NRGRDA's Andy Davis honored for redevelopment work

Cheryl Keenan, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·2 min read

Sep. 27—beckley — Andy Davis, director of strategic redevelopment at the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), was awarded the WV Brownfields Assistance Center Redevelopment Partner of the Year at a recent statewide conference.

George Carrico, director of the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University, and Carrie Staton, director of the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University, presented the award to Davis, according to a NRGRDA press release.

Davis coordinates environmental remediation grants for community and economic development within Raleigh, Fayette, Summers and Nicholas counties. NRGRDA participates in this role for projects where an end use has been identified and is likely to spur economic investment.

In his role, Davis is currently coordinating redevelopment of a former industrial site, downtown commercial spaces, inactive landfills and abandoned railroad corridors. He regularly collaborates with elected leaders, civic groups, nonprofits, economic development professionals, university employees, local businesses and volunteers to plan programs, projects and special events aimed at improving people's experiences with the built and natural environments of the New River Gorge region.

"Living and working in West Virginia allows me to combine my passions for sharing its tremendous outdoor treasures and its many opportunities to attract more residents and create more jobs," Davis said in the press release.

Davis grew up in the Appalachian foothills and Piedmont regions of Georgia, where he developed an appreciation for combining outdoor adventures with his educational and social pursuits. After visiting West Virginia as a teenager, he returned to train as a whitewater rafting guide in the New River Gorge in between semesters at Georgia College and State University, from which he earned a degree in environmental sciences. Nonprofit work and two years of AmeriCorps VISTA service in southern West Virginia sharpened his interest in civic engagement and collaborative planning, he said. This led him to pursue a graduate degree in municipal sustainability at Indiana University.

Davis returned to the Mountain State in 2019 to focus on community and economic development across the state.

The West Virginia Brownfields Awards annually recognize the hard work and achievements in brownfields redevelopment across the Mountain State. These awards recognize individuals and communities who have made major contributions to the redevelopment of brownfields.

The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center was created by the West Virginia Legislature.

The NRGRDA's mission is to initiate, facilitate and support the economic and community development efforts within the counties of Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh and Summers. More information can be found at https://nrgrda.org/.