The experience opened my eyes. After MICD, I know my design leadership is going to affect the city for the next 100 years.
Mayor Steve Williams (2012-Present)
2014 MICD South
Background
Huntington, WV is the economic and cultural center of a mostly rural region that covers parts of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. Since taking office in 2013, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams has pushed his city to think big and aim high in its policies for everything from tackling the opioid crisis to spurring economic development.
Challenge
At the South Regional Session of MICD in 2014, Mayor Williams workshopped his vision to revitalize key neighborhoods and increase high-speed internet access.
Impact
Three years after MICD, Mayor Williams led the creation of the final Huntington Innovation Project (HIP) Plan, laying out a bold strategy to revitalize three distinct neighborhoods and link the city with high-speed gigabit internet access. The plan drew national attention in 2017 when Huntington won the $3 million grand prize of the America’s Best Communities competition. The city has since leveraged this award to secure over $9 million in additional funding, including a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant and Love Your Block funding.
