Golden Rule Saved

Many of our housing and development projects are quiet, neighborhood projects that don’t demand much coverage in the press but the Golden Rule project in Belington, WV caught the attention of groups and news outlets around the state, like this one from the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV). PAWV also awarded the Golden Rule Project their Preservation Persistence Award in 2019.

The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the statewide, grassroots nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation. The Alliance works with its members to preserve West Virginia’s unique cultural resources for future generations through education, outreach, advocacy, and technical assistance. For more information, visit www.pawv.org. The following article was originally published by PAWV here.

The town of Belington, WV has worked to successfully preserve a major cultural asset: The Golden Rule building, a landmark structure built in 1902 and a reminder of the town’s flourishing commercial past. In 2014, The Golden Rule was identified as an endangered property by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia due to years of deferred maintenance.

The Belington Revitalization Committee (BRC) identified the restoration of the Golden Rule building as a top priority for the community. It teamed up with Woodlands Development Group to fund stabilization, list the building on the National Register of Historic Places, and gradually rehabilitate it for redevelopment as a mixed-use building. Rehabilitation work began in 2018 after Woodlands Development Group procured the property, and has continued throughout the years.

photo by Jolynn Powers

The redevelopment of the former vacant Golden Rule is a major boost to the community of Belington, whose history is intertwined with the building. For nearly 100 years, the building was home to a grocery turned department store. Now, it has gained new life as affordable 1- and 2-bedroom apartments upstairs and will function as a community event space and possible business space on the first floor.