(Photo by Donna Walker)

By Donna Isbell Walker and August Spencer

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County and Juneteenth GVL are partnering to build a home in Nicholtown this spring as part of Habitat’s Bridge Building series.

The partnership was announced Friday, March 28, 2025, at the building site in the Nicholtown community.

The project kicks off May 21 with a celebration at the Phillis Wheatley Community Center that will feature speakers, performances by local artists, and a discussion on the importance of affordable housing, organizers said.

The wall-raising ceremony will take place June 11, when volunteers will build the framework for the home.

LaTonya Phillips, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greenville County, stressed the importance of Habitat’s “Bridge Building” initiative.

Started five years ago, Bridge Building has sought to build both homes and bridges of understanding across diverse communities.

“We want to be sure that everyone has a seat at the table,” said Phillips. “Juneteenth is not just an African American celebration, it is an American celebration.”

Joseph Fields, vice president of equity for Habitat for Humanity Greenville, emphasized the historic nature of the inaugural Juneteenth GVL Build.

“I want us to leave something in Greenville that outlasts us,” Fields said. “We want to be a voice for affordable housing year round.”

He outlined how he hopes the community will offer their “hands, time, and hammers,” but also pointed to another way community members can support this endeavor. 

“We like checks,” Fields said. 

The project begins with a $10,000 gift from Rueben Hays, founder and chair of Juneteenth GVL, and the money will be augmented by donations from Best Rest and First Baptist Church Greenville.

“Together, we are better,” Hays said, adding that he hopes the donation will “spur collaboration in the community.”

The Juneteenth Community Build is part of Habitat Greenville’s Advancing Black Homeownership Project, which aims to help create a racial-equity lending strategy and property acquisition program in the region and is made possible by a grant from Habitat for Humanity International.

 

Broadstreet, Inc., a leading private equity firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, announced its role as equity provider in the development of Midway Landing, a 1,500-acre master-planned community in Brunswick County, North Carolina.

The property, located off Southport-Supply Road, Midway Road SE, and Clemmons Road SE in Bolivia, was acquired by Greenville, South Carolina-based Contender Development for $35 million.

The coastal-themed community is planned to include approximately 3,600 single-family homes and is scheduled to begin delivering homesites in 2026.

"Midway Landing is exactly the kind of forward-looking opportunity Broadstreet is proud to support as we play a vital role in elevating economic development across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic," said Broadstreet President Joseph Baldasarra. 

Contender Development, one of the Southeast's largest land developers, controls nearly 30,000 lots across six states and boasts a portfolio of nearly $2 billion in active developments.

In announcing the acquisition of the 1,500-acre site in January, Ford Elliott, chief executive officer and co-chairman of Contender, said, "Midway Landing represents the culmination of our team's expertise and our commitment to creating vibrant, sustainable communities.”

He added, “As we expand our footprint in the Southeast, we remain dedicated to our founding principle of partnering with like-minded companies to develop projects that bring lasting value to the communities we serve."

With the preliminary plat approved, officials said Midway Landing is poised to become a signature destination on the North Carolina coast.

Broadstreet has achieved over $3 billion in transactions and more than 3,000 people work in its various businesses.

Broadstreet is also the largest private equity land infrastructure developer in the Carolinas with more than 40 projects that cover approximately 30,000 home sites. 

Contender Development specializes in residential, commercial, and hospitality projects.

Contender has developed numerous properties across the Southeast U.S., including residential communities, mixed-use developments, hotels, and storage.

 

Ivy Asset Group, a leading private credit firm based in Charleston, South Carolina, said its Ivy Evergreen Fund has closed a debt financing agreement with Silver Creek Dental Partners, a Dental Service Organization (DSO) affiliated with long-standing general dentistry practices in Southern California.

Officials said the strategic financing will support Silver Creek's ongoing investments in its affiliated practices and fuel its continued expansion throughout the Southern California region.

"We're thrilled to welcome Silver Creek Dental Partners to the Ivy Evergreen portfolio of advantaged businesses," said Matt Taylor, director of Investments at Ivy Asset Group.

Taylor added, “This partnership aligns with our investment strategy of supporting growing businesses with strong management teams.”

Founded in 2020 by Brad Starkweather, who previously held senior executive positions at Elite Dental Partners in Chicago, Silver Creek provides non-clinical management services for 12 dental practices across Orange County, the Temecula Valley, and San Diego.

"This financing from Ivy Evergreen Fund provides us with the capital needed to accelerate our growth strategy while continuing to deliver exceptional support to our partner practices," Starkweather said. 

Starkweather added, "The Ivy team has already proven to be an exceptional partner to us, and we’re excited to continue our constructive collaboration with them for years to come."

 

Hartsville, South Carolina-based Sonoco Products Company (NYSE: SON), a global leader in sustainable paper and metal packaging, announced March 27, 2025, it is implementing a €60 per metric ton price increase for all grades of core board and paperboard in Europe effective with all deliveries from April 7, 2025.

According to Adam Wood, vice president, Industrial Paper Products Europe, the pricing decision is driven by a general shortage of Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), the primary raw material in core board production, and elevated energy costs.

“OCC generation has been low across Europe which has resulted in rising prices in March, and we expect additional increases in April and beyond. This is compounded by OCC exports from Europe that continue to tighten local supply,” Wood said. 

Wood added, “We were hopeful for energy price reductions as we entered spring to help offset the material inflation, but this is not materializing and with gas storage levels low across Europe, the need to replenish reserves over the summer is not likely to support a meaningful reduction. We have held out to support our customers as long as we can but must now pass on these rising costs.”

Sonoco has approximately 28,000 employees working in 315 operations in 40 countries around the world.

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