Although he doesn't argue the county is losing population, he says county leaders have expanded the infrastructure that keeps people here. Its not rocket science. Since 1996, more than 2,700 county residents have hooked up to public water for the first time, according to the county planning office. About 1,900 more people are now on a public sewer system. Builders asked the county for permission to create 616 subdivision lots in 2000, up from 213 in 1999 and the highest number in five years.
Carper points to the upper Kanawha Valley as an area that is on the rebound.
However, part of the subdivision boom may also be attributed to buyouts of houses for an expansion project at the nearby Marmet locks. Redevelop the city's old brick buildings and create a vibrant cultural and social scene downtown. McCabe has developed several residential properties in downtown Charleston, including the newly-completed Maple Terrace, new and renovated townhouses in Charleston's East End. Charleston and the rest of Kanawha County can't compete on price of land and new buildings with surrounding counties, he said. Instead, McCabe said leaders in the county should continue to renovate downtown, build the Clay Center for the Arts to the east and join the two together into a cultural and arts district that will attract visitors, residents and tax dollars.