Crews begin tearing down Liberty Steel mill in Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WBTW) — Crews started tearing apart the dormant Liberty Steel mill in Georgetown on Tuesday, officials said.

The mill has been a fixture at the corner of Front and Frasier streets in the city since 1969, but was permanently closed last year after a decade of uncertainty surrounding its future.

“I am impressed with the upcoming outlined plan for the demolition,” Mayor Carol Jayroe said. “I am especially grateful that the officials with the project will be utilizing local workers and local businesses. Their confidence in our local workforce and businesses comes at a time our community will benefit.”

Officials said there will be increased activity at the site as crews work five or six days a week on the demolition. Jim Moore, the former manager of the mill, is heading up the project.

Demolition materials will be moved off the property via rail and trucks, and residents should expect an increase in traffic around the mill site, the city said in a news release.

In March, officials told Nexstar’s WCBD that a group of anonymous buyers wants to improve the lives of residents and bring more opportunities to people in the Waterfront District. At the time, Jayroe said it could be a significant economic hub for the community.

The Georgetown community was left reeling in November 2020 when the Liberty Steel Group announced it would be laying off more than 100 employees by the end of the year. The company said it was in part because the coronavirus pandemic reduced manufacturing activity.

That announcement came after the company said in April 2020 that the facility was going into “Care and Maintenance” because of lower demand for steel products across the United States. At that time, roughly 130 workers were laid off.

Liberty Steel opened for business in June 2018 after the company bought the plant from Arcelor Mittal, when it closed in 2015.