By Alisha Grass, Staff Writer An estimated $750 million planned community will be the home of thousands of jobs and hundreds of families in Bridgeport over the next 10 years, its developers hope. In an announcement ceremony, Oct. 25 in Bridgeport, developers and local officials unveiled plans for Charles Pointe as well as the first investments slated for development, which include a $1.5 million conference center and $7.5 million luxury hotel. The 10,000-square foot conference center, which is expected to be completed late next year, will be owned and operated by the city of Bridgeport, a partner in the development. The luxury hotel will be constructed and operated by The Humphrey Companies, a group of Maryland-based full-service real estate firms, and also a partner in Charles Pointe. It will be a community unlike any other in the state. Charles Pointe will be the home to commercial, academic, research, government, retail, housing, recreation and hotel/conference facilities. Developers James Corton and his wife, Jennifer Compton Corton, are two integral partners responsible for the planned community. "We compared our original plans to the best developers in the world," James Corton said. "After a lot of time, energy and marketing strategies, we knew it was the right thing to do for our state." Charles Pointe will be located on 2,000 acres along Interstate 79 in Harrison County. The Cortons acquired the property from Jennifer’s father, Charles E. "Jim" Compton, founder of Grafton Coal Co. and inventor of the coal auger. James Corton, president of Genesis Partners, said "We want it (Charles Pointe) to be a vision of what West Virginia’s future can be." The couple created Genesis Partners to coordinate investment activities around the development. The city of Bridgeport will be instrumental in assisting the development with infrastructure. Bridgeport Mayor L. J. Timms said, "Charles Pointe provides an excellent opportunity for our city to grow, not just in numbers, but in the quality of life and new jobs." He said he hopes the development will attract new businesses that any city would want to have. "We’d like to see high-tech facilities come to Bridgeport – those businesses that offer high wages and low pollution," he said. "It’ll help diversify the city," he said. Charles Pointe will be within the city limits of Bridgeport. According to the mayor, based on acreage, Charles Pointe will increase the size of the city 15-20 percent. Plans for the development have been in the making for seven years, and West Virginia University (WVU) has helped provide expertise and advice in the planning and functional use of Charles Pointe. However, WVU President David C. Hardesty, Jr., said the university has no financial obligations to the development. A memorandum of understanding between Hardesty and Genesis Partners commits both parties to work together to develop the area. This includes defining strategies that will promote the development and growth in research and commercial applications such as new technologies, bio-technologies and forensics, according to Hardesty. "Education, training and research are critical for the success of any community and WVU stands ready to assist the fortunate occupants of Charles Pointe as they grow, learn and stimulate the economy," he said. Charles Pointe will entice the kind of people and businesses needed to promote a solid economy in the state, he continued. "This is good pioneering for West Virginia. Hopefully, it’ll build confidence in other people to continue this type of community throughout the state. As the largest master-planned community in West Virginia’s history, Charles Pointe will include 250 middle-income "smart" homes (Internet-wired), several recreational trails and parks, an 18-hole public championship golf course, a Global Village town center, with international cafes and retail stores. An amphitheater, education research complex and a corporate research and development center also will be part of Charles Pointe. One purpose of the development, according to James Corton, is to prepare West Virginia for the new and horizontal economy, based on knowledge and technology, not goods and labor. Also, he said, Charles Pointe will create a holistic agenda for West Virginians, producing a quality environment for work, play and residency. Lastly, the Cortons and other partners hope to attract talent to the area. "Talent is our factor for production," he said. "It’s extremely important to lure and retain talented and skilled workers for the New Economy. "We understand this concept will take our state into the future. However, the most challenging aspect of the development, he continued, is that some people don’t have the vision – yet. James Corton said the new community will be a model for the state. "It will be a place where technology and commerce come together in an environment that holds sacred the beauty and history that is ours," he said. It will be a place where James and Jennifer Corton call home as well.. [More]

