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Editor, News-Register:
In the past two weeks, downtown Wheeling welcomed two groundbreaking projects for new housing, new commercial/retail space, and a state of the art parking complex.
These are obvious efforts to support the revitalization our downtown as well as the Streetscape project soon underway.
Another effort to revitalize downtown is currently before City Council in the form of a resolution to declare the Wheeling Inn a public nuisance. For years we have witnessed the decline of this once iconic hotel into a deteriorating haven of illegal activity including prostitution and drugs. Its mere existence has been a persistent drain of public service resources including EMS, Fire, and Police.
According to data from the Wheeling Police Department Crime analyst, from Jan. 1, 2019 to Nov. 18, 2021, 303 calls for service were made at and around 949 Main St. (Wheeling Inn).
A breakdown of these calls identified illegal activities including drug possession with intent to sell, drug overdoses including deaths, prostitution, sexual assault, physical assault, theft and destruction of property, warrants both City and State including fugitives. The manager/owner of the Wheeling Inn has also been arrested for maintaining/operating a drug premise. Sadly, this is not the extent of the illegal activities noted.
It has been suggested that the Inn serves as a safe haven for those who are homeless. According to Homelesslaw.org, among the top five causes of homelessness is substance abuse issues and mental illness.
Placing such a vulnerable population in an environment surrounded by the illegal activities as noted above is not a safe haven.
Downtown Wheeling is beginning to turn the corner toward a more vital future that involves new housing options, more retail and service amenities, and entertainment opportunities to attract both locals and visitors. However, our "gateway" to welcome all into downtown is tarnished by a physically deteriorating Inn with known illegal activities within and surrounding its doors.
We urge City Council to do the right thing and declare this location a public nuisance.
The citizens deserve better, our EMS, fire and police deserve your support, and the future of a revitalized downtown Wheeling depends on it.
The Carl Family
Owners of 950 Main St.