Business

Wood County development leaders highlight investment

PARKERSBURG -- Preparing properties for new businesses and helping residents enter the workforce remain priorities for economic development officials as Wood County pursues manufacturing investments, infrastructure improvements and the reuse of vacant buildings.

Those efforts were highlighted during the joint annual meeting of the Wood County Development Authority and Parkersburg Wood County Area Development Corporation at the Ember Theater at Discovery World on Wednesday.

Chairman Harry Silvis presided over the meeting, while Secretary Tim Coffman presented board nominations and introduced funding resolutions.

Lindsey Piersol reviewed local projects and the organizations' work over the past fiscal year, while Christine Davies, West Virginia deputy secretary of commerce for economic development and workforce participation, outlined state initiatives and urged business leaders to help residents connect with employment opportunities.

Piersol said the local office conducted 42 business retention and expansion visits, handled 176 leads, prospects and follow-ups, and attended 14 ribbon-cuttings.

"But economic development is also the work that happens behind the scenes every day," Piersol said.

That work includes helping existing employers address obstacles, connecting businesses with resources and preparing properties for future investment, she said.

Among the projects Piersol highlighted was PowerFlo's purchase of the former Hino facility in Williamstown. She said the $20 million investment is expected to create 120 to 200 jobs in a previously unused building.

She also pointed to Amazon's last-mile delivery facility in Davisville, which she said was built in about nine months, as an example of how quickly some projects can advance.

Other investments discussed included a planned $150 million north tower expansion at WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center. Piersol said the project is expected to add 80 private beds and 50 to 60 jobs.

Community Bank of Parkersburg's new headquarters represents an approximately $16 million downtown investment, with completion expected in December 2027, she said.

Piersol also reported that $34 million had been spent to date on West Virginia University at Parkersburg's Innovation and Technology Center, which she described as an opportunity to connect employers, education and workforce training.

Preparing additional properties for development remains a focus.

The office submitted 11 sites to the Yes West Virginia Site Readiness Program and hosted seven site visits with consultants and state economic development representatives, Piersol said. Those efforts resulted in five grants for Wood County sites and a sixth in Pleasants County, totaling $375,000.

The funding helps address questions about properties before businesses consider investing, including environmental conditions, soil characteristics, wetlands and infrastructure needs.

"We cannot assume that having land automatically means we are ready for development," Piersol said.

During the meeting, members also approved accepting $1 million in federal funding obtained through U.S. Rep. Riley Moore's office for work at the former Johns Manville plant site in Vienna.

Piersol said the project is in the environmental review phase and will remove approximately 10,000 cubic yards of concrete. The goal is to create a level property the city can use for people visiting Spencer's Landing.

The office also is working with the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport on an application for $2.7 million in water and sewer infrastructure to support additional hangars. Piersol said the application had advanced to the next round but had not been awarded.

Davies said site preparation is one of three interconnected elements of economic development, alongside business conditions and incentives, and workforce development.

Companies considering major investments often cannot wait years for communities to complete basic property assessments or resolve infrastructure questions, she said.

"Without a site, there is no project," Davies said.

She said the state has evaluated more than 100 properties over the past two years and awarded more than 30 grants for environmental assessments, geotechnical studies, utility evaluations and other preparation.

The state also is organizing properties into three categories: those nearly ready for construction, those needing targeted improvements and those requiring substantial development.

But even when properties and business conditions meet a company's needs, Davies said, workforce availability remains a central question.

She outlined plans for an online talent marketplace through the Connecting Talent to Opportunity Challenge. The platform would connect training programs with career opportunities, allow workers to document and share credentials, and help employers identify the skills required for jobs.

Davies said technology and training programs alone will not reach everyone who has stopped looking for work. Some residents need personal guidance and encouragement before they can envision a path back into employment, she said.

"We can't solve a crisis of despair with an administrative checklist, unfortunately," Davies said.

She encouraged business and community leaders to mentor young people and adults, and urged employers to pair workers who face employment barriers with experienced colleagues who can provide guidance.

As part of the planned talent marketplace, Davies said the state intends to develop a network of community navigators who understand employment and training programs and can help residents access them.

The network, expected to roll out next year, would include counselors, coaches, pastors and other community members willing to devote time to helping others, she said.

Piersol said the purpose of local development work extends beyond buildings, acreage and investment totals.

"It's about creating opportunities for our children to build their futures here, helping families find good jobs, giving local businesses confidence to grow, and making Wood County a place where people want to invest and put down their roots," she said.