SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A new commercial district is being built in South Charleston across the street from the South Charleston Community Center.
After the widening of Jefferson Road began, many businesses had to close their doors or were bought out by the state.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens says he saw it as an opportunity when some homes and businesses were destroyed.
“This way we can justify buying up land and help people who want to move away, while at the same time leaving us with land that is attractive for economic development,” Mullens said.
Mullens says that now that the city owns these properties, new development is in sight.
“I guess it will be more retail/restaurants because that’s what it’s really suited for,” the mayor said.
Mullens says that completing such a project is not cheap, but that South Charleston has a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF district) that helps finance and make the development a reality.
“You use those tax increases for public improvement projects. Any new business that comes up within the boundaries of the TIF district can have those tax dollars returned to the district and used to fund public improvement projects.”
All this should lead to new business areas and developments in the coming years.
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