West VA Housing Development Fund, 5710 Maccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV 25304, US

The roots of Neighborgall Construction Company are solidly planted over eighty years deep in Huntington soil, but one must look to the city's skyline to see what the firm has accomplished in its lifetime. The enterprise originally was a partnership between C.R. Neighborgall and E.P. Leach. Then called Neighborgall and Leach Construction Company, the firm initially erected homes and apartments before entering the commercial market about 1926. The present First Street fire station represents one of its first non-residential efforts. From that point and continuing through 1990, the company's residential work was limited to insurance loss restoration projects. In the early days of expanding the company, two wartime projects of national prominence were spearheaded by the founder's son, C.R. Neighborgall, Jr. The firm converted the world-renowned Greenbrier Hotel into Ashford General Hospital for the War Department. At the same time, it built a prisoner of war camp on adjacent property. The second project was more ambitious. It involved transporting 120 military duplex housing units on barges for an unprecedented 577-mile trip on the Ohio River. Young Neighborgall Jr. put the company's name on the October 25, 1944 cover of the prestigious Engineering News Record with a picture showing the largest tow ever on the Ohio River. These successes inspired the eager businessman to establish a new corporation. The senior Neighborgall and brother Claude joined him in forming Neighborgall Construction Company in 1946. In the 1950s, the marketplace was industrial construction. The decade found Neighborgall Construction Company fabricating the Detroit Steel blast furnace in Ironton, Ohio and the Houdaille-Hershey manufacturing building. The firm was also responsible for constructing dozens of Pure Oil service stations throughout West Virginia and Ohio. In 1953, Neighborgall built Huntington's four public swimming facilities. During the next decade, Neighborgall began its long standing relationship with Marshall University's building program. The company renovated Hodges, Laidley and Prichard halls, and Morrow Library. Other projects of the era included erecting the original Huntington Hospital ( currently HCA River Park Hospital ) in 1964, and the Prestera Mental Health Center. The early 1970s spawned the development of financial institutions in the area, and Neighborgall Construction Company won several contracts. It erected the glass-fronted First Huntington National Bank ( currently BankOne ) and renovated Huntington Federal Savings and Loan into its contemporary round brick facade. It also constructed The Security Bank of Huntington ( currently One Valley Bank of Huntington ). During the same period, the company built the Red Cross Regional Blood Center in Huntington, the Wayne County Health Center in Wayne and a major addition to Montgomery General Hospital. It also renovated the C & O Railroad Employee Hospitals in Huntington and Clifton Forge, Virginia. Neighborgall played a major role in the resurgence of medical facilities in the late 1970s and early 1980s, building major additions to all three local general hospitals during the period. A change in West Virginia banking laws enabled the firm to create numerous branch banks for One Valley Bank of Huntington and Star Bank of Ironton, Ohio. Retail grocery facilities comprised part of the construction market and Neighborgall completed many new stores and renovations for Big Bear and Kroger. West Virginia's expansive public school building program is the cornerstone for the company's current growth. Neighborgall was charged with construction management duties for consolidated high schools including Capital, Cabell Midland, Huntington and Northern Wayne County. A renewed community focus on health care has provided additional opportunities for the firm. It recently completed major additions at Cabell Huntington Hospital and Kings' Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Kentucky. Saint Mary's Ho