Opinion

Improving signs in Southern West Virginia economy

An editorial from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — We have seen a welcomed uptick in economic development-related announcements across the region in recent weeks. And that’s in addition to several other key construction projects that are nearing a completion across the region.

For example, it was confirmed last week that Harbor Freight is coming to Bluefield. The national chain, which recently opened a store in Beckley, sells everything from tools and lawn and garden equipment to engines and generators.

Rural King, another national chain that will be new to the region, is currently working to renovate the old Sears store at the Mercer Mall with an anticipated early 2017 opening.The long-awaited official Hatfield-McCoy Trail Welcome Center for Mercer County also was advertised for construction last week. It is expected to be up and running by next summer providing another critical service to riders of the local ATV trail system.

A recent influx of federal dollars also will help with other key projects, including the new Bluefield Commercialization Center. We are also still seeing new small business growth in Bluefield, including last week’s announcement of 3Up2Up, a new clothing brand design company.

Construction also is continuing on the new Courthouse Square project on Courthouse Road in Princeton. The development will include space for retail, medical, restaurants and more. Princeton also is getting a new eat-in Little Caesar’s Pizza on Stafford Drive and a BP station that is being expanded to include a Subway restaurant.

There is also renewed interest in a couple of empty buildings in the region, including the Staples and Ryan’s buildings in Bluefield, Va. The existing lease on the Staples building expires this month. Both structures are being actively marketed, and are generating interest from prospective tenants, according to Billie Roberts, community development director for Bluefield, Va.

The biggest empty building still to be filled is the old Kmart on Cumberland Road in Bluefield. With hope a new business, or businesses, will occupy this prime site soon.

We also finally have clarity for the future. The incoming Trump administration — strengthened by Republican majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate — is expected to promote a pro-business agenda while also favoring traditional forms of energy, including coal and natural gas. This will be helpful to the region in the weeks and months ahead.

Already, Moody’s Investor Services has revised the outlook for the domestic coal industry from negative to stable.

The change was based on a combination of fourth quarter 2016 metallurgical coal prices and the increase of natural gas prices, which will provide much needed relief to the still struggling coal sector, the Register-Herald in Beckley reported last week.

We, too, are encouraged by these positive signs. The future for southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia is starting to look a little brighter. And that’s something everyone can be excited about.

See more from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. 

 

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