money that could go into classrooms where it’s desperately needed to fix infrastructure in schools,” said Rep. Heather Bauer, D-Richland, who lives within the district.

Original plans for the center, named in memory of longtime Columbia leader and former Richland 1 school board member Vince Ford, called for it to serve children as young as 6 weeks old. Lower Richland, board members have said, is in dire need of child care services.

But in December 2023, the state Education Department declined to issue a permit for the building, saying it could not be considered a school because it would serve infants. A month later, the district paused construction. Superintendent Craig Witherspoon had said the district did so of its own volition. However, according to The State’s reporting, Richland County officials had already issued a stop work order.

Starting work without a permit was a “massive failure,” Will Bonnarigo, an engineer with the education department, wrote in a January email obtained by The State through a public records request. The district “kept a lot of people in the dark,” he wrote.

“I have been working with the district and architects on this project since May and they have shown a gross lack of patience, respect for our processes, and have been downright dishonest to me during that time,” Bonnarigo wrote.

After the state Education Department raised questions about the ages of the center’s students, the school board voted to change the age range to kindergarten through second grade. Witherspoon then asked for another permit from the state Education Department.

His request was denied, according to a Feb. 8 letter from John Tyler, the state education department’s deputy superintendent, pending the Inspector General’s findings.

Richland 1 will have to wait.

It has been just over three months since the investigation began. Inspector General Brian Lamkin previously told The State the process could take about four months.

Richland 1 officials maintain that the district acted properly in the planning and execution of the impending learning center.

“We welcome the Inspector General’s review and are fully cooperating with the investigation,” York said in February.