Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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March 9, 2010

Former brownstone location to play role in Coal Heritage Trail

By CHARLES OWENS

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BLUEFIELD — A vacant lot that was once home to Bluefield’s historic brownstone will soon play a key role in the region’s Coal Heritage Trail.

Although two years have passed since the collapse of the brownstone, a number of ideas are still being considered for the site. However, the first project to be developed at or near the brownstone site will be signage in conjunction with the Coal Heritage Trail, according to Mayor Linda Whalen.

“It (the signs) have already been developed, and I would assume should be finished in the near future,” Whalen said. “I think it is five or six different signs that give the history of Bluefield, and how it relates to the railroad and coal history. They will be on stands. They are very similar to what is in Chicory Square right now, but they will be bigger and there will be more of them.”

Whalen said city officials haven’t ruled out the idea of a railroad overlook at the old brownstone site. The overlook was proposed for the many visitors who come to Bluefield to photograph or view trains at the historic Norfolk Southern railyard.

Whalen said the overlook is now being considered as part of the much larger Colonial Intermodal Facility project that is planned at the site of the old Matz Hotel and Colonial Theater. The city has already received bids for the design and planning phase of the Colonial project. U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., secured $600,000 in federal funds for the initial planning and design of the project last year.

“We’ve gotten several bids in,” Whalen said. “And we are at a point now where we will designate a committee, and look at the different bids, and decide on a firm to move forward with the design and planning phase. As soon as the design team is chosen for this planning phase, then we will start to have some community meetings to get input into what design would be best for economic opportunities.”

Whalen said city officials are still hopeful that full funding for the actual construction of the Colonial Intermodal Center will be approved by lawmakers soon. Rahall has requested $13.5 million in federal funding for the construction of the intermodal center in the new transportation bill currently being drafted by Congress.

The Colonial Intermodal Facility is proposed as a centrally located transit center that will be developed near the site of the old Matz Hotel/Colonial. The ultimate goal of the Colonial Center is to bring foot traffic back into downtown Bluefield. City officials hope the transit center will serve as a catalyst to additional commercial growth and economic development along Princeton Avenue

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

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