Economic development in Harrison County (West Virginia) projected to continue upward trajectory in 2024

In the last year alone, more than 500 new jobs were created at the North Central West Virginia Airport. An additional 900 retail jobs were also added in Harrison County last year, Haberbosch Wilson said.

The additions of Boscov’s and Menards not only brought many jobs to the area but are also acting as “great anchors” to the local economy and have attracted more businesses to the area, Haberbosch Wilson said.

“Boscov’s was huge for the area,” said Harrison County Commission President Susan Thomas.

So was Menards. In fact, three other large retailers “wouldn’t sign” to establish themselves in Charles Pointe until after Menards hosted their grand opening, Haberbosch Wilson said.

“Next month the public should be hearing an announcement,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

“You don’t just get win after win after win. You’ve got to stay in contact for several years before you luck out and land something,” Development Corporation Chairman and Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang said, praising the work of the his colleagues at the entity.

There are also plans to renovate portions of the Meadowbrook Mall this year.

“it’s not just about economic growth as in what’s new, but it’s also those out there that grow as far as existing companies. It’s important to build new stuff, but it’s just as important to go back and rebuild the old stuff,” Lang said.

Shinnston could also see increased growth if the Enterprise Corridor, which would connect the town with Interstate 79, ever sees the light of day.

Currently there is a “bridge to nowhere,” but an interstate connection would drive business to the area, Haberbosch Wilson said.

The Enterprise Corridor is currently only in talks, where it has stayed for the last 40-plus years, Lang said.

“it’s all about access. The counties that don’t have a four-lane highway, and are a little more difficult to [traverse,] they struggle. It’s all about transportation,” Lang said.

The Harrison Power Plant that was planned to be built in Glen Elk outside of Clarksburg was in the preliminary stages five years ago, but never got off the ground. It, too, is set to “get back online soon,” and bring industrial development with it, Haberbosch Wilson said.

The world’s largest aviation manufacturing, repair and operation company, MHI RJ, has a large workspace at the airport and recently expanded. In addition to their 100,000-square-foot hangar for aircraft storage, another hangar of equal size is also being constructed.

Blue Rock, a company creating LED batteries from carbon sludge from coal manufacturing, is also building a 50,000 square foot hangar, Haberbosch Wilson said.

The hangar will go out to bid in the next few weeks and will be built entirely by local labor as it’s required to be by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, which awarded the county $2.6 million to build the hangar. The project is set to bring another 200 jobs to the area.

“I’d love to see as many local bids as possible,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

Another new company at the airport is North Star, a local company that has grown from a local start-up into one with more than 100 employees.

In addition to building a 40,000-square-foot building and already being located in three counties in West Virginia, North Star recently purchased the largest warehouse in Harrison County, “Harrison Warehouse,” which used to be Fourco Glass in Adamston.

“Their growth has been just phenomenal,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

The new terminal of the North Central West Virginia Airport is also set to be completed sometime before the end of the year, Haberbosch Wilson said.

Pierpont Community & Technical College soon will call the aerotech park home as well, as the college was awarded $25 million for the construction of a new campus.

At the new home of the college, welding and aviation engineering also will be taught. This school will be primarily aviation-based, with Fairmont State University’s pilot training program also utilizing the space.

“There are [also] 80 some acres of flat land with full capacity water, sewage, electric and gas available to it” that are waiting to be developed, Lang said.

Harrison County recently was awarded $500,000 in Brownfield grant funds to be used to revitalize many properties around the county.

These funds will first be used to hire Stantec to create a planning assessment of properties that have been declared Brownfield sites.

“Some of these properties will be torn down, some will have environmental studies done, and others will need to be marketed after remediation,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

Ten to 15 projects are set to come out of the planning assessment of the properties, Haberbosch Wilson said.

These projects also will be completed by local demolition crews and environmental engineers as is stipulated in the federal grant monies acceptance agreement.

Moving forward, though, the Economic Development Corporation’s main focus will be on bolstering the local workforce to be better trained for manufacturing jobs.

“There are hundreds of positions we can’t fill,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

In order to better train the state’s Economic Development Corporation is working with high schools, technical schools and universities in order to establish programs that teach skills local companies most need.

If programs are started earlier enough and students aren’t required to attend technical schools in order to gain the skills, then the state practically pays for their career education, Haberbosch Wilson said.

“Every day of the week people are retiring. Every day of the week there are new generations getting out of school. They’re wanting to live the American dream and get a job and do well, and education’s a big part of that. Because if you don’t have an educated workforce, you don’t really have much to offer anybody,” Lang said.

Having a more highly trained workforce also works to attract other companies considering establishing themselves in West Virginia as these companies would be more able to find labor for their industry, Haberbosch Wilson said.

“It helps to market not just Harrison County but the whole state,” Haberbosch Wilson said.

In addition to increased skills training at high schools, universities and technical schools, the Harrison County Economic Development Corporation is also looking to host several job fairs this year in order to get back to work those who have left the workforce for whatever reason.

Those who have been dislocated from the workforce either due to COVID-19, having a child or myriad other reasons can find work they are qualified to do.

Those who are returning to the workforce after choosing not to work are also able to find new work, Haberbosch Wilson said.

But job fairs also work to help those who’ve only recently graduated to find their way into a career, Haberbosch Wilson said.