Williams Lea
By Valerie Piko , Regional Economic Development Partnership Program Development Manager
Paris , London , Dublin , New York , Tokyo , Melbourne and Wheeling . Wheeling , WV , may seem out of place on a list like this , but Williams Lea , a leader throughout the world in back-office support , has operating locations in large , prominent cities all over the globe and has been fortunate to call Wheeling home for the past 17 years .
After Orrick , an international law firm , located its global operations center in Wheeling in 2002 , the team at Regional Economic Development Partnership ( RED ) and the City of Wheeling set their sights on the next project . Working off their success , with the major employer of back-office support , they recruited Williams Lea to the Friendly City . Providing business support services to financial , legal and professional service firms , Williams Lea works to streamline business and administrative functions . The company handles its clients ’ services such as secretarial support , document and word processing , billing and collections support , graphic design work and records management .
Main Street ’ s vacant Stone and Thomas Department Store was converted into a mixed-use building featuring modern office space , along with 21 apartment units , serving as the city ’ s test run for downtown living . After years of past success in the Mountain State , in March 2023 Williams Lea recommitted for the long-term by adding additional improvement in its downtown Wheeling footprint . The 200-year-old company now has three floors in the former department store and employs hundreds of professionals . Williams Lea ’ s commitment has made a substantial impact that has increased the region ’ s focus on back-office investment and redefined the northern portion of downtown Wheeling . Serving as an anchor project for redevelopment , the surrounding blocks are now undergoing major renovations , including a streetscape project , new construction of a parking garage with retail space , construction of a visitors ’ center , redevelopment of a 12-story apartment complex and several private developments in neighboring buildings . Additionally , several eateries and small businesses have thrived thanks to foot traffic from the large employer .
This was all done through PPPs . RED , a private nonprofit specializing in economic development work in the Northern Panhandle , worked in coordination with the City of Wheeling to offer lease incentives , including solar energy and the development of a parklet in an adjacent parking lot . At a time when companies are downsizing square footage and moving remote , the West Virginia Department of Economic Development , West Virginia EDA , City of Wheeling , RED and Williams Lea cultivated a plan for investment in jobs to grow the state and the Wheeling community . •
Charleston LIFT Center
By Nicole Christian
Charleston ’ s Learning , Innovation , Food and Technology ( LIFT ) Center is an initiative led by the Charleston Area Alliance ( CAA ) in partnership with the City of Charleston , Marshall University , Coalfield Development , several private sector companies and Advantage Valley , a regional economic development organization . The CAA is the lead entity for development and is working to transform the 9-acre , 110,000-square-foot former Kanawha Manufacturing plant on Charleston ’ s East End into the LIFT Center .
Included in the center will be the new Marshall Green Battery Institute , which will provide research and development on electric batteries for clean vehicles , zero-emissions airplanes and renewable energy storage . A Coalfield Development job training center and a food hub operated by Refresh
Appalachia will also be included . The LIFT Center will have private investments by innovative companies such as Parthian Battery Solutions , Dickinson Renewables and Edelen Renewables .
The Charleston LIFT Center is one of eight component projects of the regional Appalachian Climate Technology ( ACT ) Now Coalition that was awarded a $ 62.8 million U . S . Economic Development Administration Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant . The CAA was awarded $ 13 million of that grant and will utilize $ 2 million in match funding from Governor Jim Justice and $ 1.25 million from the City of Charleston to develop the LIFT Center .
This year , the CAA will be working with The Thrasher Group on design , engineering , tenant / user fit-out plans , bid specifications and procurement documentation . This partnership will guide the demolition of approximately 55,000 square feet of obsolete structure and rehabilitation and upgrades to another 55,000 square feet of the structure .
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