THURMOND, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The National Park Service (NPS) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking interested individuals and organizations to lease three historic structures in the Dun Glen area of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
The announcement, made Friday, November 13, comes as the federal agency prepares to begin demolishing more than a dozen historic structures in the Thurmond area this month.
The newly released RFP covers the Dun Glen Ark, Mini Ark and boat storage rack. Interested individuals and organizations have until January 15, 2027, at 1 p.m. EST to submit proposals.
According to the NPS, the leasing opportunity is competitive and open to all interested individuals and organizations.
The Dun Glen Ark is located at 136 Dun Glen Parking Lot along McKendree Road near Thurmond. The proposed lease would cover only the structural footprints of the three structures, with surrounding property remaining under NPS management for public use.
Whoever is selected to lease the structures would be responsible for the costs and completion of necessary repairs and routine maintenance.
The Dun Glen structures are among several historic properties identified by the NPS as potential candidates for preservation through leasing.
Park officials have also confirmed that a separate RFP for the historic Tom Kelly House in Thurmond will be released at a later date. No specific release date has been announced.
Despite the new leasing opportunity, the NPS has not announced any changes to its existing demolition plans. All structures currently scheduled for demolition beginning this month remain on the demolition list, and the overall plan remains unchanged as of Friday.
The demolition plans have drawn opposition from residents, preservation advocates and others concerned about the loss of historic structures associated with Thurmond’s railroad and coal mining history.
Preservation Thurmond, a nonprofit organization, has been working to identify potential investors and alternatives to demolition, including preservation options beyond the federal leasing process.
The release of the Dun Glen RFP provides a formal opportunity for interested parties to propose leasing the three structures, but it does not constitute a suspension or cancellation of any planned demolitions.
The NPS is offering site visits by appointment for those interested in the leasing opportunity.
More photos of the structure(s) may be found here.
Additional information, including the full RFP and supporting documents, is available through the federal government’s SAM.gov website.
Questions regarding the leasing opportunity may be submitted to [email protected]. The NPS says questions not addressed in the RFP will be collected and answered through a formal question-and-answer process.
The full RFP can be viewed here.
