MAYOR GOODWIN DELIVERS 2026 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

(Charleston, W. Va.) – Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin delivered the 2026 State of the City Address during Monday evening’s Charleston City Council meeting, outlining continued progress and a forward-looking vision focused on rebuilding, renewing, and re-envisioning Charleston’s future.

Mayor Goodwin highlighted significant work completed since 2019, including the demolition of more than 700 dilapidated structures and the creation of the Charleston Land Reuse Agency, which continues to move underutilized properties toward redevelopment and productive use.

Looking ahead, Mayor Goodwin noted that 2026 will be a year of continued growth and infrastructure investment. Major projects include breaking ground on the $20 million Public Safety Center, completing $5 million in fire station renovations, advancing the $25 million Capital Connector Project, and expanding citywide road repairs to $5 million—an increase of $2 million over prior years.

The address also underscored strong private investment throughout Charleston, with more than $315 million in new construction, along with millions more invested in commercial and residential renovations in the last three years. Projects highlighted included Poca Valley’s new downtown branch, TC Energy’s $60 million facility developed by Remington Development Corporation, housing investments by Woda Cooper Companies, redevelopment efforts by AB Contracting, and revitalization work led by local entrepreneur Tighe Bullock in the Elk City area of Charleston’s West Side.

Mayor Goodwin emphasized that impactful projects do not always require large budgets, pointing to recent Hearts of Our Neighborhood initiatives such as picnic benches constructed for the Herbert and Gloria Jones Woodlands Trail by members of Girl Scout Troop 1839, and new public chess tables – the vision of Richard Doneghey – designed to encourage connection and engagement.

In discussing growth, Mayor Goodwin noted that population growth is as important as physical development, highlighting Charleston’s selection as the sixth Ascend location and ongoing efforts to strengthen neighborhood engagement, including partnerships with Charleston Urban Works and the creation of a new outreach and engagement liaison position for Kanawha City.

The address also recognized community builders across Charleston, including the Municipal Beautification Commission for its vision to enhance public spaces, as well as individuals and organizations making a daily impact—such as Rea of Hope, which supports women in recovery through critical services, and Miss Virginia, the “Mayor of Orchard Manor,” who continually supports our youth and families.  

Mayor Goodwin concluded by announcing that the City has been in discussions with The Hull Group, owner of the Charleston Town Center Mall, regarding a transfer of the property to the City. Bringing the site under local control would allow the City to begin what Mayor Goodwin described as the largest economic development effort in more than 40 years. Upon completion of the acquisition, the City plans to work with experienced developers to determine the future use of the property and guide long-term redevelopment. 

The full text, as prepared, of Mayor Goodwin’s State of the City address is included below.  

Good evening.

Madam President, Members of Council, our amazing department directors, city team, CPD, CFD, our community partners, neighbors, friends, and family, thank you for being here tonight.

I am truly grateful to all of you for everything you have done to shape Charleston’s incredible story.

While our story continues, this year our purpose will continue to be about rebuilding, renewing, and re-envisioning Charleston’s future.

Charleston thrives because we believe in each other and in the future we’re building together.

And, you have shown, you are good at it.  

In good times, and in bad.  

We build.

We rebuild after floods, business closures, or setbacks, and we come back stronger because we don’t quit.

That’s the spirit of Charleston and West Virginia.  

In this city, we’ve rebuilt from belief.

Belief that Charleston is a city where people want to live, work, raise a family, and grow.

Let’s start with what we have developed jointly as members of this council and this administration.

By providing competitive pay, upgrading equipment, and improving our processes with new technology we are investing in the people and systems that support our businesses and residents.

700-plus structures have been demolished since I took office, opening the path for additional development.

Through our Charleston Land Reuse Agency we created, we’re turning vacant lots into homes again.  

And, we will continue our programming to help nonprofits and builders create more housing, faster.  

Our Construction Incentive Program is reviving long-neglected neighborhoods.

We are helping families buy homes through our Home Blend program to assist with home rehabilitation.

We have given vacant lots back to residents, enabling families to rebuild their neighborhoods.

We’ve upgraded LED streetlights throughout the entire city, improving safety and energy efficiency.

We’re making safer walkways, adding new bike lanes, and creating more public spaces.

We’ve continued our investment in public art, which has helped us tell our stories, and celebrate our history and culture.  

We have invested tens of millions in our parks and recreation facilities and installed ADA-accessible playground equipment, new lighting, and new safety equipment.  

We told our kids to “go outside and play,” and for the past seven years, we have worked hard to keep our promise that kids would come first in this administration, and we give me safe and inclusive places to play.  

Charleston is strong, and Charleston is moving forward.

As we plan, 2026 will be a year of continued growth and new infrastructure development.

