From The Herald-Dispatch of Huntington:
Huntington’s Highlawn neighborhood could look different in the next five to 10 years. A lot different.
The Huntington Municipal Development Authority agreed last week to purchase the 42-acre ACF Industries complex for $3.12 million.
The property, located along the north and south sides of 3rd Avenue at 24th Street, is the key to a plan to remake the Highlawn area and surrounding properties into the Huntington Brownfields Innovation Zone, or H-BIZ.
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, who serves on the board, said several parties have come forward with an interest to develop the property. He did not elaborate on who the interested parties might be, but he said there have been discussions to build a hotel. There are also manufacturing possibilities in the neighborhood, he said.
The redevelopment plan was an important part of a plan Huntington officials submitted to the America’s Best Communities competition, which the city won in April 2017. The award carried a $3 million grand prize that is to be used as seed money in leveraging other money for redevelopment projects throughout the city. The city’s entry suggested using part of the ACF property to develop a foundry center, which would be a mixed-use development for offices, research, housing, event venues and manufacturing opportunities. …