Revitalize Appalachia, a social enterprise of Coalfield Development, functions as a real estate developer and general contractor, partnering with communities to lead construction projects that provide paid, full-time on-the-job training, along with personal and academic development, to empower local individuals and create renewed assets for communities.

Through our innovative workforce development approach, we transform abandoned buildings—often deemed liabilities—into valuable community assets that meet local needs.

Revitalize Appalachia builds a skilled, community-centered construction workforce by providing on-the-job training in modern techniques, paired with personal, professional, and academic development. Our crews work to transform mostly vacant and abandoned buildings, completing tangible projects that restore purpose and functionality so these spaces may once again serve their communities.

Our work crews see construction projects through from start to finish, gaining hands-on experience, industry-recognized certifications, opportunity for higher education, and personal development skills along the way. By training the next generation of workers, Revitalize Appalachia is helping to strengthen the economy of southern West Virginia and the broader Appalachian region. The valuable skills that Crew Members develop open doors for them to secure quality, stable employment after their time with Coalfield Development or even to inspire entrepreneurship, launching their own businesses in their hometowns.

Coalfield has developed and owns a diverse range of properties across southern West Virginia, including rural, affordable, multi-family housing; mixed-use commercial and community facilities; and former industrial sites – each transformed to meet local needs and drive regional renewal.

On-the-job training

Revitalize Appalachia began with a mission to provide Quality Homes, Quality Jobs, and Quality Lives to unemployed and underemployed young adults in Wayne County. Recognizing the widespread need for these opportunities, we expanded into Lincoln and Mingo counties, offering hands-on construction training and certifications, education, and personal skills-building that equip individuals with the skills to secure a good job and build a future. As a licensed General Contractor in West Virginia, we don’t operate in a controlled training facility – our crews work on real projects, solving real challenges, and serving real clients. Trainees gain experience in actual job-site conditions, preparing them for careers while contributing to their communities by transforming neglected properties into meaningful assets.

Crew members receive hands-on instruction in essential construction skills, including:

Framing, finish work, drywall, flooring, renovation, and restoration
Light electrical, plumbing, and HVAC (in a shadowing experience with licensed subcontractors)
Reading and interpreting blueprints and specification manuals
Construction scheduling, estimating, budgeting, and subcontractor coordination
Direct interaction with customers and clients to develop professional communication skills

To enhance their career prospects, crew members earn industry-recognized certifications, including:

In addition to technical skills, all crew members participate in three hours of weekly Personal Development Training, ensuring they build not only professional expertise but also the confidence, discipline, and leadership skills needed for long-term success.

By combining real-world experience, technical training, and personal growth, Revitalize Appalachia is preparing the next generation of skilled workers while revitalizing communities across the region.

Current and Completed Projects

Courtyard Apartments

312 Hall Street, Wayne, WV 25570 | 4,725 sq. ft.

The property is comprised of seven rental units that are conveniently located near the courthouse in Wayne. The one and two bedroom units are home to low-income families. A HOME Funds grant of $242,000 is funding the rehabilitation of the rental units. Coalfield Development, General Contractor.

Victorville Apartments

8201 Anna Avenue, Hamlin, WV 25523 | 20,285 sq. ft. rental space/1.13 acre

Victorville Apartments, formerly known as Barbara Apartments, offers 24 affordable housing units. When Coalfield purchased the property in 2019, the units were in severe disrepair and barely livable. Following a million-dollar rehabilitation, the complex has been transformed into a beautiful and safe home for local families. As part of this revitalization, the apartments were renamed to honor Chuck Yeager, a local hero, and the town where he first broke the sound barrier.

Huntington House

1117 17th Street, Huntington, WV 25702 | 1508 sq. ft./1 acre

Coalfield Development constructed a three-bedroom single-family home in Huntington, West Virginia, that was purchased by a local family after successfully completion following the groundbreaking in Spring 2018. This project highlights Coalfield's ongoing commitment to providing quality, affordable housing in Appalachia.

The Urlings Building

524 Hendricks Street, Wayne, WV 25570 | 10,000 sq. ft./.25 acre

With Coalfield Development as the General Contractor, the once-abandoned Old Urlings General Store now provides the Town of Wayne with five affordable housing units and a coffee shop, along with offices for the Housing Authority of Wayne County (HAWC) and the Wayne County Family Resource Network (FRN). Measures have been taken to make the structure as energy-efficient as possible.