By Alexis McDaniel Harrison County’s Charles E. "Jim" Compton has a history of progressive thinking in West Virginia. According to Dorothy Davis in "The History of Harrison County," he invented the coal auger, which can drill a hole nearly a city block long through solid coal in less than 15 minutes with the shavings coming out at the rate of three tons a minute. He remodeled the old tinplate building in east Clarksburg in the early 1950’s, where coal mining machinery was manufactured, she wrote. His leadership helped establish the School of Nutrition at West Virginia University. And he quietly made contributions to better the way of life for area residents in numerous other ways. Now the family name is behind a new forward-thinking project, named after Jim Compton, called Charles Pointe. The master-planned community is expected to bring in $750 million in investments to Harrison County as it is developed over the next decade or more. It will incorporate technology, tourism and shopping, research and residential housing on what is now a 2,000-acre farm. It will feature high-tech "smart homes" that will be an attractive lifestyle for the high-tech workers, who will be working in that area as the economy develops. James Corton, president of Genesis Partners, and his wife Jennifer Compton Corton, announced the plans for Charles Pointe at a ceremony at the site that borders I-79 and the new Bridgeport Bypass on Oct. 25. The family invited local folks to the Benedum Civic Center, then shuttled them in vans to a hill overlooking the Benedum Airport and what will be an 18-hole championship golf course. Then, after the announcement, the guests were treated to a lunch at the civic center. Jennifer Compton Corton said her father loves West Virginia and has always worked to make it a better place. "His blood runs blue and gold," she joked at the ceremony. The farm is primarily vacant, except for a buffalo, ponds and a few houses. Jennifer Compton Corton said the farm is her father’s favorite place on Earth, but that he didn’t want to hoard the property and wanted to share its beauty with others. Jim Compton is ill, she said, and the family has been discussing the future for some time. Seven years ago, they started with the idea for Charles Pointe. Two years ago, the details began to be mapped out as the Compton and Corton families spent $2 million in research and planning. The money included a feasibility study that showed the community could be successful in West Virginia. Genesis Partners is the company that will sell and market the project to others. A Washington, D.C., public relations firm is promoting the community. The city of Bridgeport and a private developer are making the first investments in Charles Pointe by building a $9 million hotel and conference center complex. The city will work with its building commission to work on a funding plan for its share, which would be about $1.5 million, City Manager Kim Haws said. It will likely be funded by selling bonds. "Those discussions are forthcoming," he said. The property is currently outside of Bridgeport’s city limits and will be annexed. "Charles Pointe provides an excellent opportunity for our city to grow, not just in numbers, but in quality of life and new jobs," Bridgeport Mayor L. J. Timms said. The community has support from national political leaders. "I am delighted to be a full partner in the planning and development of Charles Pointe. Since we met last year to discuss various elements of your project, I have been very pleased by the progress you have made," Sen. John D. Rockefeller said in a letter. "Charles Pointe is a tremendously ambitious project, of course. It is more than a place for families to live, work and play – Charles Pointe is a vision of what West Virginia’s future can be." Rockefeller also noted the contributions of Jim Compton. "It is fitting that a project so much on the cutting edge, so much a part of West Virginia’s future, be named in honor of Mr. Compton…His contributions to our state, and your family’s continued commitment to it, makes Charles Pointe a fitting legacy.". [More]

by Jeff Toquinto, News Editor For Bridgeport Mayor Joe Timms, the excitement was almost too much to contain. Not only did last week’s announcement of the $750 million Charles Pointe development mean a potential economic boon for the city, it also was a chance to pay tribute to a long-time acquaintance, neighbor and Bridgeport benefactor, Charles "Jim" Compton. "Mr. Compton was a prime mover in West Virginia," said Timms to a crowd of more than 100 on the Charles Pointe property last Wednesday, "but very quietly he was a major-benefactor for the City of Bridgeport." "This is his day. He helped make Bridgeport what it is today." And thanks to the 2000-acre Charles Pointe development, the very land Compton raised his family on could make Bridgeport what it is in the future. Although Compton is in failing health and was unable to attend the Wednesday ceremony, his wife Julia was on hand at the announcement that will turn the family’s pristine farmland into a development asset for Bridgeport and West Virginia. Looking to take advantage of the ‘new economy," which ties commerce and technology, Charles Pointe is expected to be home to high-technology businesses, private and government research institutions and up to as many as 250 houses. The self-contained community will be used to hopefully target and recruit high-tech workers looking to work in cutting edge jobs and take