By Adam Pack
What has long been referred to as “The Old Seneca Health building” across from the New River Community and Technical College campus has been the site of some very extensive and public demolition beginning the third week of March. Angus Peyton of the James F.B. Peyton Fund, a non-profit working with the City of Lewisburg to develop part of the property, has another name for the complex of buildings on the corner of Church and Foster Street: “A kid trap. Whenever you have abandoned buildings you inevitably have kids who want to get in there, and then they inevitably get hurt.”
Peyton and his organization are therefore assisting the city with removing the dangerous and unattractive buildings. However, the fund is not content simply to remove the buildings on the plot and stop there. “Demolition, of course, is just phase 1 of this project,” explained Peyton. “We have in the works some new municipal parking, as well as ten ‘electric vehicle supercharger’ charging stations.”
Peyton described plans for the newly-empty lot as “something like a public park/parking lot hybrid. It’s definitely going to be the most beautiful parking lot in all of West Virginia when we’re done.”
As for the ownership of the lot, Peyton explained that the precise ownership over portions of the plot will be decided further down the line, but that the True Value building is owned by Boxell Solutions, and that the demolition being carried out now is being done under abandoned building protocols. “The [James F.B. Peyton Fund] will be assisting the city through the Lewisburg Foundation with the development of all public properties to come, that being the parking lot, and Boxell Solutions will be doing all the private development of the plot,” said Peyton.
Boxell’s plans include the renovation of the upper floor of the True Value building into residential space, and commercial space on the bottom floor. Lance Syner with Boxell made clear that, “we absolutely do not own [the Seneca Health building]” or anything beyond True Value.
More detailed plans for the lot will be released at a later date. Old Seneca Health building demoed, ‘public park/parking lot hybrid’ planned
By Adam Pack
What has long been referred to as “The Old Seneca Health building” across from the New River Community and Technical College campus has been the site of some very extensive and public demolition beginning the third week of March. Angus Peyton of the James F.B. Peyton Fund, a non-profit working with the City of Lewisburg to develop part of the property, has another name for the complex of buildings on the corner of Church and Foster Street: “A kid trap. Whenever you have abandoned buildings you inevitably have kids who want to get in there, and then they inevitably get hurt.”
Peyton and his organization are therefore assisting the city with removing the dangerous and unattractive buildings. However, the fund is not content simply to remove the buildings on the plot and stop there. “Demolition, of course, is just phase 1 of this project,” explained Peyton. “We have in the works some new municipal parking, as well as ten ‘electric vehicle supercharger’ charging stations.”
Peyton described plans for the newly-empty lot as “something like a public park/parking lot hybrid. It’s definitely going to be the most beautiful parking lot in all of West Virginia when we’re done.”
As for the ownership of the lot, Peyton explained that the precise ownership over portions of the plot will be decided further down the line, but that the True Value building is owned by Boxell Solutions, and that the demolition being carried out now is being done under abandoned building protocols. “The [James F.B. Peyton Fund] will be assisting the city through the Lewisburg Foundation with the development of all public properties to come, that being the parking lot, and Boxell Solutions will be doing all the private development of the plot,” said Peyton.
Boxell’s plans include the renovation of the upper floor of the True Value building into residential space, and commercial space on the bottom floor. Lance Syner with Boxell made clear that, “we absolutely do not own [the Seneca Health building]” or anything beyond True Value.
More detailed plans for the lot will be released at a later date.