Black Diamond

2923 Park Ave Huntington, WV 25704

Coalfield is spearheading the transformation of the five-acre Black Diamond site, turning a long-dormant brownfield into a powerhouse for economic growth and industrial renewal. As a key initiative within the ACT Now Coalition - Appalachian Community Transformation - Black Diamond is more than just a redevelopment project... it’s an anchor of innovation, positioning WV and Central Appalachia at the forefront of energy advancement and materials reuse. With significant cleanup of the site completed, construction is slated to begin in 2025.

Nenni Building

159 Mate Street, Matewan, WV 25678

The Nenni Building, located on Matewan’s Main Street, is being restored by Coalfield Development in collaboration with WV's Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service. Once three separate buildings later combined into one, it includes the 5-room apartment of Sid Hatfield, the former Chief of Police who supported coal miners and their unionization efforts during the Mine Wars. In partnership with the WV Mine Wars Museum, the apartment will become a local history center to honor Hatfield and region.

The building will also feature a "Pathfinder Center,” a workforce and economic development hub by Coalfield Development offering training, resources, and support for jobseekers. This project blends historic preservation with modern community revitalization.

Twelvepole Valley Apartments

2373, 2375, 2377 Spring Valley Drive, Huntington, WV 25704 | 19,256+ sq. ft. rental space/2 acres

Twelvepole Valley Apartments, once facing foreclosure, was purchased and revitalized by Coalfield Development to offer affordable housing near the Spring Valley Fishing Lake. The property includes 12 renovated, income-based two-bedroom townhouses, while the C Building, built in 2018, provides 8 units for elderly and disabled residents. Both now offer comfortable, scenic, and convenient living just minutes from downtown.

Upper Mill Creek Apartments

2555/2561 Upper Mill Creek Rd Fort Gay, WV 25514

Upper Mill Creek Apartments is an affordable housing property serving the Fort Gay community with 10 garden-style units, including nine one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment. Situated on over five acres in southern Wayne County, the property includes seven structures, with one building providing an onsite management office, community space, and additional amenities. Additional renovations for this property on behalf of Coalfield Development are coming soon.

West Edge Factory

1040 Vernon Street, Huntington, WV 25701 | 96,000 sq. ft./4 acres

The once-abandoned historic Corbin garment factory in Huntington's Westmoreland neighborhood, purchased and revitalized by Coalfield Development, now serves as a hub for social enterprises and community activities. It houses several tenants, including Solar Holler (solar panel installer), Mountain Mindful (Coalfield's social enterprise for apparel and woodwork production), Refresh Appalachia (Coalfield's agriculture program), Revitalize Appalachia HQ, artist studios, an event venue, and more. A black-box theater for community events will open in 2026, and the building also features an onsite solar array - the largest of its kind in the state!

Fort Gay Community Complex

675 Court Street, Fort Gay, WV 25514 | 16,434 sq. ft./2 acres

In the New Day Fort Gay project, Coalfield is transforming the former Fort Gay High School into a vibrant mixed-use community hub. The second floor will include 8 affordable housing units (6 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom), a common lounge, a management office, and onsite laundry. The first floor will feature 7 commercial spaces, a renovated gym, and a stage area. This project will bring safe housing, new town offices, and workforce training opportunities to the community. Currently under construction, our Revitalize Crew is hard at work breathing new life into the once-abandoned space.

Highwall

101 Central Mountain Heights Delbarton, WV 25670

Coalfield is redeveloping a 30-acre former mountaintop removal coal mining site. This combined effort of our Reclamation and Remediation Crew for regenerative agriculture and our Revitalize Crew for construction will collectively provide tourism lodging, trail systems, ecological restoration, workforce training facilities, a ground-mounted solar array, and an on-site farmstand selling products grown locally and on Highwall’s farm. Work is actively underway to transform the site, with one cabin and the farmstand already completed.

Robertson Building

300-303 Cole Street, Logan, WV 25601

This project features a substantial rehabilitation of the old Robertson Building in Logan, WV, also known as the old Miners Academy. This will include building system updates, accessibility improvements, and equipment installation that will transform this once empty building into the nexus of the emerging technology sector in the region. Due to its location at the center of all ACT Now Coalition - Appalachian Community Transformation - activities, it is perfectly situated to provide a home to several economic-based ACT Now project components and host several coalition partners. Ultimately, this project will create more than 400 new jobs.

Contact Revitalize Appalachia

We welcome the opportunity to connect with those interested in community-based projects! Contact us today if you have questions about an existing project, want to explore how Revitalize Appalachia can support a new community-based initiative, or would like more information about our work.