advantage of West Virginia’s amenities. Although the 2000 acres are not in the city, the development group handling Charles Pointe has said it’s their hope to eventually have all of the acreage within the city. One piece of the development puzzle that will be among the first parcels in the city is the convention center. The convention center, which is not related to the Harrison County Commission’s recent studies to have a convention center, will be owned by the City of Bridgeport, Timms said. It will be situated on donated land and is expected to cost up to $1.5 million. Funds for the 10,000 square foot center will be provided by Bridgeport’s portion of the hotel-motel tax. Timms estimated that total to be $85,000 each year. "Generally, convention centers aren’t money makers and they can lose money," said Timms. "But the development and the convention center profits Bridgeport because it will generate taxes on several fronts." "Plus, it’s a modest convention center that has the ability to expand if we need it to." Timms did say the city is working with the hotel developer to possibly "share some of the risk." The hotel developer, Humphrey Hospitality Trust Inc., of Columbia, MD, is expected to build a hotel at about the same time. James Humphrey, the group’s chairman, said the group is negotiating for a Hilton or a Marriott to come to the site. Combined with the convention center, the initial investment should be $9 million, officials said. Other early development could include a planned 18-hole public golf course, a town center and an amphitheater. Another cost the city will likely absorb will be utilities. However, the city already has utilities in place to the boundaries of Charles Pointe. "It’s a hop, skip and a jump to bring the utilities in," said Timms. "Still, we’re looking at development funds in from the state or federal level to help with costs and we’ve already applied for one grant through Congressman (Alan, D-W.Va.) Mollohan’s office." Jamie Corton, who along with his wife Jennifer, lead the development group Genesis Partners that will coordinate investment on the site, said utility availability helped make this go. "The whole project is surrounded by water and sewage and that’s a plus," said Corton. "It’s right there." Joining the utilities in close proximity to Charles Pointe is another planned community that was announced May 10, 1995. That development, known as White Oaks, is as vacant as the day it was announced five years ago. Timms and Corton, however, believe there are some differences between that announcement and the project officially announced last week. "They’ve brought in a quality team to develop this," said Timms. "From the engineering all the way through the marketing, this has been researched and planned for a number of years." "The one thing that may be overlooked when comparing this with White Oaks is that White Oaks is still alive." Timms continued. ‘There’s still a lot being talked about for that site and White Oaks and Charles Pointe should actually compliment one another." Corton said his management team looked at what materialized at White Oaks and learned from what transpired at that site. Along with a convention center and the high possibility of a hotel the Charles Pointe team also has the advantage of a partnership with West Virginia University. WVU President David Hardesty said the school will cooperate in promoting private sector growth in high-technology industries. Although not in attendance, the group has the backing of West Virginia’s congressional and state delegation. U. S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D.W.Va., Congressman Bob Wise, Gov. Cecil H. Underwood and others have signed on in support, officials said. by Jeff Toquinto, News Editor For Bridgeport Mayor Joe Timms, the excitement was almost too much to contain. Not only did last week’s announcement of the $750 million Charles Pointe development mean a potential economic boon for the city, it also was a chance to pay tribute to a long-time acquaintance, neighbor and Bridgeport benefactor, Charles "Jim" Compton. "Mr. Compton was a prime mover in West Virginia," said Timms to a crowd of more than 100 on the Charles Pointe property last Wednesday, "but very quietly he was a major-benefactor for the City of Bridgeport." "This is his day. He helped make Bridgeport what it is today." And thanks to the 2000-acre Charles Pointe development, the very land Compton raised his family on could make Bridgeport what it is in the future. Although Compton is in failing health and was unable to attend the Wednesday ceremony, his wife Julia was on hand at the announcement that will turn the family’s pristine farmland into a development asset for Bridgeport and West Virginia. Looking to take advantage of the ‘new economy," which ties commerce and technology, Charles Pointe is expected to be home to high-technology businesses, private and government research institutions and up to as many as 250 houses. The self-contained community will be used to hopefully target and recruit high-tech workers looking to work in cutting edge jobs and take advantage of West Virginia’s amenities. Although the 2000 acres are not in the city, the development group handling Charles Pointe has said it’s their