Latest news with #CecilMarson
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The City of Bluefield plans for a consolidated emergency response facility
BLUEFIELD, WV (WVNS) – The City of Bluefield has taken steps to improve emergency response services across all departments throughout the city. First announced last summer, plans for a consolidated facility for emergency responders are moving forward, with the City of Bluefield having applied for federal funds to make the vision a reality. The centralized facility would bring together EMS, police, and fire departments in the city, and would provide a wider variety of resources for the agencies, many of which are operating out of the Bluefield City Hall location. Bluefield City Manager, Cecil Marson told 59News that city authorities are looking at multiple potential locations for the site, and that the plan is part of a greater effort to provide the best possible service experience for the citizens of Bluefield.'We're working on designs for the building in a couple different locations. Our goal is to give the most responsive service we can to the citizens of Bluefield in our community,' said Marson. 'So, we're looking at it very closely to make sure that we're doing the best absolutely that we can to take care of everyone.' Marson says, along with federal funding from the offices of U.S. Senators Jim Justice and Shelley Moore Capito, the city will be seeking grant funding for the project from multiple other sources as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Decision on Bluefield's federal funding request will come later
bluefield — It could be a while before a decision is made on a federal funding request for a new combined EMS facility in Bluefield. City Manager Cecil Marson announced last month that officials had submitted three projects for potential funding through a Congressionally Directed Spending award, formerly known as the federal earmark funding process. The city's funding request was sent to U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, as well as U.S. Senator Jim Justice, Those projects are the combined EMS facility for police, fire and rescue, the Union Street Sewer and Stormwater Project and a second stormwater project planned for the Midway area. But a funding decision won't be made immediately. The funding requests are for fiscal year 2026, according to Kelley Moore, communications director for Capito. Moore said Congressionally Directed Spending awards will be considered by the Appropriations Committee in the coming months as the committee members draft Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills. 'Senator Capito carefully reviews each request individually, as she always has with this process,' Moore said, adding that Capito is familiar with the combined EMS project for Bluefield. 'She is aware of the project you referenced, but is still in the process of reviewing all of the requests. So it's too early to discuss support,' Moore said. The city announced the combined EMS facility project in 2024 when a legal advertisement for architectural and engineering consulting firms to aid in designing and constructing a campus that would serve the Bluefield Rescue Squad, the Bluefield Police Department and the Bluefield Fire Department was published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. At the time, the city said the idea behind the campus is to relocate the city's fire and police departments as well as emergency services to a more centralized location in Bluefield so they can have quicker response times. A final location for the combined EMS campus has not yet been announced by the Bluefield Board of Directors. The amount of federal funding that will be available for the next cycle of Congressionally Directed Spending, or CDS awards, is not immediately known, according to Capito's office. 'In terms of how much funding will be available for the next round of CDS awards, CDS funding is capped at a certain percentage of total discretionary spending — typically around 1%,' Moore said. When the project was announced, officials said both the Bluefield Fire Department and the Bluefield Police Department had outgrown their existing quarters at Bluefield City Hall and were in need of more room. The Bluefield Rescue Squad, which is located next door to Mitchell Stadium off Stadium Drive, can also have problems sending ambulances on calls when events like the Beaver-Graham Game or the annual Holiday of Lights at city park create traffic backups. The federal funds being sought for the combined EMS facility would cover various expenses associated with the construction of the new campus. Although officials are seeking a federal CDS award, City Manager Cecil Marson said in an earlier interview that the city is applying for various grants for the projects with the CDS awards being just one funding option. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bluefield hopes to rehabilitate former church
