Federal ARC Award Funds Kitchen Equipment, Aims to Boost Welch Downtown

Federal and regional grant announcements published in mid November 2025 included a dedicated award for McDowell County to support the Renaissance Village development in downtown Welch. The award, listed in federal materials and local roundups, covers purchase and installation of commercial kitchen equipment to allow a restaurant to open on the building ground floor. The funding was highlighted in a package of Appalachian Regional Commission investments promoted by U.S. Senators and regional partners, and appears in local press summaries including MyBuckhannon and WVPB coverage of ARC awards.

Public listings show two different amounts tied to the project in separate documents. Some local roundups list the grant to Reconnecting McDowell as $65,335 for the Renaissance Village Equipment Installation Project, while companion ARC program summaries list $150,000 for the project. The announcement published November 17, 2025 forms the basis for the project description and stated partners. The funds are intended to purchase and install commercial grade kitchen equipment that will make the planned restaurant space operational and ready for prospective business operators.

Renaissance Village is a multi use, four story downtown development designed to provide affordable rental housing and ground floor commercial space. Units are targeted to teachers and young professionals as part of a broader effort to retain residents and strengthen the local workforce. The planned restaurant on the ground floor is intended to serve as a retail and food service anchor, increasing foot traffic in the downtown core and creating a more attractive environment for other small businesses.

For McDowell County the project carries immediate and longer term implications. Equipping the restaurant supports local job creation in food service and related sectors, provides a new amenity for residents and visitors, and lowers the time and cost barrier for entrepreneurs seeking to lease and operate the space. The project dovetails with regional tourism strategies by giving visitors from Hatfield McCoy and Head of the Dragon routes a reason to stop and spend time in Welch, potentially increasing customer demand for other downtown businesses.

The ARC investments are part of a targeted federal strategy aimed at spurring small business activity, tourism development, and downtown revitalization in coal impacted communities. By making a modest, focused investment in infrastructure that translates directly into an open business, local leaders hope the equipment installation will catalyze further private investment and contribute to the longer term economic revival of Welch and McDowell County. The announcement was publicized by Sen. Capito and regional partners as part of the November 2025 grant summaries.