Plans Unveiled for Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center
Trending
WHEELING - Just moments after officials unveiled eye-popping new conceptual designs for a new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center on Wednesday, work crews ceremoniously began taking chunks out of the former Wheeling Inn building with a demolition machine.
The "out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new" mantra signaled the opening of a new chapter to downtown Wheeling’s history. Wednesday’s unveiling helped bring into focus a long-awaited project that promises to celebrate the city’s past while at the same time looking to the future.
"It’s been a long road to get here, and we’re pleased for what the future holds for this site," Wheeling Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis said. "Hopefully in a few short months, we’ll be able to see something that hasn’t been seen in one, two or three generations - that Suspension Bridge."
Officials emphasized that the removal of the old hotel - considered by many to be an eyesore that lingered right at the main entrance to downtown Wheeling - will help highlight the historic Suspension Bridge in a way that has not been experienced for many decades.
"For more than 150 years, there’s been some type of building obstructing the view to the Suspension Bridge," said Frank O’Brien, executive director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which purchased the Wheeling Inn property at 949 Main St. - also known as the Knights Inn of Wheeling - for $1.7 million in January 2023. "That’s the reason we’re doing this - opening up the Suspension Bridge views is going to really change the gateway to Wheeling in a positive way."
Frank O’Brien, executive director for the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau, welcomes guests Wednesday to the unveiling of plans for the new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center on Main Street. (Photo by Eric Ayres)
The newly revealed designs by Desmone Architects of Morgantown boast concepts for a new building at the Wheeling Inn site that is positioned away from the bridge, allowing an open view of the historic span through a public plaza. Initial designs for the multi-level Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center include viewing platforms that overlook the Suspension Bridge and the Ohio River, a rooftop restaurant area and access to Heritage Trail below along the river - complete with an elevator and stairway tower that connects a walkway viewing bridge over the trail to the center.
Brad Frankhouser, principal of Desmone Architects, said the conceptual designs for the center were created with input from representatives of partner agencies that collaborated on the project to bring it to his point.
"As architects, it isn’t our job to dictate what a project is," Frankhouser said, noting that local officials helped the designers curate ideas that highlight a rich community history in a modern facility built artistically in brick, steel and glass. "The new visitor’s center will be a place where all can gather, relax, learn and engage - not only just for visitors but for community members as well."
Consultants on the Gateway Project - Tipping Point - welcomed key stakeholders from the Wheeling CVB, the city of Wheeling, the Ohio County Commissioners, the Regional Economic Development Partnership and representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.
Sklavounakis noted that Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger and City Manager Robert Herron also deserved significant recognition for the fact that this project even ended up becoming a possibility in the first place.
Wheeling Vice Mayor Jerry Sklavounakis welcomes attendees Wednesday to the unveiling of plans for the new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center on Main Street. (Photo by Eric Ayres)
"They started the process to have this place deemed a public nuisance," Sklavounakis said, noting that the Wheeling Inn had been painted in a police investigation as a hive of criminal activity. "I also want to give a special shoutout to Gov. Jim Justice. Without his Department of Tourism and the people down in Charleston, we wouldn’t be here today. This is a huge step forward for the city in an area where we’ve seen significant investment transforming the entrance to our beautiful city."
Officials noted that the area around the proposed Gateway Project site has been a hub of public private investment and redevelopment that has already revitalized the primary entrance to the city from Interstate 70. The Carl family has made a significant investment into the neighboring building that houses The Bridge Tavern, The Newbridge Academy building across the street has also seen millions of dollars worth of improvements and repurposing, the Woda-Cooper Companies opened the new Doris on Main apartment complex, and the W.Va. Division of Highways invested millions in the rehabilitation of the Suspension Bridge and continues to work on the $35 million Downtown Streetscape Project.
"We truly appreciate the partnership. A lot of people worked tirelessly to get to this point. I, along with everyone else with the city, can’t wait to see what the future holds," Sklavounakis said.
Other public and private investments continue to enhance this corridor to the city, and the Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center will only enhance this transformation.
"I’ve always thought of this block as the front door to the city," Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell said. "It’s long looked old and tired.
"It’s a great day for the Friendly City and for Ohio County. Today we take one more step toward the revitalization of our great city."
O’Brien said that thanks to the partnerships that brought the project to this stage in the planning, several different funding sources have been secured to help move the ambitious project forward to fruition.
Officials unveiled conceptual designs Wednesday for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center.
"It really took a lot of effort by the local people who have been involved," O’Brien said. "Because of these partnerships - the city and Ohio County - it enhanced our ability to go to the federal level, to ask Sen. Manchin and Sen. Capito and present to them this project as a team effort. When you have the support of all of those different entities, it makes the road to get funding a little bit smoother."
Local officials met with Sens. Manchin and Capito "face to face" to present the project before requesting funding, resulting in $2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to be committed to the center.
"They quickly bought into what we’re doing here, and that’s because we had a good presentation, good drawings, a lot of due diligence on our part before we went and asked for money," O’Brien said, noting that the CVB’s acquisition of the property helped open the door to a variety of potential funding sources. "It looks as though we’re pretty close to $18 million committed and in hand. And that’s about what it’s going to cost to build."
Raze International of Shadyside will continue the demolition of the Wheeling Inn building over the course of the next eight weeks or so. They were awarded a contract of around $500,000 for asbestos abatement and demolition, and the cost of the former hotel’s removal will be paid with funds from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s DLAP (Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties) Program.
Demolition will take place on Mondays through Thursdays and on some select Fridays. During this time, the section of Wheeling Heritage Trail below will be closed during work hours between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pedestrian traffic will remain open on the Suspension Bridge, but construction flaggers will occasionally direct pedestrians away from the demolition area when necessary.
Crews from Raze International began tearing away at the former Wheeling Inn building on Wednesday following a ceremony to unveil designs for a new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center at the downtown site. Removal of the former hotel is expected to open up views of the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge that have not been seen for well over a century. (Photo by Eric Ayres)
Once the building is down, crews will level off the property and stabilize it to prepare the site for redevelopment.
"We actually have vibration monitoring devices on the bridge to make sure that what we’re doing here doesn’t have any impact on the sustainability of the bridge," O’Brien noted, referring to the hotel demolition’s proximity to the historic Suspension Bridge. "If everything comes into play, we’re going to be putting out construction drawings probably in May, then they’ll be bidding for the actual construction. I’d hate to put a timeline on it, but I’m going to say it’s going to be two to three years max to get this thing built."
Officials unveiled conceptual designs Wednesday for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center.
Officials unveiled conceptual designs Wednesday for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center.
Officials unveiled conceptual designs Wednesday for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center.
Officials unveiled conceptual designs Wednesday for the upcoming Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center.
Local and state dignitaries joined community leaders on Wednesday at the site of the former Wheeling Inn, where plans for the new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center were unveiled. (Photo by Eric Ayres)
Crews from Raze International began tearing away at the former Wheeling Inn building on Wednesday following a ceremony to unveil designs for a new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center at the downtown site. Removal of the former hotel is expected to open up views of the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge that have not been seen for well over a century. (Photo by Eric Ayres)
Frank O’Brien, executive director for the Wheeling-Ohio County Convention and Visitors Bureau, reviews plans for the new Wheeling Gateway Visitors and Heritage Center with Bill Bryson of Uniglobe. (Photo by Eric Ayres)