January 2, 2015
The West Virginia community of Fairmont, an aging coal mining town, was reeling from high unemployment, an exodus of major employers, and a decline in population. Over the next 17 years, Fairmont got down to brass tacks. A major bridge was reopened, 159 buildings were rehabilitated, 83 net new businesses opened and the city’s population began growing again. One catalyst spurring this turnaround was the formation of Fairmont’s Blueprint Communities team. Named one of West Virginia’s ten Blueprint Communities, an FHLBank Pittsburgh initiative, Fairmont enlisted a diverse team of leaders to spearhead the charge.