bluefield — Bluefield officials are still hoping to rehabilitate an old church located on Duhring Street. The former church, which is on the state's historic preservation list, has been vacant for a number of years now. It was founded in 1907 as the First Baptist Church. The structure is currently owned by the city of Bluefield, which is seeking to renovate the church as part of a larger vision for the area. That vision also includes new housing construction for first-time home buyers in the neighborhood near the church. 'The city does own the church outside of city hall. The Duhring Street Church,' City Manager Cecil Marson said. 'It's an old, old church. It has stained glass windows. It is a super nice church.' Marson said the city's goal is to rehabilitate the old church and find a new use for it, possibly as a job training site or small business incubator. The vision also includes new housing construction in the Duhring Street area, which also connects to Roger Street near city hall. The city is still searching for funding to complete the work. While the city was approved for an initial grant for the project, the funding agency that would have provided the grant was later terminated. Thus the city didn't receive the funding. The old First Baptist Church on Duhring Street isn't to be confused with the nearby Immanuel Lutheran Church, which is still an active congregation and is located at 103 Duhring Street. Both the old First Baptist Church and the Immanuel Lutheran Church are located adjacent to the municipal hall facilities in Bluefield. Marson said the search for new funding continues — not just for the church renovations but also for the housing project. 'Our focus is around it (the church) and a potential housing area for a first-time home buyer,' Marson said. Housing has been an issue of concern in the city in recent years. The Bluefield Board of Directors launched a study in 2024 on the city's housing needs in cooperation with Virginia Tech. That 2024 study identified a housing shortage in Bluefield and focused on housing needs in the city over the next five to 10 years. The church itself wouldn't be used for housing, but it could be utilized for job training or other purposes. Because of its designation as a historic structure, Marson said the city is limited in what changes can be made to the church itself. 'You can't make major changes to the facade,' Marson said. 'There is restrictions on what you can do. They have to have oversight of it.' For example, the city will have to contract with a professional firm to make repairs to the stain glass windows inside of the old church. 'We would need to bring in a professional to look at those,' Marson said of the stain glass windows. 'They would need to be cleaned and redone. It would have to be kind of a professional stain-glass person who can restore that.' While it may appear unusual for a city to own a former church, Marson said it really isn't — pointing to a similar situation in Northern West Virginia. 'I don't think it is unusual,' he said. 'Cities inherently get a lot of property that is in bad shape. I'm sure there are tons of cities across the country that have churches in their portfolios.' The city has owned the church for a number of years. Marson said the old church went through different owners throughout the years, and was associated with the Baptist denomination. Finding additional funding to renovate the former church, and to launch the new housing project, is the next step for the city. 'We are working on stuff right now, different grants, putting some stuff together,' Marson said. 'We are working to try to get the funding so we can start this project. We are actively working on it right now.' The old church isn't the only historic structure owned by the city, or a city-affiliated commission. Marson said the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Commission also owns the old Traveler's Hotel, which is located near the Raleigh Street Cinemas. The old hotel was originally a Green Book property offering lodging to Black travelers during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. In 1950 it was converted into an office building and offered some dining in the 1980s and 1990s. It is currently vacant although BARC is hoping to revitalize it. The Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Commission also owns the Granada Theater, a historic structure that was brought back to life by the commission a number of years ago. The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the state's historic places and properties, recently announced the recipients of the 2025 West Virginia Historic Preservation Awards, and the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Commission, or BARC for short, was one of the recipients. BARC received the Adaptive Reuse Award for its efforts to revitalize the old Granada Theater, along with the adjoining Raleigh Street Cinemas and Education Center. The Granada Theater originally opened in 1927 at its current location on 537 Commerce Street. It was originally used as a Vaudeville and movie theater, and at one time was even a dance club. The venue is currently used for cinema and live performances. The Granada Theater was recently added to the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail. That statewide trail was designed to promote cultural tourism by showcasing the state's diverse theatrical heritage Contact Charles Owens at cowens@
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Yahoo
PROGRESS 2025: Work on Bluefield's over $25 million transportation project starting soon
