Wateree Community Actions, Inc., retained GMK Associates, Inc., through an open solicitation process to provide design and construction services associated with the upfit of a building that formerly housed a Value City Furniture store. The purpose of the upfit is to convert the vacant store for use as general office/administrative space and to accommodate onsite Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

Wateree Community Actions, Inc., was officially formed in July 1970 when the community actions agencies of Sumter County and Kershaw County merged. Subsequently the newly formed agency grew with the merging of three other existing community actions agencies: Lee County (Williamsburg-Lee), Clarendon County (Clarendon County Commission), and Richland County (Midlands Human Resource Commission). The merging process spanned from July 1970 until April 1988. The Mission of the organization is to empower families and communities with low incomes to increase economic stability through partnerships and anti-poverty services. Its vision is to establish a poverty-free community.

In 2020, Wateree Community Actions, Inc., purchased the existing building located at 1018 Faust Street in Columbia, SC, that formerly housed a Value City Furniture store (approximately 55,000 square feet). GMK has been retained for design and construction services associated with the upfit of approximately 30,000 square feet of the building for use as general office space and to accommodate onsite Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Phase I will include approximately 30 offices, 2 training rooms, restrooms, and support facilities. Phase II will include appropriate educational and recreational space associated with Head Start and Early Head Start program requirements. GMK is providing all related professional services, including planning/programming; architecture; MEP; structural engineering; interior design; construction services, and/or related services incidental thereto necessary to obtain all construction-related permits and to complete the construction activities.

The project is intended to be phased with Phase I entailing the completion of the upfit of the building for general office space (approximately 15,000 square feet) and Phase II entailing the completion of the upfit to accommodate onsite Head Start and Early Head Start programs (approximately 15,000 square feet). The total anticipated project budget range for Phase I is $2 – 2.5M, with the budget for Phase II to be determined at a later date. Specific programming and space layouts will be finalized in collaboration with between GMK and Wateree Community Actions to establish a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for project completion.