Written by Aaron-Michael Fox.
The Prichard Building, one of Huntington’s tallest obstacles to fixing up the downtown neighborhood may soon be addressed. Plans are moving forward to repurpose the 13-story former hotel on the southwest corner of 6thAvenue and 9th Street.
The new plans call for turning the high-rise into an affordable living tower for those 55 and older. The first two floors will have healthcare services and additional community resources for seniors. Above the second floor will be 108 residential living spaces.
The building was purchased from Christ Temple Church in 2019 by Cornerstone Community Development Corp. The church had plans to turn it into a faith-based substance abuse treatment center. However, in March of 2015, the Fire Marshal found infrastructure issues and the building has been vacant since.
Mountain Health, Marshall University, and Marshall Health will utilize space to create an innovative “Geriatric Center for Excellence,” Cornerstone said in a press release.
On the first floor, Hospice of Huntington will facilitate a medical day center for aging adults; and the Metro Area Agency on Aging will house a resource and referral center in the building for disabled seniors who may have otherwise been unable to utilize that help.
A public hearing was held in November regarding the West Virginia Housing Development Fund adopting a resolution to approve the issuance of up to $27 million to assist in the redevelopment. This comprises a little over half of the $51 million needed to complete the project.
After the bond passed, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said: “The City is excited to see the renovation of the Prichard Building begin soon, as it represents an estimated $50 million investment in our downtown. The City of Huntington and Huntington Wayne Consortium Board are partners in the project through the approval of an $800,000 allocation of Cabell-Huntington-Wayne HOME Investment funds. The outcome of this renovation will be much-needed services to our senior citizens on the first two floors and affordable, one-bedroom apartments for senior citizens on floors three through thirteen.”
“This area is filled with amazing people and amazing opportunities,” Vice President of Cornerstone Community Development Corp. Randy Saunders said. “I hope this project serves as a beacon of hope for this community. A reminder that nothing is too far gone. That no one is without hope. Take off the lens of negativity and see what can be overcome.”
There is no word yet on when the project is expected to be completed, but it will create more than 200 jobs during construction and require a certain amount of environmental cleanup and remediation. A groundbreaking is expected in coming weeks.
The project enlists more than 25 community and federal partners including the City of Huntington; Mountain Health Network; Marshall University; Marshall Health; the WV Housing Development Fund; the WV Dept. of Arts, Culture, and History; the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development; the U.S. Dept. of Environmental Protection; and the National Park Service, among others.
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