Former Coal Camp Apartment Building Preserved

An apartment building in a former Raleigh County coal camp has been saved from the wrecking ball.

A coalition of preservation, development, community and government agencies are working to preserve the Helen Apartments in Helen.

Raleigh County extension agent David Rotenizer tells The Register-Herald that the building had been marked for demolition as a dilapidated and abandoned structure.

The County Commission agreed last December to pay back taxes on the property and transfer it to a local community group.

This weekend, agencies and volunteers will remove trash from the building. They also will secure the structure against further damage from rain, vandalism or vagrants until it can be restored.

Rotenizer says the project could serve as a model for preserving structures until funds are available for a full restoration.