“It’s going to be special”; South Piedmont Community College breaks ground on new two-story entrepreneurship center

MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — South Piedmont Community College broke ground on Wednesday on its new Center for Entrepreneurship, the school announced.

The new facility will be aimed at supporting innovation, small business growth, and entrepreneurial development to support Union County and the surrounding areas.

South Piedmont’s construction manager, Erik Dagenhart, is overseeing the project and said, “It’s going to be special — it’s a community building.”

The new center will be on the front right corner of South Piedmont’s Old Charlotte Highway Campus in Monroe. The two-story, 49,000-square-foot building will have modern amenities and features, including:

• Coworking space that includes private offices, suites, and “hot desks” that can be used for short-term use.
• A 508-seat, movie-theater-style auditorium ideal for conferences and large presentations.
• A podcast/videography studio designed for entrepreneurs to create professional-quality content.
• A café and catering kitchen.
• A distinctive barrel roof design, adding to the innovative, welcoming atmosphere.
• An outdoor patio accommodating up to 100 people.

Once completed, the Center will be led by Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Renee Hode. As Dagenhart put it, the Center will be “for entrepreneurs to gather and work together, to feed off each other.” 

Construction officially began on June 25 and is projected to be completed in December 2026.