HUNTINGTON -- A demolition project along Hal Greer Boulevard last week has left some opportunity for development near the corner of 7th Avenue.
The property there, a long-abandoned building that was once a grocery store and a UPS store, had been in decline for several years, said Charles Holley, director of development and planning for the city of Huntington.
It had long been cited as a priority for demolition, he said, but there were other properties where serious fires caused major damage, thus bumping others down on the demolition list.
No word yet on what is to be done with the property.
Anything that the city can do to support developers in beautifying the city would be beneficial, said Chris Porter of Big Green Properties, who has built or renovated a number of properties around Marshall University and Huntington to provide housing for Marshall students and others.
He said he understands the hardships and challenges tied to old, abandoned properties. But he's proud to be involved in helping make the Hal Greer gateway into the city more attractive.
"I'm trying to make improvements constantly and make quality products," said Porter, who developed some new, green-sided apartments just across the street on the east side of Hal Greer near 6th Avenue. "There are a lot of vacant lots. We've got to create a great environment to get folks to invest in these areas. For us to get better quality people to move into the city, we've got to provide great stuff."
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