We are doing the things Municipal Government can and should do.  

We will break ground on a $20 million Public Safety Center.

We will complete $5 million of renovations to our EMS and fire stations.  

We will work to complete the $25 million Capital Connector along our riverfront.

We’ll expand citywide road repairs to $5 million, a $2 million increase from past years. 

We are investing in and building up our city.  

But what has impressed me the most over just a handful of years is the incredible amount of private investment we see throughout the city.  

Over the last three years, we have seen more than $315 million in new construction investment, along with millions in commercial and residential remodeling and additions.

This level of investment tells us--people believe in this city and its future, just as you and I do.  

Linda Ashley, the President and CEO of Poca Valley, believes in us.  

She has invested more than just millions in a beautiful new downtown headquarters; she has also invested in her employees and her customers.

The Team at Poca Valley is here with us tonight—please stand so we may thank you!  

One of our biggest construction projects going on right now in the city is the new TC Energy Headquarters.  

They have been working hard on an amazing $60 million state-of-the-art building.

The project, built by Canadian-based Remington Development Corporation, has proudly stated it is the company's first construction project in the United States.

TC Energy has had a strong presence in Charleston since the 1950’s and its employees continue to play a critical role in delivering energy throughout our country.  

We are proud to have Roman Stauffer representing TC Energy and representing Remmington, Adam Krason (of ZMM who partnered on this project) is also with us tonight. Will you please stand, so we may recognize you both.  

If I have learned one thing over the years serving as Mayor, it is this: Real progress rarely announces itself—instead, it shows itself through hard work, late nights and weekends, hours upon hours of research, and a devotion to the task that is well beyond the spotlight.  

These folks don’t just talk about progress; they build it.

Like the team at Woda Cooper Companies, Inc., who have, over the past three years, built more than $22 million in housing in the Capital City.  

These new housing units are on the East End and West Side, areas where we truly need more housing.

Belinda Norman with Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. is here with us tonight. Please stand so we may recognize you and your team.  

Hardly a day goes by without someone in our offices mentioning Allen Bell.  

Allen is a developer, an investor and an entrepreneur.  

He’s built from the ground up, and he’s transformed abandoned buildings like the stunning lofts he created on 900 on Lee.  

No one in this city loves hearing the beeping sound of heavy equipment as much as I do as it moves the pieces into place on a construction site—except for Allen.  

He could not be here tonight, but here with us is Brian Wadsworth of AB Contracting.  

Thank you for allowing us to recognize you tonight.  

Local entrepreneur Tighe Bullock has played a significant role in revitalizing—specifically the Elk City area on Charleston’s West Side.  

He’s redeveloping more than 20 buildings in the historic district, including the Staats building and he’s helped bring new life, new investment, and new activity to the neighborhood.

Tighe is yet another example of someone who invests in and believes in our city.

Tighe, please stand to be recognized.

We are fortunate in Charleston to have so many people who build and believe in our story.

These are huge dollar investments, but some big and impactful project don’t have to cost a lot.  

Some projects cost as little as $409.02.

That’s the total amount given to Lauren and Morgan of girl Scout Troop 1839.

Earlier this year, they applied through the City’s new Hearts of the Neighborhood Grant Program so they could build a brand-new picnic table at the head of the Jones Woodlands Trail.  

Morgan and Lauren, would you please stand so we may thank you for your efforts?  

That small project was about love and care for our neighbors.  

Richard Doneghey, also a Hearts of the Neighborhood grant recipient, wanted to build more connections in our community.  

Yes, he specifically wanted Chess Tables—but more important, he wanted folks in our city to have a place to land, to learn something new, to feel part of something special.  

Thanks to Richard, you will see community Chess tables in the city, and with the chess set he bought the mayor’s office for Christmas, we hope to keep up with his future students.  

Richard—thank you for your vision. Please stand to be recognized.  

Growing our population is as crucial as building places and spaces.

Earlier this year, we made a major announcement with the Charleston Area Alliance, WVU, Marshall University, the State Development Office, Tourism Department, and the County Commission, as Charleston, West Virginia, was selected as the 6th Ascend location.  

When Charleston was selected, Marshall University President Brad Smith said, “Charleston represents the heart of our state, a place where culture and adventure thrive together.”  

Mr. President, we agree.  

We will soon be the new home for families moving here from across the country.  

This program has been a huge success across the Mountain State, and we are looking forward to our Ascenders arriving soon.  

I’m so happy to have the CAA President and CEO, Mara Boggs who was instrumental in securing this program in Charleston with us tonight.  

Mara, please stand so we may recognize you.  

