Grounds at health lab getting an overhaul

The state is reconfiguring the grounds at the Bureau of PublicHealth's Office of Laboratory Services' campus at 167 11th Ave.,South Charleston.

Several old warehouses facing 11th Avenue have been demolisheddown to the concrete slabs in recent months.

State Department of Health and Human Resources spokesman John Lawsaid the slabs will be used as a base for new employee access andparking.

"Earthen areas between the slabs are being cut down to allow foraggregate base material to be applied for new paving before new fenceis installed," Law said. "We are also demolishing several oldbuilding foundations and sidewalks that are no longer functional. Weare recycling much of the material for erosion control and paving-base material."

Meanwhile, overgrowth on the Kanawha River bank behind thelaboratory is being cut to allow better views for surveillancecameras. The cameras "are going to be installed as part of our newplan to secure and provide access control to the entire campus," hesaid.

The state Department of Highways is using its staff and equipmentto do the current phase of work under an interagency agreement.

One result of the project should be a much-improved landscape, Lawsaid.

* n n

A $500,000 line-of-credit extended by the Charleston Area Allianceto the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research and Innovation Center, alsoknown as MATRIC, is due to expire July 1. The original May 1 deadlinewas extended to give MATRIC an opportunity to present its financialstatements to the alliance.

Alliance CEO Matt Ballard said, "Our Executive Committee met lastweek with respect to this line of credit but have not made a finaldecision. The Finance Committee will be taking a look at it next weekas well before a final recommendation is made.

"MATRIC is something that began at the Alliance," Ballard said."We are strong supporters of the program as evidenced by the fact wemade this line of credit available. Their continued success is tiedto the continued success of the valley."

Some believe the alliance will never make MATRIC repay the line ofcredit.

* n n

John Allison, chairman and CEO of BB&T Corp., was in CharlestonWednesday.

"It is his annual visit," said BB&T spokeswoman A.C. McGraw. "Hedoes visit every single BB&T banking region at least once a year. Wehave more than 30 of those regions. He meets in the headquarters cityfor every region."

Charleston is the headquarters for BB&T's West Virginia-CentralRegion.

* n n

Gayle Vest, who retired in January as managing director ofAdvantage Valley, is administering a $2 million grant theorganization received from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for a programcalled the entrepreneurial league system.

The program, which is designed to foster entrepreneurship, was thesubject of a New York Times Small Business Section article on April26.