Chris and Jorge Want to Help Revitalize Ronceverte
Chris and Jorge Rodriguez-Stanley are in for an adventure about something they don’t really know a lot about. The two come from more creative backgrounds with very limited real estate or construction experience, but that isn’t holding them back.
Chris spent years in Los Angeles as a dancer and Pilates instructor and Jorge is a journalist in digital media based in Los Angeles. Covid threw their world upside down so they bought an old building in Ronceverte, West Virginia and uprooted their lives to bring some love and attention to the small, Appalachian town.
Ronceverte is Chris’ hometown. The people and the culture raised Chris and made him the determined, resilient, compassionate, and resourceful man that he is today. All of these characteristics are deeply rooted in his Appalachian background and sensibilities. He has carried that way of living with him from the West Coast and back, never forgetting the people that shaped him in those early years.
For years, Chris would visit his family and would be saddened at the condition of his hometown. Years of lackluster leadership and people unwilling to take risks to better the town left it in disrepair. There are still people here who own buildings and refuse to let them go to people who want to fix them. Instead, they are letting them get worse out of pride and misguided greed. Chris always said that it would take someone who cared for the town and with bold leadership to fix the town that was once a gem in this region.
“I always thought that somebody needed to help this town, I just never imagined it would be me,” Chris, co-owner of the building formerly known as the Rudy’s building, says. “It’s a surreal moment to realize that I, as a gay man, can come back to this small town and create some needed and lasting change that others haven’t been willing to do.”
Jorge sees a potential to create something new and exciting in this town, that is in desperate need of people willing to do the work to revitalize it. The river access has positioned this town to be an exciting and thriving place to gather and live.
“Ronceverte is one of the most wonderful small towns I have ever been to,” Jorge, Chris’ husband, says. “I grew up in a small town and have visited several small towns. There is something special about Ronceverte that is just beneath the surface waiting to be released. We are hopeful that with some time, effort, and community cooperation, we can create something great.”
Ronceverte is ripe for revitalization and with the help of Chris and Jorge, it is slowly getting the love and attention it deserves.