By Chad Vaughn, River Cities Tribune & Register
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — A wide-ranging housing study for Mason County was presented at the Board of Education office Tuesday evening. John Musgrave, executive director of the Mason County Development Authority, hosted the event.
Patrick Bowen, president of Bowen National Research, conducted the study and delivered the presentation. The study was sponsored by the Advantage Valley organization, represented at the presentation by its president and CEO, Terrell Ellis.
Advantage Valley is a nonprofit economic organization that works with the state of West Virginia, local governments, county economic development authorities, business leaders, and chambers of commerce in order to showcase the region and strengthen the economy.
The study explored the major improvements in the economy in Mason County, and the need to have housing available to accommodate the ongoing development. The study also examined the changing demographics within the county.
“It doesn’t do much good if we bring in industry and jobs, but don’t have housing,” Musgrave said.
Bowen’s study states that economic development activity totaling approximately $6 billion has either been recently completed, is currently under construction, or is planned to commence in the near future. Among the largest of these announcements includes the $3.1 billion Nucor Corp. steel production facility in Apple Grove and the $2 billion planned construction of the Mountaineer GigaSystem facility in Point Pleasant.
