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NC buildings razed

The Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle (BDC) announced a portion of a block in downtown New Cumberland is has been demolished. (Submitted photo)

NEW CUMBERLAND — The Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle (BDC) announced a portion of a block in downtown New Cumberland is down. This makes a dozen abandoned and dilapidated buildings the BDC has acquired for demolition and repurposing.

“These abandoned buildings, that greet drivers on Route 2 in New Cumberland, are down,” BDC Executive Director Patrick Ford said in a press release.

The City of New Cumberland is continuing its efforts to remove blight in the community, with assistance from Huntington Bank, the Hancock County Commission, and the BDC.

“Due to their neglect, we saw a unique opportunity to assist New Cumberland with addressing blight,” Hancock County Commissioner, and BDC Executive Board Member, Jeff Davis said. “To determine the property’s best use, we must remedy the eyesore and safety hazard first.”

“We’re very excited to be able to help. First, unsafe structures must be removed, and environmental risks must be mitigated. After that, we look for a long-term plan that makes the best sense for the community,” Bill D’Alesio, BDC Board Chairman, said. “This counts 12 abandoned residential and commercial properties and 6 industrial properties the BDC has acquired to repurpose for economic development and the elimination of blight in our communities.”

“We haven’t figured out everything we want to do with the properties,” D’Alesio said. “We will engage the Mayor and Council of New Cumberland and the Hancock County Commission to figure out what to do. The good news is the eye sores are removed.”

Ford noted that tackling blight has become a focus for the BDC, which has begun working with representatives of several communities in Hancock and Brooke counties, the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, USEPA, WVDEP, Huntington Bank, and Wells Fargo to develop programs to address blighted, abandoned, and deteriorating structures in the area.

“We are fortunate to have partners to continue to work with, so we can repurpose abandoned buildings in our communities,” said New Cumberland Mayor Richard Blackwell.

Formed in 1993 and chartered as a 501-C3 (private, not for profit) organization, the BDC is the designated economic development organization for Brooke and Hancock counties.

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