PARKERSBURG – As a subsidiary of Main Street America, Downtown PKB is entitled to technical assistance from the West Virginia Main Street office. As part of a bidding process in late 2021, the West Virginia Main Street office hired Jay Schlinsog with the Downtown Professionals Network to conduct a housing study for Main Street communities statewide, including Parkersburg.
The survey, which was conducted in the fall of 2021, had 260 respondents, all of whom live within a 20-mile radius of Parkersburg. More than half, 56%, of the survey results indicate an interest in living in downtown Parkersburg, with 84% of current residents likely to recommend downtown Parkersburg as a good place to live.
A closer look at the survey results shows that most respondents would prefer a buy-to-lease option and that 30% of survey respondents report an annual income of $ 100,000. The price range of respondents who most indicated a desire to buy was between $ 150,000 and $ 199,000.
The largest demographic group among those responding to the survey was between 35 and 44 years old and reported being married with children. The most important aspects listed were: 67% safety, 44% ability to walk, and 42% reasonable or low cost of housing. Important features preferred by potential downtown residents include properties that allow pets, high-speed internet, lawn space, and off-street parking, with most respondents needing two or more bedrooms. .
When asked to indicate the types of establishments that people would like to see downtown, 50% of respondents chose a greater or greater variety of retail locations in the following order: general stores / variety, bookstores, specialty foods, butchers / meat and arts markets / craft / leisure establishments. The second most popular choice for preferred types of downtown establishments, at 49%, was: bakeries, family restaurants, breakfast / brunch restaurants, healthy menu restaurants, and Asian restaurants, in this order.
Downtown PKB plans to hold a vacant property tour in the summer of 2022 to showcase properties that have vacant commercial space and have the potential for downtown housing in the future.
