RenewAll, Inc. was launched in August 2020 to become the champion of the 14STW District Plan and leverage the Main Street America Approach with a focus on preservation and revitalization. RenewAll Inc. provides staffing to coordinate revitalization projects, develop leadership in the community, and advocate for long-term changes that will have a positive impact on the future of the neighborhood and improve the livability of its residents.
RenewAll recognizes that West Huntington has many assets, but needs the investment in businesses, infrastructure, and housing to thrive. The community has begun to articulate shared priorities through the development of plans and studies. RenewAll will amplify these priorities through the pipeline of shovel-ready projects, and work on the environmental or enabling factors to remove roadblocks. RenewAll can uplift the community by continuously looking for new resources and collaboration to reinvest in the revitalization campaign.
A strong history of grassroots engagement exists in the West Huntington neighborhood, especially on 14STW. Beginning in the 1980s the family descendants of the entrepreneurs who made Central City a prosperous industrial town formed the Old Central City Association to preserve its history and promote collaboration.
Soon after the City of Huntington invested urban renewal funds to create the Central City Market Building and Old Central City Park and Gazebo. The Old Central City Association, created by the small businesses and descendants of Central City’s founders, built a reputation for the street to be known as the Antiques Capital of WV, with an antique store in almost every building. As time went on, these community champions began aging, and the need for new involvement in district leadership became urgent. The profile of the neighborhood began to decline, and home ownership decreased as crime and blight became all too prevalent.
In 2012, Mayor Steve Williams gathered a multi-stakeholder task force known as the River to Rail Initiative. This included community nonprofits, churches, business owners, residents, city departments, law enforcement, and elected leaders. The River to Rail Initiative piloted many approaches for the city and the neighborhood-focused strategy led to the creation of the Huntington Innovation Plan (HIP). The plan was entered into a national competition where the strength of community engagement won the City of Huntington a $3M cash prize from Frontier Communications and other partners. The City targeted code violations and began an aggressive demolition campaign to address blight while law enforcement coordination from the federal to local level came together to fight drug trafficking.
The River to Rail Initiative chose to pursue a Main Street America program model and applied for a National Endowment of the Arts Our Town Grant for a community plan. Volunteers planted flowers, picked up litter, and participated in community planning activities. Many of the core members remain trusted advisors and stakeholders in the work of RenewAll today!