hope to eventually have all of the acreage within the city. One piece of the development puzzle that will be among the first parcels in the city is the convention center. The convention center, which is not related to the Harrison County Commission’s recent studies to have a convention center, will be owned by the City of Bridgeport, Timms said. It will be situated on donated land and is expected to cost up to $1.5 million. Funds for the 10,000 square foot center will be provided by Bridgeport’s portion of the hotel-motel tax. Timms estimated that total to be $85,000 each year. "Generally, convention centers aren’t money makers and they can lose money," said Timms. "But the development and the convention center profits Bridgeport because it will generate taxes on several fronts." "Plus, it’s a modest convention center that has the ability to expand if we need it to." Timms did say the city is working with the hotel developer to possibly "share some of the risk." The hotel developer, Humphrey Hospitality Trust Inc., of Columbia, MD, is expected to build a hotel at about the same time. James Humphrey, the group’s chairman, said the group is negotiating for a Hilton or a Marriott to come to the site. Combined with the convention center, the initial investment should be $9 million, officials said. Other early development could include a planned 18-hole public golf course, a town center and an amphitheater. Another cost the city will likely absorb will be utilities. However, the city already has utilities in place to the boundaries of Charles Pointe. "It’s a hop, skip and a jump to bring the utilities in," said Timms. "Still, we’re looking at development funds in from the state or federal level to help with costs and we’ve already applied for one grant through Congressman (Alan, D-W.Va.) Mollohan’s office." Jamie Corton, who along with his wife Jennifer, lead the development group Genesis Partners that will coordinate investment on the site, said utility availability helped make this go. "The whole project is surrounded by water and sewage and that’s a plus," said Corton. "It’s right there." Joining the utilities in close proximity to Charles Pointe is another planned community that was announced May 10, 1995. That development, known as White Oaks, is as vacant as the day it was announced five years ago. Timms and Corton, however, believe there are some differences between that announcement and the project officially announced last week. "They’ve brought in a quality team to develop this," said Timms. "From the engineering all the way through the marketing, this has been researched and planned for a number of years." "The one thing that may be overlooked when comparing this with White Oaks is that White Oaks is still alive." Timms continued. ‘There’s still a lot being talked about for that site and White Oaks and Charles Pointe should actually compliment one another." Corton said his management team looked at what materialized at White Oaks and learned from what transpired at that site. Along with a convention center and the high possibility of a hotel the Charles Pointe team also has the advantage of a partnership with West Virginia University. WVU President David Hardesty said the school will cooperate in promoting private sector growth in high-technology industries. Although not in attendance, the group has the backing of West Virginia’s congressional and state delegation. U. S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D.W.Va., Congressman Bob Wise, Gov. Cecil H. Underwood and others have signed on in support, officials said.. [More]

An estimated $750,000,000 investment will be the home to thousands of jobs and hundreds of families in Bridgeport, WV, local officials and developers announced yesterday. The master-planned community will be known as Charles Pointe and will be located on approximately 2,000 acres along Interstate 79 and 279 in Harrison County. Initial partners in the development include Genesis Partners, a Bridgeport, WV company, West Virginia University, the City of Bridgeport, and The Humphrey Companies, a development group located in Columbia, Maryland. The investment will make Charles Pointe one of the largest planned community investments in West Virginia’s history. A $9,000,000 conference center and hotel are among the first investments slated for development on the property. The 10,000 square foot conference center will be owned by the City of Bridgeport, and the hotel will be constructed and operated by the Humphrey Companies. Bridgeport and The Humphrey Companies are currently working on an agreement which will lead to the final design and construction of the conference center. Construction is slated to begin in mid 2001. "Genesis Partners is committed to creating a lifestyle for this next millenium that will have a positive impact on job creation, housing, tourism and recreation for our State of West Virginia," Genesis Partners President James A. Corton said. "We want what goes on here to be a vision of what West Virginia’s future can be." Corton and his wife, Jennifer Compton Corton, formed Genesis Partners to coordinate the investment activities around Charles Pointe. "Over the next seven to ten years Genesis Partners will coordinate an estimated $750,000,000 