Council refers Change Initiative plan for Lynen Elementary recovery hub to land reuse agency

Melissa Romano, chief operations officer of the Change Initiative, and Angelica Scott, the organization's founder and CEO, asked the Clarksburg City Council for $1 million in capital funds to acquire and rehabilitate the former Lynen Elementary into a recovery hub that would expand Phoenix Recovery House from nine beds to about 36–40 beds and offer community recovery services.

"We are asking the city to make possible what we cannot do without a building of our own," Romano said, noting the project would leverage a $380,000 award from the West Virginia First Foundation and other fundraising toward a roughly $1.6 million total project estimate. Romano said the group is under contract to close on Lynen Elementary by Aug. 28, contingent on land reuse agency approval.

Scott described program operations, saying the expanded facility would house a recovery community center, family visitation and therapy space and an expanded residential program that keeps mothers and children together. "This is a capital request. The $1 million funds the building, not the program," Scott said, adding that the group plans to pursue behavioral health licensure and program fees to sustain operations.

Council members and staff pressed for details about property ownership and an existing option agreement. City staff explained the land reuse agency had previously acquired title-related interests and sold the building to North Central Builders (NCB) for $3,500 while retaining an option to repurchase if NCB did not complete specified renovations and occupancy milestones (the agreement requires eight residential units or 75% of square footage occupied with certificates of occupancy within two years).

Bruno Martinez (identified in the record as the current private owner/operator contractor) and staff said NCB did work on the property and that the option agreement would need modification for the Change Initiative's proposal to satisfy the land reuse agency's terms. City staff said the next step is a land reuse agency meeting to review a revised redevelopment plan and the related option agreement.

Council moved to direct the city manager and staff to review the Martinez/NCB agreement and to instruct the land reuse agency to take up the Change Initiative proposal at its next meeting; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The council did not approve the $1 million capital request during the meeting. Officials said the project would return to council with a community contribution agreement and detailed architectural and financial plans if the land reuse agency and staff review permit moving forward.