"It was the cornerstone of our community for many years," Mayor Clyde Hochstrasser said of the former Paden City High School at its reopening this spring. He also said its closing "had a negative impact on our community."
The building at 201 N. 4th Ave. now has the name he was reaching for. The Paden City Development Authority formally opened it as The Cornerstone on May 6, 2026, with a ribbon cutting and an open house. Five months later, the old school isn't a museum to what the town lost. It has become the one building in Paden City where a nail technician, a ceramics shop, a fitness class, the city council and a Saturday birthday party all use the same hallways. How that happened comes down to a $10 transfer and a decision about who pays the electric bill.
A $10 Deal And A Utility Bill Someone Else Covers
When the school was set to close in the county's school restructuring, Cork Bowen of the PCDA asked that the building be handed to the authority for the town's use. The Wetzel County Board of Education agreed. At the transfer ceremony, Delegate Bill Bell handed Superintendent Cassie Porter $10 to close the deal.
What the PCDA did next explains why the building filled up. Bowen said the rooms run 800 square feet and larger, and that "the PCDC pays the utility cost for those coming wanting occupancy." Brian Price, who has been central to the project, said the rooms were cleaned, painted and newly carpeted, and that the authority will work with a tenant to set up a room before move-in. A twelve-member board guides the building's future.
For a one-person business, the hard part of opening a storefront is often the monthly bills that arrive before the first customer does. Taking utilities off the table lowers that barrier, and the tenant list shows who walked through.
Who's Leasing Space There Now
Aimee Gaines got in early. She saw on Facebook that Bowen had the keys to the high school and secured a room, according to an April Wetzel Chronicle profile. By the July business forum held inside the building, the roster had grown.
| Business | What it offers | Where it fits in the building |
|---|---|---|
| Getting My Fit Together with Aimee | Group and personal fitness classes run by Aimee Gaines, a certified trainer, Monday through Friday at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. | Her own room; reach her at 304-815-5539 |
| Polished Look by Brook | Artificial nails, with fiberglass nails planned | One of the first businesses to move in |
| Jake Pierce Ceramics | A ceramics shop | The former art room |
| Mickey Guerrera's auto detailing | Detailing across eleven counties, plus work for car dealerships | Listed on the PCDA tenant page |
| Sappy Stories Photography | Photography | Listed on the PCDA tenant page |
Gaines's classes are built for all fitness levels and include modified and seated workouts. She is also a nutritionist and a Drumba instructor. Brook told the July forum that once she starts applying fiberglass nails, she will be the first in the area to offer them. Guerrera started building his detailing business while he was still in high school.
The PCDA's tenant page shows a few more entries whose names don't come through as readable text, so the table may not be the full roster. For leasing questions, the authority's number is 304-907-0074.
The Businesses Started Meeting Each Other There
Putting small businesses side by side under one roof had a second effect. In July, the Paden City Business forum met in Jesse Brown Hall, led by Lisa Bohrer of the Wetzel Tyler Chamber of Commerce. Gaines, Brook, Guerrera and Brittany Mason of Cheernastics each explained how they started and what problems they had to solve. Bohrer also introduced Jake Pierce Ceramics. Mason told the group her programs can include as many as fifty kids of different ages.
Afterward, each owner filled out a survey with questions like how to decide what to charge for a service, and then the answers were shared with the room. A follow-up meeting was set for July 23 at 6 p.m. in the same hall. Bohrer, at [email protected], is the contact for business owners who want to join. Bohrer also announced the Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition, with a $2,000 prize to be awarded this September.
The Rooms Anyone Can Book
The tenants are half the story. The other half is the shared space, and that's where the building has taken over jobs that used to be spread across town.
On September 8, Paden City Council held its regular meeting in the Jesse Brown Cornerstone building, with Mayor Hochstrasser presiding. The Paden City Alumni Association held its Green and White Banquet in Jesse Brown Hall on July 4. In May, Price said the hall was in use nearly every weekend, hosting everything from birthday parties to civic group meetings.
Booking the hall is posted online, with these terms:
- Rates. $75 for four hours or $125 for a full day, kitchen access included.
- Add-ons. A projector and a sound system, each $25.
- Capacity. Seating and tables for up to 100.
- Timing. Four-hour bookings start at 10 a.m. or 4 p.m. by default. Check the availability calendar first. For a different start time, call or text 304-907-0074 or email [email protected].
The Bob Burton Gym gets steady use too. Price said in May that pickleball, basketball and volleyball groups were using it almost constantly. The most recent published pickleball details date from November 2025: weekday play from 9 a.m. to noon, at $3 per visit or $25 per month. No 2026 update has been published, so call 304-907-0074 before you bring a paddle. The same number handles gym rentals, which don't have a posted rate.
The Same Board Is Already Working On The Next Buildings
The Cornerstone's success explains why the PCDA's other projects are worth following. The group that turned around the high school has moved on to the next sites.
Bowen told council on September 8 that work on a drive-through area and new entrance doors was moving ahead at the old middle school. The report didn't say what will go into that building, and nothing has been announced yet.
At the same meeting, he said the park remediation project was waiting for the EPA and Fish and Wildlife to approve tree removal, which first requires confirming no bats are in the trees. In May, the Wetzel Chronicle reported separate work south of the marina, where contaminated soil was being removed and replaced with topsoil to make room for camping and other city projects.
This month brings the most visible test. Bowen said work would soon begin on this year's PCDA Haunted House, to be held inside the industrial park, and promised it would be "bigger and scarier." As of the last week of September, no dates, hours or admission price have been published.
The Haunted House is a separate event from the Haunted Trail. The Paden City Park and Pool Commission runs the Haunted Trail at Paden City Park on Monday, October 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is $2, with a hayride and treats, and the rain date is Tuesday, October 20. Paden City Public Library will close early at 4 p.m. that day so staff can hand out books and treats on the trail. Until the PCDA posts its own date, plan on the trail for the 19th and watch for the Haunted House announcement.
The Cornerstone's story is about a building finding a new use in a small town. If you own a building, a rental or a home in Paden City and you're wondering what it could become or what it's worth today, Pathway Real Estate Professionals can walk you through it step by step. Start with a free home valuation, and we'll give you a straight answer based on what's happening in Paden City now.