Growth can also be seen in the connections we build across this city, including our partnership with Charleston Urban Works and the new position the city helped created as a liaison for outreach and engagement in Kanawha City.  

We have spent the past year working with Urban Works going door to door throughout Kanawha City Businesses, so we may better understand their needs and challenges and chart a course for a continued, vibrant business district in Kanawha City.  

Ric Cavender with Charleton Urban Works is with us tonight.  

I am excited to also note we have seen the development of national brands and local family favorites, like Sheetz, Dunkin Donuts, Jersey Mike and Chipotle in Kanawha City, with more to come this year.  

It’s another indication that Charleston is growing through local regional, national and international investment.  

We have so many incredible builders in this city--the people who make our progress possible every day.

Anna Forbes, Jane Powell and Brenda Craig Ellis of the City’s Beautification Commission have taken on one of the largest beautification projects in Charleston’s history.  

They envision lining the city with beautiful flowering trees.  

Their passion and love for Charleston inspire them to create beautiful spaces for all families.  

They are changing the landscape to benefit all of us and future generations.  

Please join me in thanking them, and the entire Beautification Commission.  

One of our greatest builders is someone I call the Mayor.  

For decades, she has supported our children and families by helping with housing, food, a warm winter jacket, or simply a chair on her front porch to chat.

This amazing woman truly does the heavy lifting in our community, building up self-confidence in our kiddos and keeping families going in trying times.

Miss Virginia, the Mayor of Orchard Manor, is truly one of the city's most successful builders.  

Mayor Virginia, would you please stand so we may celebrate you?  

We are also incredibly blessed to have organizations in this city that help rebuild shattered lives.

Rea of Hope does just that.  

They work every hour of every day, strengthening our women in recovery by ensuring they have safe, dependable, and critical vital services.  

Through an opioid grant from the city just last month, Rea of Hope will be able to continue to help women in recovery access reliable transportation to medical care, counseling, reunification services, employment, and recovery meetings.  

Having a ride removes one of the biggest barriers to maintaining sobriety and achieving long-term recovery success.

Haley Walker and Beth Ann Perrine with Rea of Hope are here with us tonight.  

Please stand so we may celebrate and congratulate you!  

From addiction to connection, from a blueprint to a ribbon cutting—because of these builders, Charleston is rising.

Over the past several years, we have seen important strides across our city.  

Neighborhoods are being revitalized.  

New businesses are opening, cranes are in the sky, and confidence in Charleston’s future is growing.

Downtown is vibrant again.  

But you cannot tell the entire story of downtown Charleston without the Charleston Town Center Mall.  

When it opened in 1983, it redefined our city and helped fueled economic growth for decades.  

It became a spot where people gathered, worked, shopped, and connected.  

It defined an era.

That era has passed, but opportunity remains.

Today, that property sits at the very heart of our city, surrounded by momentum yet disconnected from it.  

So, the question is not if we act, but how boldly we choose to lead.  

I believe we need to take bold steps to create a future we can all be proud of.  

The time to act is now—let's move forward boldly, together.

That’s why, over the last year, we have been in discussions with The Hull Group—the Mall’s current owner—to transfer ownership of the mall property to the City of Charleston. 

And, I want to thank them for their engagement.  

This will bring it under local control, so we can start the largest economic development project in Charleston in the past 40 years and that will help pave the way for increased development over the next several decades.  

We may not know exactly what this site will look like in five or ten years, but we know what it must do:  fuel economic growth, create opportunities, connect our city, and serve what is best for the next generation of Charlestonians.

Once we complete the acquisition of the property, we will immediately work with top developers nationwide to determine its future use.  

With help from community members, we talked to successful developers about similar projects in other cities.  

We will be ready to begin running immediately upon finalization of the agreement.

I am certain that if we do this development right, it will boost economic development throughout our city.  

We have heard many times, “You’ve got to do something about the mall.”  

We are.

Transformational change takes hard work, patience, good planning, and strong partnerships, but we have the people to make it happen.  

And, Charleston has shown, time and again, that when we invest in ourselves and our future, our city rises.

Yes, I know that taking on these large economic development projects is not easy.

It is hard work, and progress can be slow.  

As my friend Terrell Ellis of Advantage Valley says, if these projects were easy, they would already be done.

We’re rebuilding because we believe in the future.

We will continue our momentum of building, revitalizing neighborhoods, energizing business districts, reimagining our economy, building partnerships, and renewing our faith in what we can create collectively.

For me, it is a joy to watch our city, across all 33 square miles, transform into a place where hard work becomes pride and vision becomes reality. 

Tonight, I want to thank everyone who finds joy in this work—even on the hard days. 

I wanted to thank those who still believe, who keep building because it’s you who will write Charleston’s next great chapter.

Thank you.

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