Jenkins Fenstermaker and Room2Create are tenants of the recently renovated Capital Centre, located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street.
By Dawn Nolan
HQ 71 | AUTUMN 2010
Since the opening of Pullman Square in 2004, downtown Huntington is striving to once again become a commercial hub. New businesses have been setting up shop, and beloved ones are undergoing renovations to give themselves new life. Capital Centre, located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street, is a prime example of the latter. Once the location of Dickinson Furniture, Capital Centre now houses the well-known law firm Jenkins Fenstermaker and Room2Create, an interior design business.
Jim Weiler and Philip Nelson, owners of Capital Venture Corporation, began development on the building after Dickinson Furniture closed and was put up for sale in 2008.
“We’re downtown people,” Weiler says. “We had seen the improvements going on and decided that we wanted to become a part of it, and when we saw that the Dickinson Furniture building was up for sale, we had a vision to redevelop it into a combination of office and retail space.”
Although this was Capital Venture’s first historical preservation project, the results were exactly what Weiler and Nelson had envisioned.
“Philip and I are thrilled with the interest that this project has received,” Weiler explains, “and we are showing the available space regularly. However, we make sure with each prospective tenant that they share our vision and will be the right fit.”
Jenkins Fenstermaker was a good fit for the building. The firm, which specializes in business and commercial law, labor and employment and litigation law, recently relocated to Capital Centre from the Coal Exchange Building.
“Our firm feels as though we have made a commitment to downtown, so we knew that when we moved we wanted to stay in the vicinity,” says Jenkins Fenstermaker CEO Barry Taylor. “We know that downtown Huntington can once again become a thriving commercial center.”
Relocating to Capital Centre provided Jenkins Fenstermaker with several benefits.
“We chose this location because it is on a busy corner and has great visibility,” Taylor explains. “There is a parking garage located right next door, and we can fit our staff on two floors instead of being spread out onto four like we were previously. We are pleased with our new location and believe it will generate new business for us.”
Edward Tucker Architects worked with Weiler and Nelson, Carl Wray of Structures Inc. and historic preservation consultant Mike Gioulis on the development of the project.
“The biggest challenge with this project was to conjoin the three separate buildings that make up Capital Centre,” says J.D. Maynard, project manager at Edward Tucker Architects.
However, despite the challenge, it only took about a year for the project to be completed.
Sally Weiler, owner of Sally Weiler Designs and wife of developer Jim Weiler, also relocated her interior design business Room2Create to Capital Centre.
“My business was originally located in Heritage Village, but when the space at Capital Centre was available.
I thought it was a fantastic opportunity,” she says. “It’s a great location, right in the heart of downtown, and I’ve been able to build out what I wanted.”
Room2Create is a full-service interior design company that not only sells home décor and accessories, including Weiler’s own Lily Pillow Company pillows, but also provides a wide range of services from basic consulting to full-service design. Soon customers will also be able to make purchases from Room2Create’s online store.
Capital Centre is just one example of how Huntington residents are stepping up to make the downtown area a go-to destination once again. Yet there is always room for more changes.
“I think that more residential areas should be built,” Taylor suggests. “More residents means more foot traffic, and with an increase in traffic, further development will follow.”
J.D. Maynard believes that more mixed-use buildings like Capital Centre would be a positive addition to downtown Huntington. He says entrepreneurs should be open to historic preservation.
“Historic preservation tax credits can be vital to prospective building owners and to downtown Huntington’s revitalization,” Maynard explains.
Both Jim and Sally Weiler think that community support is essential.
“I think that for the downtown revitalization to continue, the city of Huntington needs to support it,” Sally Weiler says. “People need to take pride in their city, and we all need to work together.”
There is no doubt that downtown revitalization is occurring. Historic buildings are continually being restored, sidewalks and streets are being repaired and new businesses are moving in. Pay a visit to downtown and you may be surprised by all of the changes that have been made in just a few recent months.
