This West Virginia Public Broadcasting aired Jan. 3. It highlights the efforts of East End Main Street, a program of the Charleston Area Alliance.

By Erica Peterson

It’s a cold day on Charleston’s East End, an area between the state Capitol and downtown. Traffic is rumbling by on Washington Street as Ric Cavender stops to point upwards.

“As you’re walking down you’ll notice the streetscape poles, the lampposts,” he says.

Cavender is program director of East End Main Street, an economic development program sponsored by the Charleston Area Alliance. He says the lampposts are one of the small aesthetic improvements his group has helped bring about. Others are the three murals that brighten up the sides of buildings.

“Public art, it brings not only new life to the district and new color to the district but it also can spur economic development,” Cavender said. “It lets people know that there’s a group that’s trying to do good here.”

Leonoro’s Spaghetti House has been on Washington Street for 37 years. Co-owner Al Leonoro says things are changing for the better.

“The neighborhood is changed dramatically, I think,” Leonoro said. “It’s much better than it used to be but it’s inner city, so you have your problems but by the same token, we’ve done really well. Things are improving—that’s the main thing. The police, I think, installed some cameras here about a year or so ago, surveillance cameras. We’ve seen a big difference since those came in, with things kind of cooling down quite a bit.”

In recent years, a few new businesses have moved in. A dog park was created in a vacant lot. But there are still empty buildings.

Patrick Brown is director of the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority. He says the East End is important to Charleston’s overall image, partly because it might be the only part of the city out-of-town visitors to the Capitol see.

Much of his effort over the past year has been focused on the revitalization of one crucial intersection.

“We consider Elizabeth and Washington to be a really key intersection of Washington Street in the East End, and two buildings have been sitting there vacant for years,” Brown said.

“Not very good-looking buildings, run down. And so in our urban renewal plan for that area, which was approved by City Council, we had the authority to give them six months notice to fix the building up. And if they didn’t, we could buy it if we chose.”

Now one of the buildings—the New China building—is cleaned up and ready for a tenant. But across the street, the city has started eminent domain proceedings on another abandoned structure.

That corner—Elizabeth and Washington—is anchored by one of Keeley Steele’s restaurants. Steele and her husband John own two restaurants and a bakery, all fairly recent additions to the East End. She says they love the neighborhood.

“I think because of the diversity, and it’s an eclectic neighborhood,” she said. “It’s one of the few really walkable neighborhoods.”

(more…)

HallowEast continues this evening with the Zombie Walk and Horror Film Fest.

Zombies have infiltrated the East End and organized a parade to celebrate their victory. Join us (either as a zombie or spectator) at 6:30 p.m. for this first-time event in Charleston. Please visit www.HallowEast.com if you’re interested in being converted for the Walk.

And visit East End Main Street’s Facebook page for details about becoming a zombie for the Walk.

The walk begins at the Charleston Area Alliance, 1116 Smith St., and moves along Smith Street.

The Walk ends at Mary Price Ratie Greenspace, where EEMS will host a Horror Film Fest, presented by Electric 102.7 and featuring two classic horror films – “Night of the Living Dead” and “House on Haunted Hill” - to be shown on the eastern wall of the Fairfield Inn on Washington Street.

Bring the family out for this first-time event.

The Film Fest runs from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Moses Automotive – at 1406 Washington St. East – is hosting the HallowEast Blood Drive today from 1 to 6 p.m.

Visit www.RedCrossLife.org to make an appointment, or just show up!

Visit www.HallowEast.com for a full schedule of events and other details.

ArtMares, the horror-themed display of work from local artists, is back for the second year, and a reception this evening runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Join us for fine wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music from Andy Park.

All art will be available for sale. East End Main Street will receive 50 percent from sales to benefit East End events and revitalization efforts.

The exhibit is located at Kanawha Players, 309 Beauregard St.

ArtMares continues throughout HallowEast, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 and 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30.

It’s trick or treat night in Charleston, and it’s another part of East End Main Street’s HallowEast celebration.

It’s another opportunity to celebrate the holiday and the community!

HallowEast will end in style on Saturday!

Find the most creative costume and come out to support East End Main Street during the first annual Costume Ball. This bash will include live music from The Voodoo Katz and DJ music from Electric 102.7, along with beer, drinks and food.

Tickets are $25. Click here to register.

Don’t miss this great celebration and get a chance to support East End Main Street and our efforts to continue the revitalization of Washington and Smith Streets! The party happens at the New China building, at the corner of Elizabeth and Washington streets.

The Empty Glass Halloween Hootenanny starts at 10 p.m. right after the Costume Ball. The cost of the Costume Ball includes entrance into the Hootenanny.

Join us Wednesday, Oct. 27 starting at 6:30 p.m. for Main Street Murder Mystery at the Woman’s Club of Charleston.

People all around town are being converted into zombies and you have to solve the mystery before complete disaster occurs. Who started the zombie outbreak? Bluegrass Kitchen is catering this interactive whodunit that will prove to be an East End classic.

The presentation features the No Pants Players.

Tickets are $35, and proceeds benefit EEMS revitalization efforts. Click here to register online.

Do you have what it takes to be a zombie?

Then join us Friday, Oct. 29, for the HallowEast Zombie Walk. Whether you’re decked out in effects makeup and ragged clothes or come a regular human, this should be a fun event for the whole community.

The Walk starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Charleston Area Alliance, 1116 Smith St.

Please visit www.HallowEast.com if you’re interested in being converted for the Walk.

And visit East End Main Street’s Facebook page for details about becoming a zombie for the Walk.

The Walk ends at Mary Price Ratie Greenspace, where EEMS will host a Horror Film Fest, presented by Electric 102.7 and featuring two classic horror films to be shown on the eastern wall of the Fairfield Inn on Washington Street. Bring the family out for this first-time event. The Film Fest runs from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

The Oct. 29 HallowEast Zombie Walk ends at Mary Price Ratie Greenspace, where EEMS will host a Horror Film Fest, presented by Electric 102.7 and featuring two classic horror films – “Night of the Living Dead” and “House on Haunted Hill” - to be shown on the eastern wall of the Fairfield Inn on Washington Street.

Bring the family out for this first-time event. Chairs and blankets are recommended.

The Film Fest runs from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. The Zombie Walk starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Charleston Area Alliance, 1116 Smith St.

ArtMares, the horror-themed display of work from local artists, is back for the second year.

All art will be available for sale. East End Main Street will receive 50 percent from sales to benefit East End events and revitalization efforts.

The exhibit is located at Kanawha Players, 309 Beauregard St.

ArtMares continues throughout HallowEast, from Oct. 27 to Oct. 30.

The exhibit is open 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27.

An ArtMares Reception on Oct. 28 runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Join us for fine wine, hors d’oeuvres and live music from Andy Park.

It runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 then runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30.