Russ Seamon Offers a Site Design Firm’s Perspective on Doing Business in 2024
GroundBreak Carolinas is pleased to share thoughts and insights from key construction industry leaders in the Carolinas. Russ Seamon, LEED AP, President of SeamonWhiteside, a full-service site design firm with six offices in the Carolinas, offers his perspective on doing business in the Southeast this year.
What is your outlook on the construction industry for 2024?
From a site design standpoint, we are cautiously optimistic for the Southeast! We are seeing clients moving forward with site plans in preparation for 2025 construction. We are very grateful to be located in the Carolinas. Based on the numerous economic forecast presentations we have attended, we hope for a smooth and gradual pickup as the year progresses.
What are you most excited about?
There is tremendous demand for housing in the Carolinas, although the supply has lagged. The single-family market has continued its forward press, while the multi-family market has slowed in some areas. We are looking forward to the beginning of a resurgence in multi-family projects, as well as an increase in single-family construction in the second half of 2024. We are also enthusiastic about the uptick in public sector projects, such as schools, civic buildings, parks, infrastructure, and flood studies. Finally, we are seeing significant positive movement in the affordable housing sector!
What concerns you the most about the upcoming year?
People! We will be focused on growing our footprint across the Carolinas, and with that focus comes the need to recruit and retain high-caliber talent. Our strategy to address this challenge is to provide a desirable culture; one centered on advancing our people. We will provide ample opportunities for our employees to grow through programs and initiatives related to training, innovation, design, management, knowledge sharing, and mentorship.
What are the biggest challenges facing the construction industry in the Carolinas?
Whether it’s high interest rates on construction loans or elevated material costs, the expense of completing a private sector deal has reached a point where some projects are on hold, or even cancelled. We are hopeful that these costs adjust for the better, and if not, we hope there is a surge in creativity to structure deals and pave the way forward. In the Carolinas, the demand is here; we just need to figure out the supply!
With the growth that the Carolinas have been blessed with comes increased traffic. At the site design level, we often see local traffic concerns impacting or derailing otherwise promising projects. Forward-thinking roadway planning and thoughtfully prioritized roadway improvements are key to sustaining the momentum of construction.
More frequent flood events, sea level rise, and the accompanying increase in regulations present a myriad of construction challenges, particularly along the coast. In addition to flooding, the large influx of people to the Carolinas has maxed out our regional sewer systems, especially in rapidly developing rural areas. There is a pressing need for new and upgraded sewer systems to support growth and the associated construction projects. We have recently established (and quickly grown) a Water Resources Department to help tackle these challenges and keep design projects moving forward into construction.
SeamonWhiteside President Russ Seamon, LEED AP, worked for SW+ for four summers as an intern before graduating with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia in 2003. Returning to SW+ after graduation, he focused his career on sustainable design and smart growth-oriented master planning. He is based in the firm’s Charleston area office located in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