bluefield — City officials are moving forward on a $25 million plan for making Bluefield's streets easier for pedestrians, bicycle riders and drivers to navigate. On Sept. 4, 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the city of Bluefield had been awarded a $25,748,152 grant to make transportation easier for pedestrians, bicycle riders, wheelchair users and others relying on local roads and sidewalks. The grant was among $1 billion in grants awarded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. The project's goal is to convert four of Bluefield's key intersections to roundabouts, create pedestrian and bicycle accommodations through a strategic mountain gap, and make safety improvements that include implementing traffic-calming strategies and installing sidewalks, crosswalks, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, and street lighting on selected corridors. The Making Residents, Students, and Visitors Safer in the Education and Recreation District program is designed to make safety improvements to a key gateway into historic Black communities and the entrance to Bluefield State University. Locations for Safe Street projects range from College Avenue, Stadium Drive, Cumberland Road, Princeton Avenue and other roads in the city along with the intersection connecting Cherry Street, Maryland Avenue and Stadium Drive. Steps in taking the Safe Street project forward are underway, said City Manager Cecil Marson. One step is necessary because the state has a new administration under Gov. Patrick Morrisey and a new Secretary of Transportation, Stephen Todd Rumbaugh, who is also commissioner of the West Virginias Department of Highways. Bluefield city officials recently met with Rumbaugh while work continues on the memorandum of understanding between the city and the state Department of Highways, he said. Selecting an engineer to oversee the project will be the next step. 'So everything's online and we're moving like crazy to get it started,' Marson said. The extensive project could take three to four years to complete. 'It's all (Route) 52, all of Stadium Drive, all of College Avenue,' Marson said. 'It's a big undertaking, but we're excited to get it rolling.' Marson said the project aims to improve transportation across the city. 'It's all safety and mobility in the city, so it's going to be things like bike lanes, it's going to be redoing the sidewalks,' he said. 'It will also entail some of the infrastructure underneath to make sure the storm lines and the sewer lines and all that are where they need to be and, of course, it will be street lighting and some landscaping and crosswalks. It's really to give folks good mobility and a facelift for the city and an improvement to the infrastructure.' In October 2024, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Bluefield and spoke with local leaders about the project. Capito visited the Bluefield Economic Development Office during that earlier meeting to hear about the city's plans for the grant. Marson told the senator how the city started working two years ago to obtain the Safe Street for All grant. Thanks to this grant, three of the city's major arteries are 'going to get fixed,' he said. One roadway, Cherry Street, goes from Bluefield State University to its dorm and classroom facility at the former Bluefield Regional Medical Center. There are times when students use this street, which Marson described as dangerous and treacherous, as a walkway to and from the two campuses. 'That whole road is going to get widened with sidewalks, bike lanes and lighting, Americans with Disabilities Act access, so that's going to completely free up all those kids to move back and forth. When that was a hospital that wasn't necessary, but now that's completely changed,' Marson said in the earlier meeting. Capito was also told about plans for the Midway Overpass Grant that the city received just before Christmas in 2023. The $13,480,000 award for the city came through the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program. Capito later said that she appreciated the briefing, but added, 'you've to to pat yourselves on the back, too.' 'A lot of these are competitive grants and if you're not writing and showing the need and fleshing out the projects as good as you do, you're not going to get the money,' Capito said. The city had done the work necessary for a major grant application. There are times when applicants have big plans, but they do not have backup plans such as pre-engineering studies, traffic studies, population studies or economic studies, so they cannot justify a grant, Capito said. 'As I was worked to craft the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I saw a generational opportunity to improve West Virginia's surface transportation infrastructure. U.S. Route 52 is a crucial thoroughfare for Bluefield and these improvements will increase road safety and continue expanding economic opportunities in and around the city. I was proud to advocate for this project and I'm thrilled to see work underway,' Capito said then. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bluefield eyes long list of municipal projects
bluefield — Building a border monument where West Virginia and Virginia meet, bringing an outdoor stage and more green space to downtown Bluefield, and making travel easier and safer are among the many projects lined up for the city of Bluefield. The Bluefield Board of Directors recently outlined projects that are underway and others that are being considered. One project, the demolition of the vacant Ferri Building on Bland Street has been approved by the board, said City Manager Cecil Marson. This project is being funded by a $296,000 federal Community Development Block grant with an $85,000 city match. Demolishing this structure will create more parking near the new city center park and turn the adjacent alley into a thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists. The new downtown park will be built in a space created when