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View Full Version : New Dowtown Office Building Planned - N. George St.



KatherineA
07-17-2007, 10:02 AM
I think this is a good thing - at least it is downtown not 5 miles or more from the town center.

Downtown office building planned in Charles Town
by DAVE McMILLION [email protected]


CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Construction is expected to begin this fall on a 30,000-square-foot office building along North George Street that has been planned for high-tech business.


Peter Chakmakian of First Charles Town Group Inc. initially proposed the project in April 2005.


The building will be constructed on what is known as the Viener property, the spot of a former salvage yard, Chakmakian has said.


The site is in a roughly 100-acre area that includes old commercial areas that the towns of Charles Town and Ranson, W.Va., were considering redeveloping.


At one time, officials said they believed the area is ideal to develop projects like office space, a retail and movie complex, housing and recreation areas.


The proposed office building was originally planned to be 40,000 square feet, but was reduced by 10,000 feet to provide adequate parking, which is at a premium downtown, Charles Town Mayor Peggy Smith said at a Charles Town City Council meeting Monday night.


Chakmakian initially said the building would cost up to $4.5 million to construct.


Smith said she could not go into detail about prospective tenants for the building, but said she believes it will be successful.


"I think once they start construction, there won't be a problem," Smith said.


Construction on the building will probably begin about the time a renovation project is completed on City Hall at the intersection of George and Washington streets, Smith said.


The building had to be renovated after a two-inch water line ruptured in it last year and flooded city offices.


Smith suggested a ceremony be held to celebrate the completion of the renovation and the construction of the office building. Smith said she would like to invite Gov. Joe Manchin to the ceremony.

lar
07-17-2007, 10:48 AM
I'm just going to throw this in here ---- this weekend I had Cheerleading signups at the Ranson Park building. Has anyone noticed they are redoing the basketball courts and play area and the facility building is looking really good. Things are looking up around here!

OzGirl
07-17-2007, 12:24 PM
http://www.epa.gov/region3/revitalization/newsletter/spring06/ranson.htm

I found some additional information...looks like its been in the works for some time.

WVGeo
07-18-2007, 04:45 PM
Yes yes! Downtown downtown! Movies! Retail! Not in strip malls on the perimeter that suck the life out of the heart of town!

skennison
07-18-2007, 09:03 PM
Amen - this sounds like a winner to me, too. Now the trick is to actually draw in those high tech companies!

I'm applying (again) for the Jeff County Economic Development Board and I have some ideas. Perhaps I should collect my thoughts and post a new thread to see what folks think of them. (My ideas, not the ED Board!)

John
07-19-2007, 06:17 AM
Let's all hope skennison gets that appointment to the County economic development authority.

Newly elected Council member Ann Paonessa was recently appointed to head up the down town Charles Town economic development committee, and I am certain that we will be seeing more positive announcements in the future. We could see some genuine cooperation between the County and the towns to bring the kind of sensible ecomomic development that we need.

OzGirl
07-19-2007, 09:43 AM
www.gnec.org (http://www.gnec.org)
The Gateway New Economy Council is one of the driving forces in the area, with the EDC. One of the members of the GNEC - Kenneth Lowe has been promoted to a position at the state level http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=32&articleid=1466

GNEC is mention as a contact point on the flyer that I linked to above.