Mountain State Blue Cross To Build New Headquarters

Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield has announced plans to build a new downtown headquarters in Parkersburg. The new building will involve an investment of as much as $27 million. The planned five-story, 125,000-to-150,000 square-foot building will be constructed on the United Bank parking lot at Seventh and Market streets, across from the company's current facility. The new headquarters will accommodate Mountain State’s growing roster of workers, said Gregory K. Smith, president and CEO of the company. When Mountain State arrived in Parkersburg in 1991, it employed 91 people. Today more than 550 people work there and the company expects to hire 170 more in the next 12-15 months.