the downtown's 400 block buildings were demolished. A green space, an outdoor stage and a venue for food trucks and festivals are part of the plan. Projects on the city's lists are not confined to the downtown. In February 2024, the city was awarded a $25,547,532 federal grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program. That project involves the creation of four roundabouts in the city, creating pedestrian and bicycle accommodations through a strategic mountain gap, and making safety improvements which include implementing traffic-calming strategies and installing sidewalks, crosswalks, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and street lighting on selected corridors. More projects include improvements in Lotito Park featuring a splash pad, repaving parking lots and other enhancements. Housing in the Tree Street and Cypress Street areas along with Bluefield Arts Revitalization Corps (BARC) efforts to revitalize the historic Traveler's Hotel and Hotel Thelma are among other projects as well. Marson said there is a reason for so much ongoing activity. 'I think you have a board and employees here at the city that are steadfast on making our area what we want it to be and it's going to take a lot of hard work and that's what we're committed to,' Marson said about all the projects underway and being studied. 'I know in some cases we could probably do better, but we are doing everything humanly possible to get us to where we need to go; and so we're kind of in the middle of a big time here.' The city is looking at how to implement and fund the long list of projects. 'We're wracking our brains on what is the best path forward and what we can do,' Marson said. Downtown businesses and BARC have done a good job with projects such as renovating and reopening the Granada Theater, he said. The city center project for the 400 block is a foundational part of finding ways to use the downtown's other buildings. The park would help bring more visitors to the downtown and encourage more people to live there. 'There's potentially an argument out there that they don't need any more parks. Well, what I would say is we have to have a reason. Folks want business, right? and a business person wants to know what has the investment been before I spend my money on an infrastructure bringing a business in here,' Marson said. 'It's a chicken or egg discussion, but it's a team game, right? We're putting in this investment to clean up the storefronts, clean up the center of the city with all the great businesses we've got operating down there.' Investing in the downtown's buildings would help attract developers and bring in more businesses, he said. Then the city can see how it can help these entrepreneurs open their doors. 'How do we help you get this building up and get your business up and rocking?,' Marson said. Creating a parking lot at the Ferri Building site would add to making the downtown more attractive for new businesses. 'We're trying to set the table as advantageous as we can to attract that business,' he said. 'All of your customers are going to park right here and they're going to park 50 feet right into your storefront.' Revamping other vacant downtown buildings will be challenging. 'They have gotten in such disrepair, it's economically difficult to revamp those buildings without a lot of outside grant funding,' Marson said. 'There are very few business owners can come and spend $2 million or $3 million on a building. We want a storefront, a bakery, we want a women's clothing shop, a men's shop, a butcher shop. Well, all those businesses, it takes a while to get your return on investment. The buildings we have need to be upgraded and fixed to entice that kind of business. Basically give them shovel ready, store ready places. That's what we're working on right now. We're going to work with a developer and work with our team here to get those buildings upgraded and clean; but we have again we have infrastructure in the town that was built for 30,000 people. We're currently sitting right around 10,000.' The city's long-term goal is to boost its population back up to 30,000 residents. 'It's going to take time, but with this massive infrastructure vacant for 20, 30 years, unfortunately it got into some tough shape and we cannot fix them all,' Marson said. 'We don't have the money to fix them all, so we have to make some hard decisions for the greater good, for the long term.' All the projects Bluefield is undertaking will become part of its Comprehensive Plan, Marson said. The city has gotten public feedback for town hall meetings, and many projects came from those discussions, Marson said. In the near future there will be another town hall meeting to collect more feedback, then the Bluefield Planning Commission will vote on the overall Comprehensive Plan and make recommendations to the Board of Directors which will then vote on whether to ratify it. 'Hopefully we get to a world where the downtown's humming and developers are coming in and they're building all over the place because it's a destination of choice and folks are coming here,' Marson said. 'Hopefully for our Christmas in the future, we'll have the downtown decorated and we'll have a nice park feeding off into our businesses and we've got folks lined up all over the place, traffic jams of folks coming into the city to enjoy Christmas and shop and use all our restaurants and all our businesses, the Granada and Raleigh Street Cinemas.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
