Hotel Thelma revitalizes former Green Book Hotel bringing affordable housing to Bluefield, WV

VCDC is proud to be a partner on the Hotel Thelma revitalization project in Bluefield, WV, celebrating the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in February.

Lead by Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Corporation (BARC), this project preserves historic Hotel Thelma, a former Green Book property, creating 10 new affordable apartments in the city's historic Black community for the first time in decades.  

Rehabilitation efforts will revive the legacy of Thelma Stone, a Black female entrepreneur who opened the business as a hotel for Black travelers. Remarkably, despite segregation barriers in the 1940s, Stone obtained a construction loan from Flattop National Bank in Bluefield, and used the proceeds to develop, own, and operate her business, which grew over the years to include a restaurant and a market.  The hotel welcomed iconic artists such as Etta James, Sam Cooke, Little Richard, James Brown, and Tina Turner.  

Over the years, the hotel declined and lacked the funds to be maintained, falling into neglect and disrepair. Hotel Thelma and its history were largely forgotten. During Black History Month in 2022, a local news report featured an interview with Thelma Stone's grandniece who recounted stories from her childhood of spending time with her great aunt at the property. This touching moment encouraged a small group of Bluefield residents, led by the church’s pastor, to restore the building. 

As the project brings 10 affordable apartment homes, a first-floor restaurant, and job opportunities to Bluefield’s East End, BARC anticipates that this innovative project will reignite Thelma Stone’s entrepreneurial spirit and inspire Bluefield Residents to become business owners.  

VCDC provided technical assistance funds to help the project move forward in the predevelopment phase, and we look forward to continuing working with BARC as the Hotel Thelma revitalization moves forward.