Greenbrier County Revitalization

Photo by Greenbrier County CVB.

In June 2016, Greenbrier County was devastated by a flood that destroyed lives and debilitated towns. Following the tragedy, the county united and began to rebuild its community, which caused a resurgence that has been growing exponentially since. Greenbrier County is rich in spirit and grit, and its citizens have worked tirelessly to build back all that was lost and more.

“The town was struggling like a lot of small West Virginia towns, and when the flood hit, it really took us down to our knees,” says Clay Elkins, a founding partner of Big Draft Brewing, a bar and grill located in White Sulfur Springs. “Sometimes that’s what needs to happen to get the energy back up. That is when we got together and said, ‘Let’s get behind our community.’ This could not have been done without a lot of generous people and hard work.”

Today, the communities are focused on growing and creating a supportive and inspiring environment that gives its residents a reason to stay and travelers a reason to visit. Greenbrier County’s revival can be seen through its economic development, city revitalization, thriving businesses and outdoor recreation growth.

Economic Development

With new establishments emerging at a significant rate, it is clear Greenbrier County has seen a resurgence in its communities. Its citizens have worked diligently to rebuild what was lost and found it is best to rebuild with the support of one another. Friendly competition is unanimously welcomed amongst business owners in the county because one successful business contributes to the thriving economy of the entire area, which, in turn, helps the people. As a result, Greenbrier County is back on its feet after tumultuous times and is rising to the challenge of growth and development.

Companies like the West Virginia Great Barrel Company and Cross Creek Hospitality are dedicated to rebuilding what was lost and bringing the heartbeat back to Greenbrier County.

The team at Cross Creek Hospitality has worked to revitalize White Sulphur Springs. They bought one side of the street downtown and have been working to clean up the area ever since. Now, Cross Creek Hospitality consists of Road Hog’s Barbeque, Cross Creek Café, Cross Creek on Main and Big Draft Brewing. Throughout the organization’s growth, the team has seen the town come back to life. From people walking down the streets and exploring new shops to children walking to get ice cream in the summer, White Sulphur Springs is alive again. Cross Creek Hospitality pioneered this downtown revival and inspired others to join in its mission. With the arrival of new businesses, many of them women owned and operated, there are no empty storefronts downtown.

White Sulphur Springs has set a precedent for other cities to grow and develop, and the city of Ronceverte is gearing up to follow in its footsteps as it strategically plans for evolution and progression.

The entire county finds itself in a mindset and position of prosperity, and new opportunities have presented themselves to fuel its economy, including the Ascend West Virginia program in Lewisburg. Ascend West Virginia assists remote workers in building a life in the Mountain State.

“We are seeing a lot of interest in Lewisburg and Greenbrier County. The Ascend program is based out of Lewisburg but serves the area as a whole because of where these individuals live,” says Danny Twilley, assistant vice president of economic, community and asset development at the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC). “The economic benefits and the community benefits go outside of Lewisburg, so it is a Greenbrier Valley approach to this work.”

Ascend West Virginia has a vision for innovation and development in the Mountain State; incentivizing remote workers to move to West Virginia and enjoy the beautiful adventures the area has to offer will fuel this forward momentum.

Another opportunity coming to fruition in Greenbrier County is broadband access. Broadband coverage is a common obstacle of growth in many Appalachian communities, and Greenbrier County is no exception. Broadband access throughout Greenbrier County would mean more opportunities for its people. From job searching to online education, broadband is a crucial part of the area’s growth and development. Distribution of high-speed internet access will not only be pivotal for many individuals, but it will also be highly impactful for the entire county.

“The county is doing very well. As a commission, we are focused on broadband. We have worked diligently for the last three years, even before COVID-19, to create a plan to bring broadband fiber from Beckley through Raleigh and Summers counties into Greenbrier County along the I-64 Corridor,” says Greenbrier County Commissioner Tammy Tincher. “Our goal is to distribute broadband coverage throughout the county, from the Meadow River Valley to White Sulphur Springs, giving us the ability to connect with counties to the north and south of us, as well as over the state line into Virginia.”

The community is home to many daring leaders, like Tincher, the Cross Creek Hospitality team and Tom Crabtree—an innovator in Greenbrier Valley who has diligently worked to bring prosperity to the county. They all make it a priority in their various roles to continue the growth and revitalization of the area.

Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor recreation is an integral part of Greenbrier County. While the Greenbrier State Forest and Greenbrier River Trail are highlights in the area, the county is developing additional trails that will increase visitation rates and positively impact the health of county residents. The Meadow River Trail is a new rail trail that is currently under­way. By completion, it will be about 23.1 miles of trail between Rainelle and Nallen.

In addition to the creation of the Meadow River Trail, the Trail Accelerator, a grant designed to advance and accelerate more trails closer to communities, was awarded to The Greenbrier Valley Hellbenders in partnership with the Smith OEDC. This will have a vast impact on the health of Greenbrier County through increasing access to trails, which will promote exercise and provide an economic boost.

“It is important to develop access close to town because when people start in communities and end in communities, they spend in communities,” says Twilley, explaining that Greenbrier County does not need to be a pit-stop on the way through the state—it should be a destination.

Greenbrier Outfitters is aiding in the goal of Greenbrier County being a destination rather than a pit-stop along the way. The organization, founded in 1994, is committed to helping guests deeply immerse in nature and find adventure in the Mountain State. It is value-driven and works to bring guests a top-notch experience, leaving them wanting more of Greenbrier County.

