A Bold Vision
and Solid
Master Plan
Click the map to view the full-size site plan.
The City of Huntington and the Huntington Municipal Development Authority (HMDA) have leveraged resources from the U.S. EPA, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and philanthropic foundations to conceive a remarkable vision and establish a comprehensive master plan. This plan aims to revitalize the Highlawn neighborhood's former factory properties and brownfields, transforming them into the innovative 'Huntington Brownfields Innovation Zone' or 'H-BIZ'. Supported by enthusiastic community and government support, H-BIZ is set to become a significant, diverse development situated between the Ohio River, Marshall University, and downtown.
The H-BIZ Master Plan envisions a revitalization project spanning 75 acres and over 1,000,000 square feet, encompassing a range of elements such as a hotel and conference center, advanced manufacturing expansion spanning 27.7 acres/181,000 square feet, retail space measuring 97,300 square feet, and over 400,000 square feet of parking, open spaces, athletic and recreational facilities. Notably, this includes a dedicated baseball stadium for the use of Marshall University and the wider region. While maintaining conciseness, the master plan's bold vision remains intact, poised to inspire potential investors.
Explore the property with a virtual tour.
By the
Numbers
12 Miles - Distance to Airport/Interstate
History
For more than 100 years, this area of Highlawn was the center of manufacturing and industrial uses which are now gone. These include ACF industries rail car manufacturing plant, the Ingram Barge former coal docking property, and the McGinnis industrial property.
Utilities
- Electricity - Appalachian Power Company
- Natural Gas - Mountaineer Gas Company
- Sewer - Huntington Sanitary Board
- Water - West Virginia American Water
Development
Tools
The property is a certified SBA HUB Zone. Click the link for more details for what this means from an investment opportunity.
2026 Environmental
Impact Award
Mark Bates, President of HMDA, and Derek Scarbro accepting the 2026 Environmental Impact Award
The 2026 Environmental Impact Award recognizes a project, organization, individual, or community that has made a significant impact on the cleanup of environmental hazards through single or multiple projects. This year's recipient is the ACF Industries Project.
ACF Industries Huntington facility operated on a 26-acre property, building railroad wheels, then wooden railroad cars, then steel railroad cars, for over 130 years. At the height of their operations, nearly 2,000 people worked at this facility. Their biggest success was their center-flow covered hopper car, which started production in the early 1960's. By the 1990's, over 100,000 cars had been built. The market for its signature hopper car diminished by the 1990's, and most operations ceased in the early 2000's. The facility closed in 2010.
Huntington Municipal Development Authority purchased the property and began the process of site redevelopment planning, environmental site assessments, and demolition of multiple buildings.
The property was placed into the WVDEP's Voluntary Remediation Program in September of 2020. Only one building remains on the property, which is nearing renovation completion for the new home of the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, featuring state-of-the-art welding and robotic welding training programs, along with other program offerings. This new facility will increase student capacity by up to 75%, plus provide space for micro-courses, various certification testing, and space for industry projects. This project has a budget of $20M and is expected to open in October of 2026. MAMC plans to utilize additional space on this property at a later date. In recognition of their strong partnership on this project, this award is presented to the Huntington Municipal Development Authority and the Marshall University Advanced Manufacturing Center.