The massive earth work on the Menards side of State Route 279 has not been the only earth work taking place in the Charles Pointe development. Some many have noticed earth being moved and infrastructure being installed at the main entrance to Charles Pointe in recent weeks.

 

The good news, according to Bridgeport City Engineer Beth Fox, is the work is done. The better news is that it is part of infrastructure work being done to help facilitate development at the Menards site and the entire area that should be the next major development area in the city.

 

“The work that was done involved casings,” said Fox, who pointed out the city only served as the project inspector.

 

The infrastructure project is being handled by Genesis Partners, the developers of Charles Pointe. They are also the group responsible for the multi-million-dollar earth moving that has taken place that is anticipated to be the site of a Menards and multiple other retail facilities or other business entities in the future.

 

The work involved for this project, said Fox, involved the installation of casings for infrastructure. One casing was for gas, while she said the other was for water.

 

Pro Contracting, working as a subcontractor for Bear Contracting Fox said, handled the work and did the boring under State Route 279 to get the infrastructure from the existing location to the opposite side of the roadway.

 

“The infrastructure is now in place to get it all the way out toward where Menards is planning on locating,” said Fox. “Now, Bear is continuing with the open cut infrastructure placement, which involves excavating trenches and putting in utilities.”

 

The infrastructure work is needed to facilitate the arrival of Menards, a major home improvement retail chain headquartered in the Midwest and making its move east – including more than one location in West Virginia. It is all part of what Genesis Partners announced as “a massive 650,000 square foot retail complex located immediately off of Exit 124 at the intersection of Interstate 79 and West Virginia Route 279 in Bridgeport.”

 

Fox said anytime infrastructure improvements are made it is a good sign. In this case, she said it is a very good sign.

 

“This is absolutely a positive step. Infrastructure is a huge investment, and this will make that site even more favorable for commercial development because all the utilities needed will be right there,” said Fox. “We hope Menards and others look at the site, see how it is set up and where it is located and determine it’s a good fit for doing business.”