Three historic buildings in Wellsburg's town square will be revitalized thanks to a $750,000 grant from West Virginia U.S. Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito.
The Wellsburg Renewal Authority has been a part of the city's growth the past few years and they wanted it to continue. So, the group pursued the Small Business Administration grant in the hopes of bringing more economic development to the area.
"It’s a downtown,” Wellsburg URA Chair Alex Weld said. “Wellsburg, it’s what people have to alter its community. It’s this right. It’s this event. And, so, having small businesses revitalizes downtown. Having something for people to do. Having somewhere for people to go is what drives revitalization and drives economic development, and this project is truly going to be catalytic for our downtown.”
The first building that will be revitalized will include retail space and apartments upstairs.
"Every small community needs up-to-date housing, commercial spaces, and this being right across from city hall and the county buildings, you can’t minimize the impact that active lights on in these buildings is gonna make in the heart of downtown Wellsburg,” Ray Moeller, redevelopment specialist at the Brownfield Center at West Virginia University, said.
Weld said the comprehensive and redevelopment plans for these buildings have been around for nearly 10 years.
"It has to start someplace, and I think this is a good foundation that we're starting here today,” Mayor Dan Dudley said.
"In two or three years, the square will look much different with fully functional store fronts and people living here,” Weld said. “And you know the small businesses here are really great, and I think that they are very excited to have more small businesses, more foot traffic in our downtown. As that kind of spurs off and starts to grow, I think that our downtown is poised for more growth."
The project is expected to begin in early fall.