
Hinton, West Virginia. Photo by OZinOH/FlickrCC
Our HubCAP program helps communities in West Virginia redevelop abandoned or underused buildings, and to identify, recruit and support sustainable enterprises to occupy those structures.
The Hub is on the third installment of HubCAP, the Communities of Achievement Program that has already partnered with many communities across West Virginia.
Over the next 18 months, HubCAP III will see The Hub and our partners supporting efforts in Hinton, Matewan, Princeton, Richwood, and Whitesville to build vibrant downtown business areas.
HubCAP III meets communities where they are at in their work addressing an abandoned property process, and emphasizes community capacity building.
Each community is provided with a community coach, who works with teams to grow their already-existing networks to increase community engagement in downtown redevelopment. The coach connects the teams with service providers, subject experts, funders, and developers who have experience in downtown building redevelopment. The team works toward their goal of recruiting and securing businesses to set up shop in the rehabilitated space.
Many of these communities in HubCAP III have already identified buildings to focus on for this effort through the Northern Brownfield’s Assistance Center’s Downtown Appalachia Program.
The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation funds this program, which invests in studying economically feasible opportunities, and also provides appraisals, artistic renderings, and site assessments for possible future building uses, in order to promote business. HubCAP III is also funded by a USDA Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Grant.
The communities of HubCAP programs I and II are Mullens, Martinsburg, Chester/Weirton, Belington, Fairmont, Shinnston, Belington, Buckhannon, Ansted, Mullens, Williamson, Clay, Lincoln/Logan, Wayne, McDowell and Doddridge counties.