Arts and Culture

Arts and education are also significant contributing factors to the growing culture of the county. After the flood and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the arts are seeing renewed life, beginning with Carnegie Hall, a nonprofit performing arts and education center. Its extensive history started in 1902 and continues today to serve the Greenbrier County community as an outstanding arts organization.

“Greenbrier County is a vibrant arts community,” says Cathy Rennard, president and CEO of Carnegie Hall. “The City of Lewisburg was named a Certified Arts Community in 2007. Carnegie Hall has three art galleries with rotating exhibits—as do other venues in town, including Greenbrier Valley Theatre (GVT)—in addition to three separate performance series: the Main Stage Series, the Ivy Terrace Series and our new Second Stage Series, which features a more intimate setting for guests to enjoy a variety of performance genres.”

Carnegie Hall not only offers performance programming, it also has a robust arts education program, which includes classes and workshops, Carnegie Kids’ College and many others. The organization is living by its motto: bringing the arts to life. It is strengthening Greenbrier County communities by making the arts accessible to everyone.

Carnegie Hall is not the only arts organization making its mark on the area. GVT is dedicated to creating live, quality theatre in West Virginia to enrich life in Greenbrier County.

“We like to think of GVT as both a cultural and economic driver for the community. We strive to tell diverse and meaningful stories that help our audiences engage with different people, places and ideas. Along the way, we know we’re also supporting the local economy by promoting tourism,” says Ethan Serr, development director at GVT. “For our 2021 season, 42% of our audience came from beyond Greenbrier County. Patrons at GVT have a massive impact on other local businesses as they stay the night, shop, eat and recreate in our community. Additionally, we work closely with the Greenbrier County Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Lewisburg and other community businesses and organizations to promote and uplift cultural tourism to our area.”

GVT is impacting its community in more ways than driving economic growth; it is also making a difference in the lives of individuals.

“Theatre is a really intimate art form that is all about bringing people together. We love that our work allows us to tell unique stories and engage so many interesting people. We employ artists from across the country and get to share the beauty of West Virginia with them,” says Matthew Scott Campbell, producing artistic director at GVT. “In turn, our audience gets to experience top talent on our stage. After the past two years we’ve had, we think we’re seeing more than ever just how valuable this work can be.”

Beyond the performing arts, Gum Store Studios gives visitors a uniquely diverse artistic experience. The Gum Store building in White Sulphur Springs has been reconfigured to house an evolving vision of sharing arts, creativity and healing with the community.

“After the flood, the Gum Store building was abandoned and in dire need of rehabilitation or demolition, so I did what any sane person would do: I mortgaged my home and decided to save it,” says Penny Fioravante, founder of Gum Store Studios. “We are truly a community of artists and healers who want to make a difference. I’m proud that we took a dilapidated building and transformed it into a home for art and soul, giving an opportunity for seven women and LGBT individuals to open businesses. We are thrilled to share our collective talents and bring opportunities for workshops and public art celebrations to our little corner of Greenbrier County.”

Education

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM), a medical school in Lewisburg, WV, is ranked number one in rural primary care nationwide. WVSOM’s mission is to educate students so they become the most well-trained and compassionate osteopathic physicians in the world. On top of graduating highly competent and caring physicians—many of whom go on to practice in West Virginia—WVSOM has a significant economic impact.

“WVSOM’s overall economic impact is $133.6 million, with $112.8 million in Greenbrier County, and the remainder in our statewide campus system throughout the state. When the health care contributions of our alumni currently practicing in the state are factored in, WVSOM’s economic impact is more than $1.5 billion,” says Dr. James Nemitz, president of WVSOM.

With a staggering impact on the entire state, Greenbrier County is one of the largest beneficiaries of the medical school’s positive effect.

“WVSOM has a great relationship with Greenbrier County, as our students and employees serve in numerous roles to benefit members of our community. WVSOM students contribute more than 10,000 documented hours of community service annually,” says Nemitz. “Additionally, our students provide more than 1 million hours in health care delivery throughout the state annually. We are the fourth largest employer in the area and have been ranked by our employees eight times as a great college to work for by The Chronicle of Higher Education.”

Southern Hospitality

A visit to Greenbrier County would not be complete without excellent accommodations. One hotel that drives tourism to the area is the famed Greenbrier, a world-class resort and National Historic Landmark. The Greenbrier has been rooted in a tradition of excellence since 1778. As a destination for visitors, the hotel has brought national recognition to the establishment and the entire county. In addition, The Greenbrier offers a variety of activities that allow guests to experience the area and culture.

While The Greenbrier has a long-standing history in Greenbrier County, the Schoolhouse Hotel is planting roots in White Sulphur Springs. The boutique hotel is transforming the historic high school and making it a priority to preserve the history of the building. The idea for the hotel came to fruition when Disability Opportunity Fund (DOF) Founders Charlie Hammerman and Nanci Freiman visited White Sulphur Springs.

“The community was looking for resources, and we were looking to deploy our resources to somewhere or someone that needed it,” says Genny Freiman, project manager and program analyst at DOF, a nonprofit community development financial institution committed to helping communities spark economic growth. The Schoolhouse Hotel falls in line with this mission because it is being built with a focus on community and revitalization.