Revitalization Through Preservation

Vandalia Heritage Foundation

Since 1998

Vandalia Heritage Foundation (VHF)
is a 501(c)(3) Incorporated in 1998 in West Virginia

Who are we?

An award-winning, dedicated, and experienced team of historic preservation, real estate, and economic development professionals–and volunteers–committed to revitalizing communities and neighborhoods, many of which have seen better times.

In Remembrance

Our founding chairman, Dr. Emory Kemp, formerly of WVU, recently passed away. Vandalia Heritage Foundation expresses our gratitude for his dedication to historic preservation and Vandalia over the years.
Learn more about Dr. Kemp’s life and contributions here.

What do we do?

Catalyze economic revitalization in distressed and under served areas by redeveloping historic and blighted properties. We work with local communities, other non-profits, the private sector and all levels of government to form effective partnerships that can meet the challenges of reinventing our built environments. By preserving and reusing historic structures and constructing new, historically compatible in-fill buildings, we create quality, affordable places where residents want to live, work and play. These include multi-family and single family housing, commercial space for small businesses and non-profit organizations, and arts-based development.

Where do we do it?

We were originally founded to work primarily in northern West Virginia, where we have undertaken our own bricks & mortar projects in Clarksburg/Fairmont, Grafton, Thomas, and Wheeling. We have assisted communities like Fairmont, Piedmont, Thomas and others with revitalization plans. Throughout our history, we have facilitated preservation initiatives in rural areas including Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Mineral, Preston, Tyler, and Wetzel Counties, as well as projects in Charleston, Morgantown and Parkersburg. More recently, our leadership team, including our Board of Directors, made the strategic decision to modify Vandalia’s original scope and coverage area to enable us to pursue pivotal preservation redevelopment projects outside of the Mountain State.

What are some of Vandalia’s projects?

Originally founded to preserve the early 1900’s B&O Railroad buildings so important to Grafton’s history, within a few years, Vandalia had developed a portfolio of more than 50 preservation initiatives. These range from former theatre and performance halls and mothballed hotels to single family Victorian residences converted to affordable housing and historic storefronts and commercial spaces with new uses. Typically Vandalia responds to the specific and unique needs of a given community, whether the project is located in the downtown central business district (“Main Street”), or in a challenged neighborhood. We have funded (“sub-granted”) and administered over $100M in government funded projects, and have obtained financing for difficult projects in rural, under-served areas.