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BARC recognized for their work to restore and preserve

  • Writer: Ebony Murrell
    Ebony Murrell
  • May 27
  • 2 min read

In honor of National Historic Preservation Month, PAWV is highlighting Historic Preservation Award winners that received their award as part of the Historic Preservation Conference held earlier this month in Wheeling.


The Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation (BARC) is a nonprofit organization leveraging arts and real estate development to revitalize downtown Bluefield, West Virginia—once known as “Little New York” for its vibrant rail-era culture and architecture. Situated between major cities, Bluefield thrived as a vibrant stop for train travelers and touring performers.


Adaptive Reuse Award – Bluefield Arts & Revitalization Corporation, for the Granada Theater & the Raleigh Street Cinemas and Education Center (Bluefield)
Adaptive Reuse Award – Bluefield Arts & Revitalization Corporation, for the Granada Theater & the Raleigh Street Cinemas and Education Center (Bluefield)

At the center of this cultural heyday stood the Granada Theater (pictured left), opened in 1927 and hosted vaudeville acts and musical legends like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. By the 1970s, however, the decline of the railroad industry and population loss left the Granada—and much of downtown—quiet and deteriorating. As Bluefield’s historic buildings vanished, concerned residents rallied to preserve what remained. The Granada, the last of four original downtown theaters, became a symbol of hope and renewal.


 In 2012, BARC led a community-driven campaign to restore it, raising funds through raffles, grants, and donations. After a meticulous, historically accurate renovation, The Granada officially reopened in August 2021. It now hosts films with plans to expand to live performances.



Danielle Parker and Cade Vogelsong, Executive Director and President, respectively, of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, present the West Virginia Historic Preservation Adaptive Reuse Award to the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation, represented by Brian Tracey.
Danielle Parker and Cade Vogelsong, Executive Director and President, respectively, of the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, present the West Virginia Historic Preservation Adaptive Reuse Award to the Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation, represented by Brian Tracey.


The lower level of the Granada, which has frontage on Raleigh Street at the rear of the building, was not part of the initial renovation, which was Formerly a Montgomery Ward tire and auto center, has been transformed into the Raleigh Street Cinemas, and center—a venue offering a range of amenities. Raleigh Street Cinemas, as the project is named, complements the existing operations.


Through this blend of arts programming and strategic development, BARC is preserving Bluefield’s heritage while building a vibrant future.


-The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia

 
 
 

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