a plug for Grafton and Taylor County (Wheeling, Morgantown: condo, hotel)

[David Kennedy]

I wanted to put in a plug for Grafton.

It has been my feelings for the past several years that Taylor County has been one of the hidden gems in West Virginia.
Excellent county management and low taxation. Access to I-79, the Pittsburgh Airport and the senic mountains of relaxation and wonder to the east of us.

I had the opportunity to see some of its recent development recently at the Morgantown Home Show.
A man there told me about his sub-division.
Twin Oaks...almost next door to the new Walmart in Grafton and just minutes to the local resturant mecca on US Route 50.

Twin Oaks is a taste of Glade Springs and the Greenbrier without the cost.
Magnificent country roads meandering through lush meadows and around the ponds. I'm investing in his property. It is the West Virginia that I have dreamed of...a taste of Us...
Colorado and Oregon has had its special personality and now I see us here.
A symbol of excellence, done very well.

Many of you ask about us and where to look for land.
I'm seeing large parcels being sold at a very reasonable cost here and the country setting of it all is heavenly in everyway...they have a web site...I typed in twin oaks grafton west virginia.

If you contact Mr. Roger Main...please tell him that David Kennedy highly recomended his project.
With developers like this, West Virginia is on the right track.

[Hinton Bound]

Bahhh! Summers county is where Utopia is found I think DK is on the payroll up there!

Just kidding! I think anyone looking to relocate to WV will be happy anywhere they land. So long as due dilligence is exercised.

[Hinton Bound]

I had best remove that extra "L". Herd might be spell checking me

[David Kennedy]

Hinton, one of the great college summers of my youth were spent in the arms of a great southern lady from Summersville....
Utopia! I would certainly call it much more than that...frozen custard...walks along the lake with the laurel in bloom and most of all spending the nights rocking the night away on her daddies huge cabin cruiser....what a great family and I could have become part of them...what happened?

Oregon called...loud and clear...I heard her call and obeyed.

Overall Taylor county and Grafton is overlooked...not even considered and things are very affordable there...a secret that will be out in the open very soon. I might join their Chamber of Commerce.

[JRLudi]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

Overall Taylor county and Grafton is overlooked...not even considered and things are very affordable there...a secret that will be out in the open very soon. I might join their Chamber of Commerce.

You might as well join 'em, you've done more promoting then they have. I live in Grafton and it is nice. I would like to see them develop more around Tygart Lake. I think it would make a great place for affordable lakeside homes. I know it's a State Park so I guess that won't be happening. But I think they're missing a good thing. The additional tax money could go into fixing some of the older buildings downtown.

[David Kennedy]

I've been impressed with the 'Old Downtown...and it is coming back. When the high speed rail link is a reality and Grafton is the repair depot for those trains, we will see the old hotel get that 40 million dollar face lift. At least Grafton has not demolished her old buildings to make parking lots as other towns have done. There is beauty and notable history in those places. They do not need to be replaced with Walmarts when those businesses can be built on other land.

The Route 50 intersection with Route 119 is the hub to watch.

You mentioned additional tax money...wrong answer...must come from individuals.
The tax money is scammed away by our crested politico's...we get about 20% of a project and they steal the remainder. New projects are built on their family land, ect...

Taylor County should be working with a surplus and will continue to do so if they keep B&O and permits in check. Morgantown and Fairmont stampeded to get the money and it left them with nothing.
The permits and B&O taxes in those towns add about $12,000 to $15,000 to building a house...that is enough incentive to look for a place in the country...

and lastly, our good places need promoting...they will bring in educated people to create new government, push our BOE's to greater work and help improve our communities.

Lakeside would be good, but give me a little land on the edge of the Cheat River. Something near Rowlesburg or along Rt 50...between Laurel or Cheat Mountain. thanks for the input, JR!

hence the answer...Twin Oaks...and its just about 15 miles to Morgantown from that area.

[JRLudi]

I agree with you, the downtown has been getting nicer. They've done a lot of streetscaping here in the last few years and some of the old buildings that couldn't be saved were torn down. I too hope they can save as many of the old buildings as possible, they have much more personality than anything they build now. We do need more parking downtown and I think that and the narrowness of the main street have a lot to do with the lack of businesses down there. Sometimes it's very difficult to find a parking spot to go to the Post Office or Courthouse.

Yeah the 50/119 is coming along. Unfortunately they closed down the Four Corners Restaurant but their just finishing up the Walgreen's that took it's place and they're building a new First Community Bank right next to the KFC. So that area up there is going pretty well.

There are still quite a few houses that need to either be torn down or fixed up but they have been working on it and it shows.

The taxes I mentioned were supposed to come from new development around the lake. But like I said, that's not going to happen as long as it's a State Park. And besides, it's nice to have a beautiful lake out there that is still mostly untainted by condo's and resorts. It'll probably happen some day, but no time soon.

As far as a high speed train coming down here, I've heard you mention it before but other than that I haven't heard or read anything about it. If I remember correctly you said it's supposed to go from Grafton up through Morgantown and on up to Pittsburgh, right? When is this supposed to happen? Where did you hear about it?

[David Kennedy]

It's been leaking out for a year or two...I expect it to be included into Obama's 3.1 Billion Am-Trac deal.

The region needs this project for the next 100 years of growth.

You mentioned development around the lake...what the state is doing is creating great golf courses inside the park system...no golf course means no development...
I feel the lake upgrades seen in the past year or two is it...nothing more coming.

The future money will be spent on the old hotel...a parking garage next door and that grand hotel?...perhaps a casino to help the poor unfortunates who work for the gambling interests in Wheeling..
Several are in our legislature...as they call it..."Their employment just happens to be with the gaming industry...doesn't effect gambling legislation descisions in any way.."

What a crock...who do you think writes those legislative Bills? They don't appear out of thin air.

[David Kennedy]

I saw on the www this evening a great novel gift idea...a chia pet of Obama.

Does anybody know if the Walgreens in Grafton carry this item?

Is it available in the 'Michelle Model too?

I'm thinking that with wheat and oat grass sprouting from their heads that my salads can have a dash of real pizazz! And be patriotic too!