investment to create a "new economy" model for our state, a place where technology and commerce come together in an environment that holds sacred the beauty and history that is ours," Corton continued. ‘We are very excited that the City of Bridgeport will provide an important anchor to Charles Pointe by locating the conference center in our development." The conference center and hotel complex will be constructed near the intersection of I-79 and 279, close to the FBI interchange. It is expected that all of the 2,000 acres at Charles Pointe will become part of the city of Bridgeport as the development is built out. The city will be instrumental in assisting Charles Pointe with infrastructure and other needs for the development. "Charles Pointe provides an excellent opportunity for our city to grow, not just in numbers, but in quality of life and new jobs," Bridgeport Mayor L. J. Timms said at the announcement. "The new economic development spurred by Charles Pointe, combined with the natural beauty of West Virginia, will create the ultimate environment to live and work. This is a wonderful development for not only Bridgeport, but for our region as well as all of West Virginia." Charles Pointe will include over 250 technology "smart" homes and capture West Virginia’s majestic landscape in its many recreational trails and parks. The project will also include an 18-hole championship public golf course and will be the home of a Towne Center that will provide residents and visitors with an abundance of retail shopping and entertainment centers. The centerpiece of the Charles Pointe development is a Memorandum of Understanding signed between West Virginia University and Genesis Partners committing the parties to work together to develop Charles Pointe. These areas of cooperation include "defining strategies which will promote the development and growth in research and commercial applications in new technologies, bio-technologies, biometrics, forensics, health sciences and other disciplines where synergies exist." The agreement was signed between David C. Hardesty, Jr., President of WVU, and James A. Corton on June 21, 2000. "Education, training and research are critical for the success of any community, and West Virginia University stands ready to assist the fortunate occupants of Charles Pointe as they grow, learn and stimulate the economy," said Hardesty. "That is our mission as the state’s flagship land-grant university, and we look forward to the many opportunities ahead." From the beginning, West Virginia University has provided expertise and advice in the planning and functional use of Charles Pointe. Charles Pointe will be financed and constructed by multiple developers. Jim Humphrey with the Humphrey Companies is the first of the developers brought to Charles Pointe. Humphrey will be constructing and operating at least two hotels on the property and will play a role in the construction of the Bridgeport Conference Center at Charles Pointe. "I will be negotiating to bring high-end hotel brands such as Hilton and Marriott to Charles Pointe," said Jim I. Humphrey, chairman and owner of The Humphrey Companies. "I see Charles Pointe as being a world class development that will host visitors from around the nations and world. This development needs world class hotels to match its commitment to a quality community." Corton also announced other partners in the Charles Pointe development. These partners include Baker Engineering out of Pittsburgh and Baker Associates out o Alexandria, Virginia, which have been working for nearly two years completing the initial engineering and design work for the project. Weber McGinn of Washington, D.C. who has been doing the marketing and strategic planning for the development, and PKF, one of the best market research firms in the country which has focused on a major marketing study for the entire development. Corton also indicated that as many as a dozen local and state firms will be brought in to the next phase of the development. Initial investment in Charles Pointe already exceeds $2 million. Charles Pointe is named for C. (Charles) E. "Jim" Compton, the father of Jennifer Compton-Corton, Vice President of Genesis Partners. Mr. Compton has been ill for a number of years, and the project was originally conceived as a way to pay tribute to his many contributions to West Virginia. Ms. Compton-Corton discussed her father’s legacy at the announcement, saying "For most of the last century, he has been engaged in nearly every part of our state’s life. From the invention of the coal auger to his leadership in establishing the School of Nutrition at West Virginia University, he was always a step ahead of the rest of us. It is my honor to share his vision of a place where families can live, work, and play. A place that we call Charles Pointe.". [More]

