The City of Cayce is excited to announce that  South Carolina State University is expanding its footprint in the Midlands with the development of a new 42,000-square-foot Research & Extension campus in the City of Cayce. Located at 1801 Charleston Highway, the facility will serve as the university’s largest Research & Extension location in the state and is expected to open in early 2027.

The new campus will house the headquarters for SC State’s Center for Food Safety & Health, modern classroom space, a 150–200 seat conference center, a professional television and radio production studio, and residential accommodations for visiting scientists. USDA Rural Development will also operate from the site, creating a collaborative hub for research, rural innovation, and public service.

“This isn’t just about a building,” said Dr. Louis Whitesides, Vice President for Public Service & Agriculture and Executive Director of 1890 Research & Extension at SC State. “It’s about building capacity for research, workforce development, and the communities we serve. When legislators and community members see this facility in operation, they’ll see public investment at work in real time.”

Strategically positioned near the State House with strong visibility and accessibility, the Cayce campus strengthens SC State’s presence across Lexington, Richland, Fairfield, Newberry, and Aiken counties. The project also advances the university’s goal of maintaining a presence in all 46 South Carolina counties by 2030.

Designed as a shared civic space, the facility will offer meeting rooms and gathering areas accessible to community organizations, reinforcing SC State’s mission of research that directly benefits South Carolinians. The economic impact will be significant. More than 100 workers are expected to participate in the construction phase. Once operational, the campus will support between 50 and 70 full-time positions shared between SC State and USDA. The addition of scientists, staff, and visiting researchers is expected to generate millions of dollars annually in local economic activity through housing, retail, dining, and other daily expenditures.

“The City of Cayce is very excited to see such an amazing project by South Carolina State University in the works,” said Luke Godbold, Director of Development Services for the City of Cayce. “Not only does it bring highly specialized jobs, it delivers a much-welcomed boost of revitalization. We look forward to the grand opening and future collaboration opportunities. The City of Cayce is open for business.”

Construction is expected to be completed in late 2026, with full operations beginning in January 2027. The Cayce campus represents more than expansion — it establishes a long-term anchor for economic growth, innovation, and community partnership in one of South Carolina’s fastest-growing regions.

For more information about development opportunities in Cayce, visit choosecaycesc.gov.

To read the story in its entirety, visit https://choosecaycesc.com/sc-state-university-research-facility-cayce/.