“You Can Leave for Cool Places — or Make This One Cool”: Gabe Peña on Reviving Appalachian Downtowns

“You Can Leave for Cool Places — or Make This One Cool”: Gabe Peña on Reviving Appalachian Downtowns

In the heart of West Virginia coal country, Fayetteville City Councilmember Gabe Peña is proving that small towns can be both historic and forward-thinking. Appearing on The Good Government Show, Peña shared how his Appalachian community is breathing new life into old buildings, turning a once-forgotten downtown into a hub of outdoor recreation, entrepreneurial spirit, and civic pride. “You can run around and try to enjoy the cool places,” Peña said, “or you can stay here and make this a cool place.”

Peña, who also works with the West Virginia Community Development Hub, spoke passionately about connecting downtown redevelopment to the outdoor economy. Fayetteville is adjacent to the New River Gorge National Park, and Peña is determined to ensure that local communities—not just visitors—benefit from its tourism boom. “We have to connect these outdoor recreation assets to downtown somehow,” he said, pointing to strategies like short-term rental zoning and trailheads that lead directly into town centers.

A big piece of Peña’s approach is creative reuse of historic buildings, including schools that still have original chalkboards and lockers. One such structure was converted into 17 middle-income apartments. “They’re beautiful,” he noted, “and to preserve them, we kept the bones—and the history.” Peña emphasized that these projects don’t just protect architecture, they also offer affordable housing, economic stimulus, and job training, especially when paired with federal and state incentives.

The work doesn’t stop at housing. Peña described efforts to build workforce development pipelines, such as one hydroponic project that pairs urban farming with housing for people transitioning out of homelessness. “It’s not just about redevelopment,” he said. “It’s about recovery, workforce, housing—and hope.” That holistic model is gaining attention in other coal towns, where Peña is helping communities secure grants, plan trail systems, and redevelop fallow properties into productive assets.

Perhaps most inspiring is Peña’s deeply rooted belief in community-driven governance. “Good government is really facilitating a diverse and open conversation,” he said. “We want people to show up not just when they’re upset—but when they have ideas.” As a former river guide who nearly left for Colorado, Peña chose instead to stay and shape his town’s future. “I knew if nobody stayed to speak up for access to outdoor recreation, it just wouldn’t happen.”

For towns like Montgomery and Smithers, which lost their economic base when WVU Tech left, Peña has helped bring in millions in federal dollars for a new trail system—the River Cities Trail—that could reconnect communities once divided. “These places have been hard hit,” Peña said, “but they aren’t done. They just need someone to see their value again.”