by Dave Peyton Ten years from now, the Clarksburg-Bridgeport area of West Virginia may be the economic center of the state. That area of northcentral West Virginia has received help from Uncle Sam in the form of an FBI fingerprint center. But it goes deeper than that. Folks in that part of the state know where the future lies and they’re preparing for it as fast as they can. Plans were announced last week for a $750 million community in Bridgeport. Yes, that’s three-quarters of a billion dollars. It will feature more than 200 homes, a convention center, a research park, hotels, an 18-hole golf course, an amphitheater and a retail center. It all meshes with the high-tech corridor that’s being developed in the Fairmont-Clarksburg- Bridgeport area. Huntington has a business and technology park planned and there’s no doubt it will boost this area’s economy. But frankly, northcentral West Virginia’s plans are more ambitious. And if it works, the payoff will be immense. Billed as "a vision of what West Virginia’s future can be," the planned community will be built on 2,000 acres off I-79 between the FBI and Meadowbrook interchanges. The community will be called "Charles Pointe" in honor of retired coal operator Charles E. Compton. Why is it named after Compton? Because the land on which it is being built is owned by Compton. And that’s significant since it’s clear the Compton and his family, though they were made rich by coal, know that the coal economy is gone, especially in that part of West Virginia. The Comptons are putting their money where the future lies. The area already has a significant number of high-tech businesses, but Charles Pointe is expected to bring many more. And to make sure that happens, West Virginia University has pledged its expertise in attracting the right kind of businesses and perhaps even creating new businesses from technology created at WVU. Genesis Partners, the developers of Charles Pointe, unabashedly claim that the development is to provide "a new economy" model for the state -- "a place where technology and commerce come together in an environment that holds sacred the beauty and history that is ours." If all this sounds upscale and yuppie, it is. But that’s what it’s going to take to attract 21st century businesses to West Virginia. The new generation of entrepreneurs want amenities and an image that few places in West Virginia can offer. But it will be here if Charles Pointe is built as planned. We can all hope that Charles Pointe happens. It won’t hurt our own plans in Huntington for a business and technology park. In fact, the friendly competition it creates might make it better for both communities. But there’s a message in Charles Pointe: It takes a university to really make such a project happen. Just as it appears northcentral West Virginia’s hopes hang on West Virginia University and what it can bring, it appears Huntington’s future hangs on Marshall -- not for the athletic prowess it offers the region, but the "mind power" it must share if our own dreams of a successful 21st century are to be realized.. [More]

When the subject turns to infrastructure, most people’s eyes glaze over. But nothing has illustrated the need for a sufficient infrastructure, perhaps, more than the recent announcement of the Charles Pointe planned community near Bridgeport. Without the adequate amenities of life, the project would not have flown. Take water, for instance, The Clarksburg water filtration plant, built in the mid-1980’s, has been a big selling point for economic development in Harrison County in the past decade. If it were not for an abundant supply of water, the FBI would not be here. And because the supply is plentiful, the city of Bridgeport, which gets its water from Clarksburg, will have no problems in supplying the needs of Charles Pointe. Bridgeport also has a 5-year old sewage treatment plant that operates at 45 percent capacity on a normal day and city officials say it can handle the needs of the new development and future projects as well. And because the city expects some big users of water and sewage service, it is likely that the price of the services for all of us will remain stable in the years to come. And then there are the roads. Interstate 79, U.S. Route 50 and the Bridgeport bypass will make access to the Charles Pointe complex quite easy. We know that building roads in this state has never been an easy task. There are environmental concerns, to be sure. And we should never glass over such issues. But we can and should seek to strike a balance between the environment and expanded infrastructure so that our economy can flourish. Roads especially should never be built at the expense of the environment, but it should also be pointed out that good roads are vital to our attracting new businesses to the state. Just as we don’t want to damage the environment, we don’t want to contribute to "sprawl," either. Our economic expansion must be carefully planned so as not to paint ourselves into a corner, so to speak. As our state moves into the 21st century, we hope that a continued emphasis will be put on adequate infrastructure for our communities. Here in North Central West Virginia, we’re reaping the benefits of decent water and sewage treatment and modern, four-lane roads.. [More]

