MORGANTOWN — As the master developer for the East End Village development project, Dave Biafora has heard the questions time and again.
Is it really going to happen?
What’s it going to look like?
“Oh, it’s happening. It’s happening. If I’m behind it, I’m going to make sure it happens. As long as I’m living, I’m going to get things done the best that I can do,” he told The Dominion Post. “I like building. I like what I do. My hobbies are making deals and making stuff nice … and this place will really be something.”
As for what it’s going to look like, a handful of stakeholders and community groups have gotten a glimpse at what Russ Rogerson, representing the Monongalia County Development Authority, calls the “final preliminary design” of the 10-acre redevelopment project along Richwood Avenue and the doorstep of downtown Morgantown.
The Woodburn Association of Neighbors was the latest to view a short video showing architectural renderings of the various planned components representing investments estimated in the range of $115 million – all on land that once held nearly 60 old houses rented by the bedroom to college students.
The finished product will include more than 300 market-rate apartments and other housing options (condos, townhomes) sitting over retail suites and interspersed with standalone components like a grocery store, a boutique hotel and others.
“This is our vision and what our developer is out right now selling to investors so these things can be built,” Rogerson said. “The main vision of this whole project was to develop new structures that would have small, neighborhood type retail and also have apartments and some activity space. More important than all that, in my opinion, is that it would fit within the community and not look like we’re building gigantic, 70-story glass structures blocking views and looking like they don’t belong.”
Biafora said the development is already catching the eye of national businesses.
He said the project’s importance to Morgantown cannot be overstated.
“This is very, very important for Morgantown because I know it’ll spur a lot of other stuff. It’ll turn from a $115 million investment, by the time we’re done, it’ll change Morgantown to the tune of close to $200 million,” he said. “And I’m not talking about just this development; not just Richwood, but Wharf, downtown, the breweries, the shops. I want everybody to celebrate and do well.”
The Monongalia County Development Authority purchased the property for $11.8 million in 2020.
Rogerson estimates it’ll likely take three to five years to build out the entire 10 acres.
“We own it now, the development authority, and what will happen is we’ll sell the lots to the developer when they’re ready to build. Whether that’s one developer or five developers, we don’t know. But we’re going to keep management of all that under the one roof of the Biaforas, so we can maintain the property and make sure it can be policed, kept clean and not a burden on the city,” he said.
Biafora said he’s looking for partners now.
“We’re going to build this. Whether we build it and keep most of it, part of it, half of it – it’s a private development that’s going to pay taxes. We’re looking for money and partnerships so we can keep it in Morgantown. We want the money made in Morgantown to stay in Morgantown. If there has to be some out-of-town investors and different people, that’s fine, but we’re going to see who wants to invest,” he said. “We’re looking to build this and hold this and keep this in our town for the town – not for students, for everybody.”
