New River Gorge Regional Development Authority To Hold Ribbon Cutting For New Offices at Historic Attar Center, 200 Main Street, Beckley

It is fitting that the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) is celebrating moving its offices into the historic Attar Center at 200 Main Street, Beckley, a structure dedicated to economic development of southern West Virginia. After purchasing the building in 2000, Marz Attar, a businessman and philanthropist donated the Attar Center to Forward Southern West Virginia to serve as a center for economic development.

NRGRDA executive director Jina Belcher invites the media to a ribbon cutting at the new NRGRDA offices at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 21. Representatives of West Virginia’s congressional delegation; Beckley Mayor and NRGRDA board chair Rob Rappold; Forward Southern West Virginia President William H. “Bill” Baker; Belcher and her staff and board members; and other guests will be in attendance.

The two-story Attar Center is white glazed terra cotta featuring a stained glass dome rising 75 feet above the interior floor. The lobby floor and wainscot are of imported marble. Restoration completed in January 2003 added an elevator and balcony. Over the years, the lot at 200 Main Street was a minister’s home, theatre, bank building and now houses NRGRDA and Forward Southern West Virginia.

About New River Gorge Regional Development Authority: The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s (NRGRDA) mission is to initiate, facilitate and support the economic and community development efforts within the counties of Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, and Summers located in this region of southern West Virginia. NRGRDA stimulates the regional economy through business expansion and retention efforts, including an extensive portfolio of financial services; the management of sites for new companies locating to our region; and serving as a point of access for local service providers which offer a variety of technical assistance for business owners.