It’s the biggest economic development project in this area since the announcement of the FBI complex a decade ago. The Charles Pointe development near Bridgeport, estimated to cost $750 million, is both ambitious and visionary. It is also timely, just as the state prepares to convert from a coal-based to a high-tech economy. Genesis Partners, the main developer of the community, plans to build 250 high-tech homes, a conference center with hotels, a corporate research park, retail shops, recreation areas and a golf course. Located along Interstate 79, it would truly be the capstone to the high-tech corridor we’ve been tooting for so long. The developers have joined with West Virginia University to foster private sector research in biometrics, forensics and health sciences. This would result in the recruitment of highly skilled workers to North Central West Virginia, and the influx of millions of government and private sector grant dollars. One of the first projects to be started will be the conference center to be operated by the city of Bridgeport. We have expressed doubts in the past about the county commission’s quest for a conference center, but in this case, while it would not be a money maker for Bridgeport, the other facets of Charles Pointe would greatly benefit the city. The concept of a planned community is nothing new, but this is something totally unique for West Virginia. It’s an exciting time and we feel Charles Pointe may be the impetus to finally lift our economy and our quality of life to heretofore unprecedented levels. We applaud the efforts of James and. [More]

By Alexis McDaniel, Staff Writer The Interstate 79 corridor that consists of Monongalia, Marion and Harrison counties illustrates an economy in transition in West Virginia---from traditional businesses, such as coal, to high technology. The I-79 Technology Park and the Alan B. Mollohan Innovation Center are two examples of high-tech success stories. More than 500 people work from the center, where millions of dollars in contracts are regularly announced for its companies. Now the success is spreading south again into Harrison County on a 2,000-acre farm of Charles ‘Jim" Compton. It’s just across the interstate from the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services center and it borders the Benedum Airport and Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex. Compton’s family is turning the farm into a master-planned community named "Charles Pointe." The goal is to create a new standard of living in West Virginia, explained Jennifer Compton Corton and her husband, James "Genesis Partners is committed to creating a lifestyle for this next millennium that will have a positive impact on job creation, housing, tourism and recreation for our State of West Virginia," Genesis Partners President James Corton said. "We want what goes on here to be a vision of what West Virginian’s future can be." The family formed Genesis Partners to market the land to multiple developers and estimated its investment at $750 million. The property, once developed over the next decade, will include hotels and a conference center, an 18-hole golf course, shopping center, trails and more. All of the property will be annexed into the city of Bridgeport. But it’s more than brick and mortar construction. They’ve worked closely with West Virginia University on researching and their ideas and have hired a Washington, D.C., marketing firm to help sell the idea to others. WVU has signed a memorandum of understanding to help develop Charles Pointe, said WVU-President David Hardesty. The areas of cooperation will include defining strategies which will promote the development and growth in research and commercial applications in new technologies, bio-technologies, biometrics, forensics, health sciences and other disciplines where synergies exist. Charles Pointe, the Cortons said, hopefully will be the home to a research park. They have mapped out a plan for 250 smart homes, which bring technology into all areas of living. The Cortons believe the high-tech workers who will move to the area for jobs will want to live in these high-tech homes. Charles Pointe will be the largest planned community of its kind in West Virginia.. [More]

By Nora Edinger, REGIONAL EDITOR With the official announcement of a $750 million planned community only five days old, local and state officials are already gearing up for a bigger, bolder Bridgeport. "The current (sewage treatment ) system was constructed with plenty of growth in mind," said Bridgeport City Manager Kim Haws of one of Charles Pointe’s more practical impacts. Haws said the city’s five-year-old plant runs at about 45 percent capacity on a normal day and should not have to be enlarged to handle sewage from not only Charles Pointe but the proposed Meadland Industrial Park and planned community, which may locate just over the Taylor County line. The city’s water comes from Clarksburg and several smaller suppliers. Haws is convinced some of the large commercial customers Charles Pointe developers are hoping to attract may actually stabilize Bridgeport water and sewer rates for some time to come. "We may have a large customer on the 279 bypass before we have any residential needs," Haws said of possibly getting the most expensive part of the sewer and water extension out of the way early. "Any time that you can spread the customer base out over a larger population, there’s an economy of scale." Engineering studies on how to extend the lines in the most cost-effective way are being done before a single bulldozer is on site, he added. Walter Barth, a city council member, said