The Director of Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development, the agency funding Floyd’s downtown rehabilitation project, toured the program area Friday and said he was “impressed” by the town’s commitment and dedication.
“Very impressive,” said Bill Shelton as he walked through downtown Friday and examined the areas that will be helped by the $1 million grant from his department.
Shelton and Todd Christenson, deputy director of community development for the state agency, met with business and town leaders for an update on the rehabilitation project.
“We’re running a little behind but that’s not unexpected,” Town Manager Mike Maslaney said.
Town Councilman Robert Shelor told Shelton that the town’s commitment to the project was strong.
“We’ve had fewer problems than one might expect,” he said.
Christenson, who has been involved in the project since the beginning, said Floyd should be proud of the town’s progress.
“This is a good project with a lot of good, dedicated people involved in it,” Christenson said.
Shelton met with Floyd County Store owner Woody Crenshaw and toured the site of the Friday Night Jamboree. He and Christenson plan to return this weekend to attend the two-day grand re-opening ceremonies for the store.
Crenshaw said he, his wife, and a construction crew worked until midnight the day before getting the store ready for Shelton’s visit, removing scaffolding from the front of the store just before the visit. Workmen refaced the front of the store which now sports a new sign.
“We still have a lot of work to do before next weekend but we will be ready,” Crenshaw said.
Shelton also visited the Winter Sun to see the new retail area in the basement of the former garment factory and toured the construction site for the new Floyd Hotel and Conference Center.
“You’ve accomplished a lot here,” he said.
The project, funded not only by DHCD funds but also by Virginia Department of Transportation grants, includes restoring the facings of buildings in downtown, creation of a public area and park between the Winter Sun and Angels in the Attic on Locust Street, cleanup of the downtown area and improvements to Jacksonville Cemetery.
