The $2,285,049 EDA grant was awarded to the Upshur County Development Authority in Buckhannon, WV, for the Upshur County Knowledge and Innovation Business Center. This project consists of the construction of the new Business Center on property donated by the City of Buckhannon, which will host a small business development center to be managed by the Upshur County Development Authority.
Rob Hinton, Executive Director of the Upshur County Development Authority said, “Today is a great day for Upshur County and a great day for West Virginia. The culmination of months of hard work and determination came to fruition this morning.”
Small business development support services will be targeted to IT and other technology-based business interests.
The Center will also provide flex-office and incubator space. Broadband access will be available at the facility as a result of a privately-funded initiative to address the current lack of broadband access in Upshur County.
Hinton continued, “I am extremely grateful to all of the partners that made this possible and I’m looking forward to seeing this project and the opportunities it presents becoming a reality.”
One technology company has already committed to locating in this facility. The project will create and retain 78 jobs and leverage $8,500,000 in additional investment.