the council has been discussing such issues in closed sessions for about a year. He believes business and occupation taxes from commercial and light industrial sites will also take care of a large portion of increased infrastructure costs, insulating property taxes from increases as well. "A project of this magnitude does not just appear overnight," Barth said. "We have the time to get the infrastructure." Haws sees the key to keeping property taxes steady as diversity of development. "Residential: It never pays for itself," he said of uniform developments that generally cause an increase in property taxes. "You just get a large amount up front in the form of construction." The Charles Pointe plan calls for 250 homes, with other facets including a city-owned conference center, hotels, a golf course, shopping villages and high-tech businesses/industry. Another benefit of the way Charles Pointe is being planned is its pre-development annexation, Haws said. In addition to annexing the entire bypass, the various community areas will be taken into the city as they are developed. When the city has annexed post-development, it has often incurred unexpected costs, such as having to remove and reinstall road beds in the Ridgeway Drive community, he said. "There’s no county zoning, and that’s a problem," Haws said, adding Charles Pointe will actually give the city a smoother zoning connection to land it controls near Meadowbrook Mall. "This really fills in a large gap." One definite cost increase will come in the form of added police and fire services, however. "The council has known for some time that it would need to build a fire substation to be able to adequately cover other areas of the city," he said. "There would also need to be an addition of police officers." Haws believes that, once again, the property and business taxes coming in from the development would cover these costs. "We think this is just a great addition to the city," Barth added. Views from outside Harrison County schools would welcome Charles Pointe’s children, according to Assistant Superintendent William Ashcraft. "We are in a decline countywide," he said of enrollment. The county has lost more than 400 students in the last two years. It now has 11,496 students for each of which it receives a set amount of per capita state funding. Ashcraft said Bridgeport’s two elementaries, one middle school and one high school are poised to handle the students Charles Pointe could bring. If more growth spins off the project and additions are needed, Ashcraft said school officials would not object. "We would love to deal with that kind of problem," he said. State Division of Highways officials say the traffic situation is similarly under control, especially in terms of access to the developing state Route 279, also known as the Northern Bridgeport Bypass. "We have worked with the developers on the design and the construction plan and added intersections at the requested locations," said John Morrison, who is handling the design of the northern portion of the bypass. "We’re putting in turning lanes and crossovers," Morrison said of designing the bypass to include three Charles Pointe-related intersections that are known to be needed. Not everyone is pleased with the development, however. Gus Douglas, state agriculture commissioner, is concerned Charles Pointe is just the beginning of major farmland loss throughout the North Central region. The 2,000-acre community will replace a rolling farm that is presently home to only the Charles "Jim" Compton family and a roaming herd of buffalo. "Look at the Eastern Panhandle and the Huntington/Charleston Corridor and you’ll see rapid growth," Douglas said. ‘I believe the area between Morgantown and Clarksburg will see similar growth." In the Eastern Panhandle’s Jefferson County, one developer is already pursuing a 3,300-home subdivision. Jan Dickinson, a spokesperson for the state Development Office, said Charles Pointe is the largest planned community actually in the works in the state to date. ‘You have lots of facets to consider with development, such as how much of the earth can we put under a roof or concrete," said Douglas, who recently developed a farmland trust that swaps land owners’ development rights in return for property tax benefits. All for one? Haws is looking forward to the greater role a growing Bridgeport will have on the county. With Charles Pointe at its northwest and Benedum Airport at its southeast, he believes the city will be a focal point of future development. With city management experience in Arizona and Ohio in his past, he hopes Charles Pointe will ultimately bring a more cohesive Harrison County. He noted Bridgeport and Clarksburg are already forming some ties, such as when Bridgeport officials recently lobbied state legislators on behalf of Clarksburg’s bid for a Veterans Administration nursing home. "As we go into this project, the region is going to have to work together," Haws said. "If we’re not working together, not everyone’s going to win.". [More]

Smiles to Jamie and Jennifer Corton, who may create up to 2,000 West Virginia jobs by turning the Jim Compton land along I-79 at Bridgeport into a $750 million housing, technology and recreation complex.. [More]