Charleston Main Streets is developing a comprehensive database to track commercial properties around the city.
Ric Cavender, the group's executive director, said those efforts come after a joint economic development committee was recently created within Charleston Main Streets.
That committee, chaired by Charleston Urban Renewal Authority Director Jim Edwards, includes representatives from the West Side and East End Main Street programs and will "work to tackle larger-scale economic development issues," Cavender said.
"In order for us to recruit businesses and be that central hub of information regarding properties in either district, we have to have a really solid database in place," he said.
The database would be available to business and property owners on the organization's website and include information on available commercial and mixed-use properties within Charleston Main Streets' districts, such as the owner, square footage and assessed and appraised value.
Charleston Main Streets is in the process of applying for a $100,000 grant from the Benedum Foundation that, in part, would help fund the expansion of the database after it's developed to the 12 other certified Main Street programs in the state.
"We'll be able to form a coalition of all the other Main Street leaders in West Virginia to make this a statewide initiative," Cavender said.
That grant, if awarded, would also provide funding toward the East End Bazaar to ensure its staffing and continued management. It would also help start up a co-working space on the West Side, such as the one recently created downtown above Stray Dog Antiques.
Also Tuesday, the Charleston Main Streets Board of Directors released an official statement voicing their opposition to HB 4012, better known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Opponents of the bill argue it will allow businesses to discriminate against certain groups such as the LGBT community.
"We happen to represent two of the most diverse business districts in Charleston - and maybe even in the state," Cavender said. "It's important for us to make it very clear that discrimination has no home here in West Virginia."
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.