Former Tazewell County school to be used for economic development project
Sep. 19—RICHLANDS, Va. — A $400,000 grant will be used to renovate a former elementary school in Tazewell County for a soon-to-be announced economic development project.
During a meeting last week of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Develpment Authority board, a $400,000 loan was awarded to the Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority. The grant funding will be used to finance building construction, renovations and improvements at the former Raven Elementary School.
The funds will be used to assist with the location of a pending job-creating project which will be announced soon, according to VCEDA Executive Director Jonanthan Belcher.
No further details were released by the board regarding the economic development project, and what type of jobs it may entail.
Raven Elementary was closed by the Tazewell County School Board in 2018 due to declining enrollment numbers.
In 2020, school officials said the former elementary school was being considered for an economic development project.
At the time, David Woodard, the school board's Northern District member, said a state legislative code offers tax breaks for economic development ventures.{p class="p2"}"There's a code section about abandoned schools. If the county has anything to match any of our properties we'll sit down and talk to them about it," Woodard said in the earlier interview, regarding ideas for no longer operating schools.
In other business last week, the VCEDA board also:
—Approved up to an $80,000 grant from the VCEDA Civil Penalties Fund to be used to develop infrastructure and improvements at the Breaks Interstate Park, specifically the replacement of the roof and gutters at the park's Visitor Center and costs associated therewith. The roof was last replaced more than 30 years ago and is beginning to leak due to normal deterioration of the shingles.
—Agreed to forgive the outstanding balance of the $6 million loan approved by VCEDA to the Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority in 2016 concerning the Appalachian School of Law and to release VCEDA's lien on the school's law library to enable the Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority to continue its discussions with ASL on the property. The decision to forgive the outstanding balance was based upon ASL having met the criteria of having at least 145 students enrolled, remaining accredited by the American Bar Association and remaining in operation as a law school in Buchanan County in the initial six years of the 10-year loan term.
—Congratulated Belcher on his selection to the Virginia Power 500 list, a listing by Virginia Business magazine of the 500 most powerful, influential leaders in business, government, politics and education in the state.
Belcher was one of nine Southwest Virginia residents named to the list.
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens
