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Boys & Girls Club outlines $14 million expansion, seeks remaining funding and property transfer
Summary
Representatives of the Boys & Girls Club described a $14 million plan to expand its Martinsburg facility, requested local support for a pending property transfer and reported $5.3 million raised so far; an environmental study contract is underway.
Stacy, a representative of the Boys & Girls Club in Berkeley County, told the commission the organization is pursuing a $14,000,000 expansion of its Martinsburg facility that would add a gymnasium, a larger dining area and a community hub while converting existing space into a teen center.
The project would extend the rear of the building at 105 West John Street and create a main entrance from Queen Street, Stacy said. “The current club is gonna become a state of the art teen center,” she said, adding the expanded main-floor gymnasium would support community events as well as club programming.
Stacy said membership has grown from the organization’s planning estimate of 50 children to 423 youth currently attending the club in Berkeley County. She described program services — after-school care, homework help, meals, social-skills work and workforce-exploration opportunities such as VR headset career programming — as part of the rationale for expansion.
The club reported roughly $5.3 million in funds secured so far. Stacy said the organization also received a congressional appropriation she described as $2 million and cited past state support tied to the governor’s contingency fund; she said private donors contributed earlier matching funds. She also said the group had submitted a letter of intent to take ownership of the building and that the city council was scheduled to consider a third and final reading to transfer the property to the club.
“Right now, we're going through the environmental study. I just got the contract, and Bushy Fitemore is our architect,” Stacy said, describing the environmental review as the next step before accessing identified project funding. She said the club hopes to break ground in 2027 but added the schedule depends on securing the remaining roughly $8.5 million to reach the $14 million goal and on funding program conditions tied to federal and state approvals.
Commissioners and staff asked for clarification on funding sources, matching-state dollars and project timing; Stacy said some matching aid depends on the administering state or federal office and on the outcome of the environmental review. She also invited private and individual support beyond government grants.
The commission did not take formal action on the project during the remarks. Stacy said the club will hold a “Champion for Youth” dinner April 24 and that Emily, a club alumnus who earned a BSN and now works at WVU Health Care, will be the alumni speaker.
If the city council finalizes the property transfer as expected, the club intends to combine capital funds, grants, private donations and public appropriations to finance construction.
