West Side Main Street was formed in 2005 in collaboration with West Virginia State University Extension, the City of Charleston and the West Side Neighborhood Association to address the revitalization of the business district on Charleston’s West Side.
Based in historic preservation, Main Street is a national model for community revitalization that was developed to save historic commercial architecture, but has since become a powerful economic development tool across the country. A program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the West Virginia Main Street, Main Street capitalizes on a community’s history and resources to tackle the complex issue of revitalizing once- booming downtown neighborhoods. Charleston West Side Main Street is dedicated to the revitalization of West Washington Street.
What is West Side Main Street?
In the fall of 2005, the West Virginia State University Extension Service entered into partnership with the City of Charleston, the West Side Neighborhood Association and others, to support a ‘Main Street’ program on the West Side of Charleston. Based in historic preservation, Main Street is a national model for community revitalization that was developed to save historic commercial architecture, but has since become a powerful economic development tool across the country. A program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street capitalizes on a community’s history and resources to tackle the complex issue of revitalizing once-booming downtown neighborhoods.
The Main Street Project is a natural extension of the mission of the West Virginia State University Extension Service, as it aids in the academic, technological, economic, and social advancement of the State of West Virginia by identifying resources and programs pertinent to the progression and dissemination of knowledge and services by way of research, teaching, and extension.
The geographic area served by the West Side Main Street Program is the Washington Street Business Corridor from Pennsylvania Ave. to Rt. 21. Many areas of Washington Street West have been neglected for decades by both infrastructure improvements and private reinvestment. Important historic buildings are in imminent danger of demolition and some areas have buildings that are seriously in need of historic rehabilitation projects and façade improvements. All of this must be given immediate attention in order to project an image that will attract new investment to the district and bring a halt to blight, economic and social decline of the area.
West Side Main Street obtained national certification in 2007 and again in 2009 indicating that the program is meeting all the best practices standards of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Accomplishments in the past 2 years have included:
- Fourteen new businesses relocated to the West Side resulting in over 120 jobs
- Over $700,000 in private and public funding attracted to projects on the West Side.
- Over $7 million in new building and infrastructure improvements and façade renovations to existing buildings along the Washington Street business corridor.
- Development of a master streetscape plan to complete sidewalk renovations along Washington Street over the next 5 years.
- Establishment of a new public park on the corner of Barton Street and Washington St. W.
- Design of a new public art project to be installed in the fall of 2010.
- Holiday decorations and community events along Washington Street several times during the year.
