Parkland Place and Chapmanville Towers

Decades-old units receive modern revamp

Both Parkland Place and Chapmanville Towers offered residents modern amenities and services when they opened more than 30 years ago. But over time, both properties began to show their age.

That's when David McCarthy and Heritage Housing, Inc. stepped in. Heritage purchased both properties—Parkland in Parkersburg and Chapmanville Towers in Chapmanville—with the goal of modernizing living spaces and overhauling major systems. Eighteen months of renovations were completed earlier this summer and celebrated at an official ribbon cutting on August 24.

"When we acquired these properties in 2020 and 2021, they hadn't ever been comprehensively rehabilitated, and both towers were over 40 years old," McCarthy said.

Heritage Housing worked with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, which provided more than $12 million through the Multi-Family Loan Program and more than $5 million in equity generated through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program in total. Heritage Housing also worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and PNC Bank to assemble a financing package totaling $22 million. This money allowed Heritage to acquire the properties and make substantial improvements while extending the affordability of all 211 units.

"We spent over $8 million on renovations to both properties," McCarthy said. "In addition to making needed updates to the kitchens, bathrooms, and finishes in every apartment, we also replaced roofs, elevators, windows, doors, and HVAC systems. Both properties are now positioned to provide high-quality, affordable housing for another generation."

Both Parkland Place and Chapmanville Towers provide affordable rental units to seniors. Betty Sheppard, 95, has lived at Parkland Place for more than 30 years and said she appreciates having a safe, updated apartment to call home.

"It was nice then," Sheppard said of the condition of Parkland Place when she first moved there in 1992. "Now I'm so pleased. I've looked forward to this renovation, and it's really nice."

Heritage Housing worked with HUD to renew and extend Section 8 subsidies at both properties, meaning the properties will remain affordable for many years.

Bill Bisset, state director for Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, commended McCarthy and Heritage Housing for their work and commitment to affordable housing in West Virginia.

"I can't imagine having a time machine and moving a building from 1977 to today and all of the work you had to do," Bisset said at the ribbon cutting. "I'm sure there were a few surprises along the way."

Sheppard said the new kitchen appliances and other updates make living in her apartment a lot easier, and the updated doors and windows have provided her family some peace of mind.

"It's a really beautiful place to live. It's really nice," she said. "My family has been so happy that I was able to come here. I'm so glad I got to be part of this."

The Prichard

This ambitious project seeks to renovate the historic Prichard Hotel in downtown Huntington into affordable rental units for seniors and provide on-site access to health care and other important services. When complete, it will not only provide housing but also breathe new life into a historic landmark.