Commercial property at entrance to downtown Beckley

This five-level historic building at the entrance to downtown Beckley adjoins the campus of West Virginia University and is fewer than 10 miles from America’s newest national park. It opens onto a public festival space and chief thoroughfare through the expanding downtown cultural district.
Its 14,500 square feet are distributed across four stories and a finished basement, all accessible by elevator. Of solid brick and stone construction with steel reinforcement, the landmark building has been designated eligible for grants and tax credits for historic rehabilitation.

HIGHLIGHTS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Adjoins the WVU Institute of Technology
• Adjacent to the Raleigh Playhouse & Theatre
• At the center of downtown festival grounds
• Two miles from the Interstate-77 Hotel District
• Ten miles from the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
• Designated eligible for grants and tax credits for historic rehabilitation
• 14,500 square feet of open-plan space on five levels, all accessible by elevator

WORD PARK AND THE BECKLEY UNDERGROUND

Located within 200 feet of two downtown parks, the property sits at the center of one of the city’s busiest festival grounds. Word Park, which includes a gazebo performance space, is often the anchor for downtown events. Cardinal Park, a small town square, includes a newly unveiled sculpture of ascending cardinals, the West Virginia state bird. The building notably adjoins the Beckley Underground, a public festival space located behind the row of historic buildings on Neville Street. A number of restaurant and nightclub venues open onto the underground as well as the subject property and the Raleigh Playhouse & Theatre.

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY

The southern campus of West Virginia University was established in Beckley in 2015, adjoining the downtown. It matriculates more than 1,200 students annually through its WVU Institute of Technology, though university officials have expressed plans to expand the university and have recently purchased several buildings in the downtown, including its new Culinary Arts and Interdisciplinary Sciences buildings, located just across the street.

LOCATION

Google Coordinates: 37.776458, -81.190749
Address: 337 Neville Street, Beckley, WV 25801
Elevation Range: 2,421 ft. +/-

ABOUT THE BUILDING

Designed as a retail and warehousing space, the building boasts large open-plan spaces with roughly 2,900 square feet per level. All five levels are accessible by freight elevator.

The street-level entrance has historically operated as a retail space while the upper floors have traditionally been used as showrooms. The basement level opens at the rear onto the Beckley Underground festival space.

The broad windows on the front, rear, and flanking facades allow for plenty of light and air circulation as well as views of the courthouse, courtyard, and historic streetscape. Two bathrooms, a kitchen area, and workshop and office areas are located on the street and basement levels.

The building has been maintained with diligence since its construction in 1929, and period fixtures and detailed elements remain inside and out, including a vault, elevator, decorative tin ceilings, Italian cut stone foundations, and wooden bay doors off the courtyard at the rear. Ceiling heights measure 8.3 feet on the first level, 7.4 on the second; 8.6 on the third, 8.2 on the fourth, and 12 on the basement level.

UTILITIES

Water: public water is supplied by Beckley Water Co.
Electricity: on-property electric service is supplied by AEP
Natural Gas: an adjacent line is supplied by Mountaineer Gas Co.
Internet: high-speed service available
Fire Service: 0.5 miles from Beckley Fire Department
Cell: Coverage excellent with 4G supplied by several carriers
Sewer: City of Beckley

MECHANICAL & IMPROVEMENTS

Many of the mechanical features of the building may be improved and repaired with the aid of grants and tax credits, which can offset total costs by as much as 90 percent if used in tandem. New heating, plumbing, and electrical systems may be eligible for tax credits, as may be expenses related to updating kitchens and bathrooms, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and fire-suppression systems and fire escapes. Grants are typically provided to remedy emergent issues that could lead to damage and may include the repair of the roof, windows, and foundations. Expenses covered by credits may include architectural and engineering fees, development fees, and other construction-related costs.

HVAC

Heating and air-conditioning are provided on the first story and basement levels by a Trane heat pump installed in 2015. The temperature on the upper levels is moderated by the lower-level system.

ELECTRIC

Three-phase service is available on all levels.

ELEVATOR

A Salem freight elevator installed in 1943 is in good repair. Tax credits of as much as 40 percent of the cost are generally available for the repair of historic elevators.

ROOF

A Dura-last commercial PVC roofing system was installed in 2001 and has remained in good condition. An isolated event during heavy snow caused a seam to require repair. State rehabilitation grants are generally available to help manage the cost of roof repairs.

