Rebuilding a Town’s Future with Dave Knight

In this episode of the Kanawha Valley Hustlers podcast, I talk with Dave Knight about how a group of residents in Clendenin came together to save an old school building from being lost. Dave explains that the structure started as a high school in 1912, later became a middle school, and was eventually closed. He and several others decided it was too valuable to abandon, so they took ownership and looked for a way to restore it.

They eventually partnered with several local organizations, transforming the old building into housing and business space. The first renovation in 2011 cost $5 million, and the recent upgrades totaled $7.5 million. Today, the building includes ten apartments, a medical clinic, a pharmacy, a dental office, and eight business suites renting for one dollar per square foot, including utilities.

Dave says most of the apartments are already filled, with six units designated as income-restricted and four open to anyone. The building offers free laundry, Wi-Fi, and accessibility features, all within walking distance of downtown. The project provides affordable living space and access to essential services for residents who may not have transportation, making it an ideal fit for the community’s needs.

He shares that the project wasn’t easy and required persistence through years of planning, funding challenges, and community coordination. The partnership between local leaders and private organizations showed what’s possible when small towns invest in their own growth.

He describes the ribbon cutting as emotional after years of work, crediting the mayor, town council, and his team for bringing more than $30 million in economic development to a town of just 1,000 people. The project stands as a symbol of what can happen when a community refuses to give up on its history and chooses to build a future instead.