Urban Gentrification in Charleston (Fairmont, Grafton: house, jobs, high school)

[Silkdashocker]

Over the past few years i've noticed several of Charleston's older buildings being renovated, and turned into either residential or office space. The old JC Penny building downtown on Washington St. was just purchased and will be turned into commercial space, and i've read in the paper where Dow is demolishing some old buildings and selling it or donating it to local colleges. Even many of the old store fronts on Capital Street have been remodled.

IMO, it's a good thing to see Urban Renewal in the Capitol City, maybe that will slow down some of the sprawl to Putnam County, and Southridge for business and living. Either way, i would like to see more people young people move into the Charleston area.

I would like to hear some responses on this. Thanks.

[David Kennedy]

It's happening in a LOT of places...the saving of our mansions and old buildings and refurbishing them for new tenants...
When most people look at an old building they only see the ugliness and decay.
That structure, if salvagable, is worth hundreds of k's...better to rehab than tear down for a parking lot that will never generate one dime of monetary return...
In our central area the friendly fathers of Fairmont almost created an entire parking lot of that city...few good buildings remain their to restore.
Some of the smaller cities, and I cite Grafton, never removed any of their old buildings and a mini rennaisance is now taking place. Beautiful new sparkling sidewalks, almost every old store with a new business..Grafton is a sleeper...and most do not know it even exists.

[harborlady]

Charleston has so much potential, I'm still trying to understand what made it get run down in places. I admire the architecture, but I'm concerned about the economic picture present tense. Younger crowd seems to be migrating to huntington.

Gentrification; while it's nice when money goes into an area, I dislike how it tends to dictate who may stay as a result. Excludes groups of people who can't compete with rising costs of municipal fees, or creative ordinances basically used to harass the have nots. I've seen it happen in san francisco and areas of nyc's (previously artistic) communities that got pushed out by yuppies. Wound up sucking the life blood out, replacing it with plastic facsimilies of what was true character. I think diversity serves a community better, and what kind of city would it be if everyone was a lawyer?

I already know what the argument will be- 'undesirables' in a neighborhood like druggies, criminals, homeless and lazy/dirty. Problem is, everytime they try to target that population, the ones who get hurt the most by their methods are the elderly, and your own kids trying to buy a house in their hometown when only the affluent are invited. I don't have an answer, but I know what doesn't work.

The picture I would paint of Charleston, if it were up to me alone, would be a city with a small town flavor. Were I the mayor, I'd reconsider some zoning and get industry off the doorsteps of homes, or get the homes poorly planned off the doorstep of industry.

[mtneeratheart]

The younger crowd isn't really migrating to anywhere in West Virginia. I absolutely love Charleston and enjoyed growing up there, however I as I've said before the so called wild and wonderfulness of the state fails to bring home a decent paycheck. When I moved to the DC area I was amazed at the number of people I met who used to live in West Virginia. As I got to know many of them I began to see a common pattern, we all left for better jobs and a more urban lifestyle that WV simply fails to provide.The state is going to have to really get things in gear with regards to job creation if it ever wants to have a chance at retaining young people or attracting others into the state. I personally would never move back, however I know of many people in my graduating high school class now living in places like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Columbus who would move back the second they were able to find comparable employment.

[David Kennedy]

Wv lags behind the best areas of the country by about 25 years...how do you catch up with that kind of innovation and progress?
I'll answer that...you bring the very best people from those areas here in a hurry...and that is happening as we speak...they are bringing their money, their degrees and their experience...Their wants are forcing the changes. I cite this years legislature as an example...everyone is a Conservative Democrat....hahaha...What is that?

[Threerun]

^ A face of 'change', lol..

Wait until the old liners smack their ideals down and smoke cigars in a backroom with King Coal for a celebration victory... of sorts..

[David Kennedy]

My party was the conservative group until they got tired of it and gave it to the Republicans. That was 8 years of Reagan, 8 years of George H.W. Bush, 8 years of George W. Bush...not bad.
Certainly worked for the Republicans...
Now we want our party back...The circle is coming around...
MoJo is a gun toting, church going, abortion hating, conservative politician...
That sounds like an 'old style' Democrat to me...horray. We are re-inventing ourselves.

After this 2008 fiasco of an election is over, I'll be able to hold my head up again...
wonder what 'little Charlotte' is doing now?

[GottaHerdOn]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

My party was the conservative group until they got tired of it and gave it to the Republicans. That was 8 years of Reagan, 8 years of George H.W. Bush, 8 years of George W. Bush...not bad.
Certainly worked for the Republicans...
Now we want our party back...The circle is coming around...
MoJo is a gun toting, church going, abortion hating, conservative politician...
That sounds like an 'old style' Democrat to me...horray. We are re-inventing ourselves.

After this 2008 fiasco of an election is over, I'll be able to hold my head up again...
wonder what 'little Charlotte' is doing now?

Hmm, I voted for Manchin because I thought he was more on the liberal side. I do love me some pro choice abortion I mean he's no Underwood, who signed the amendment against ever allowing gay marriage in the state.

[David Kennedy]

MoJo is a practicing Catholic and I respect him for that....possibly his one single private act. Underwood was a great smile without a brain. Brought out of the old folks home by the invisible people who own Wv to keep Charlotte Pritt from taking the Governors mansion. She was the liberal candidate.