EMERGENCY ESCAPES

A fire and emergency escape with rear access to the first floor was installed in 2015. A rear emergency escape from the upper floors requires repair or replacement, for which tax credits of as much as 40 percent of the cost are generally available.

WINDOWS

Most of the building’s doors and windows are original and in good repair. State rehabilitation grants are generally available to help manage the cost of the repair of original windows.

ZONING

The property is zoned commercial by the City of Beckley. All prospective buyers should consult the municipal zoning office regarding zoning and building codes.

DEED AND TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: Deed Book 5057 Pg. 8089
Raleigh County, West Virginia
Acreage: surface 2,930 square feet +/-
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:
Raleigh County (41), West Virginia
Beckley Corporate (01)
PART OF Tax Map 24 Parcel 43; Class 4
2021 Real Estate Taxes: $$2,044.73

HEALTHCARE

Three hospitals and many medical offices and clinics in and adjacent to the city include Raleigh General, Beckley Appalachian Regional, Veteran’s Administration Medical Center.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Campuses for WVU-Tech, Concord University, Bluefield State College, Appalachian Bible College, New River Community & Technical College are located in and adjacent to Beckley.

TRANSPORTATION

Flight service is a 15-minute drive from the building at the Raleigh County Memorial Airport, which provides general aviation and flight service to Parkersburg, W.Va., and Charlotte, N.C. Yeager Airport, at Charleston, is an hour’s drive by expressway and provides flight service to Charlotte, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Amtrak rail passenger service to Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C., is a 20-minute drive from the district at Prince, while other flag stops are available along the line nearby.

A drive of approximately two miles from I-77 at exits 42 and 44, the building stands at the interstate-bound entrance to the district. More than 49,800 motorists pass daily on I-77.

DOWNTOWN BECKLEY

The economic center of southern West Virginia, Beckley blossomed during the first half of the 20th century from a quiet courthouse village into a sprawling city of more than 20,000 residents. Fueled by the growth of the region’s coal mining industry, it had also benefitted from its location along a natural travel route between the East Coast and Midwest. The downtown was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, securing for property owners within the district the financing to improve and restore properties. In 2015, West Virginia University acquired buildings in and adjacent to the downtown and moved its technology campus to Beckley.

In addition to its proximity to the federal courthouse complex, with which it shares the rear courtyard, the building is only a short block from the new Raleigh County Judicial Courthouse and two blocks from the Raleigh County Courthouse. The Beckley-Raleigh County YMCA Complex is a walk of fewer than five minutes from the building, as is the Raleigh County Public Library and the central campus for WVU-Tech. Three banks maintain branch offices in downtown, as do many county and municipal agencies and law offices.

SURROUNDING AREA

The property is located in the heart of the New River Gorge Region, one of the state’s chief tourism and outdoor recreation destinations. The local economy is now centered chiefly around the national park and other outdoor recreation areas. An estimated 200,000 residents live here in the central part of the New River Gorge region.

Seven golf courses operate within a half-hour’s drive, including three championship courses at Glade Springs Resort and the course at Black Knight Country Club, a five-minute drive away. Eleven hotels and motels are located at I-77’s exit 44, a two-mile straight-shot drive to the building entrance. Twenty-nine hotels operate in the Beckley area.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
The nation’s newest national park, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve attracts more than 2.6 million visitors annually to the region. Two park visitor centers, at Grandview and Canyon Rim, are 20 and 30 minutes from downtown Beckley respectively. The park’s best-known attraction, the New River Gorge Bridge, is a drive of approximately 30 minutes at Fayetteville. Hiking, biking, angling, hunting, kayaking, and camping are popular throughout the park. However, it may best be known as a destination for rock climbing and whitewater rafting. The park is among the nation’s top destinations for both.

The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve
Fewer than 15 miles from the property, the 14,000-acre Summit Bechtel Reserve is a veritable outdoor-recreation park that also hosts the quadrennial Boy Scout Jamboree and one of five high-adventure bases for the scouts. The 24th World Scout Jamboree welcomed more than 45,000 visitors in 2019. The 17th Interamerican Scout Jamboree is planned for 2023. The reserve is the home of the Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base, the James C. Justice National Scout Camp, and the John D. Tickle National Training and Leadership Center.