West Virginia Parkways Authority Buys Charleston Building for New Headquarters
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Parkways Authority has acquired the former Moose Lodge on Kanawha Boulevard in Charleston as the site for its new headquarters. The purchase price was $700,000, with an estimated $8 million earmarked for renovations.
Parkways Authority Executive Director Chuck Smith announced the acquisition during a budget hearing Monday before members of the House Finance Committee. Smith explained that the current headquarters on Piedmont Road presents several challenges, particularly regarding accessibility.
“We are in a facility that is not ADA-accessible for the general public,” Smith said. “People have a difficult time finding us, customers can’t get into the building quite easily, and none of our upper levels are accessible to ADA compliance.”
The move comes after the Parkways Authority approved the purchase in December. Smith assured lawmakers that the project would be managed responsibly, focusing on necessary renovations as the Authority grows.
“This facility, I can give you my word, will be fiscally conservative. It will be responsible and we will only renovate the areas inside the facility, as we need to, as we grow to keep costs down,” Smith stated.
Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, questioned whether alternative options, such as leasing space or constructing a new building on existing Parkways property along the West Virginia Turnpike, had been considered. Linville asked, “For what reason would we place the headquarters not along the areas that it’s being served or as part and parcel of the other construction operations are going on?”
Smith clarified that Parkways Authority bylaws mandate the headquarters be located in the Port Amherst area of Charleston. He also maintained that purchasing an existing building proved to be the most cost-effective approach.
The announcement regarding the new headquarters came alongside an update on the recently completed Morton Travel Plaza project and the larger upgrades at Tamarack and Bluestone. Smith acknowledged the $127 million total cost for the new plazas was substantial, particularly given the economic conditions following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Do I think the travel plazas were a good investment for West Virginia? Absolutely,” Smith said. “Do I think the price tag was high? Yes, like anything that was built during that post-covid area. I won’t deny that.”
Smith assumed leadership of the Parkways Authority last summer, following the completion of the toll plaza projects.
Looking ahead, Smith anticipates a shift in the roles of toll plaza workers, transitioning them to customer service positions as the Authority continues to implement technological advancements in tolling systems. He even suggested the possibility of eventually eliminating toll plazas altogether in favor of a fully electronic tolling system.
“We anticipate a shift of toll plaza workers to customer service positions as the Parkways Authority continues to improve technology when it comes to tolling,” Smith told committee members.
