ITMANN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Historic southern West Virginia landmark, the Itmann Company Store is reportedly undergoing revitalization after being primarily defunct for several decades.
Designed for the Pocahontas Fuel Company by Alexander B. Mahood and built between 1923 and 1925, the structure and property were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, having been declared historically significant for its roles in labor management and social history, among other things.
The structure itself is listed by FoxFire Realty, initially having been listed at around the $500,000 mark before the price dropped substantially to $250,000 – potentially due to the rehabilitation which would likely be necessary to prepare the structure for commercial use.
David Sibray, the agent handling the property, on Thursday indicated that revitalization of the property is underway, but disclosed little else.
“For the record, the historic Ittman Company Store is now pending,” said Sibray. “I can’t divulge much, but progress is being made in the revitalization of this national historic landmark, the “Castle in the Coalfields” of southern West Virginia.”
While it is unclear at the time of writing how, specifically, the historic property will be utilized following the confirmed revitalization process, the property’s location – just a stone’s throw away from Wyoming County towns, Mullens and Pineville, and thirty minutes from the City of Beckley – could present a number of business and organizational opportunities.
The property’s status as a registered national landmark also makes it eligible from tax credits and grants for its restoration and rehabilitation. The property listing indicates such grants could entail up to 50% for restoration through the State Historic Preservation Office, along with 45% by way of tax credits.
The building’s registration form for the National Register of Historic Places characterizes the structure as, “a rough-faced native sandstone building,” which, “reflects elements of the Classical Revival style.”
The documentation notes that, while no alterations have been implemented with regard to the building’s exterior, interior changes such as replacement of the building’s original drop lights with commercial fluorescent lighting. Original store furnishings such as counter tops, shelves, and display cases are said to no longer remain at the location.
Also noted is the 1976 remodel of Section A of the building, which entailed the installation of sheet paneling over the plaster walls, removal of part of the building’s original woodwork, and the addition of drop ceilings.
Primary threats to the structure include neglect and vandalism, with most of the building’s windows having been broken, many walls having been adorned with graffiti, and the building having been a regular site for break-ins for a number of years.
