Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott Seeks Progressive Future
Glenn Elliott: ‘Wheeling is coming back’
WHEELING — Mayor Glenn Elliott said those under age 40 have no memory of the downtown Wheeling that featured department stores such as Stone & Thomas, L.S. Good’s, J.C. Penney, Sears, G.C. Murphy Co. and Horne’s between 10th and 12th streets.
Instead, he said many younger people associate downtown Wheeling with “empty lots that feel like missing teeth” in relation to the multiple demolition projects that have taken place during the last 30 years.
However, during his first State of the City speech Tuesday at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, Elliott said new projects such as the new headquarters of The Health Plan, the Stone Center Lofts and the Boury Lofts are sure signs of a downtown renaissance.
“The towering crane above its construction site sends the unmistakable message that downtown Wheeling is coming back,” Elliott said of the work at The Health Plan development in the 1100 block of Main and Market streets.
Although Elliott believes Wheeling has virtually limitless potential for growth in its advantageous position at the junction of Interstate 70 and the Ohio River, he also acknowledges some hindrances to this growth, including the ongoing battle against opioid abuse, vacant buildings and the lack of an “aggressive recycling program.”
Downtown Development
If anyone has a vested interest in seeing downtown Wheeling succeed, it may be Elliott, who runs his law and real estate business from The Professional Building at 1300 Market St., a structure he purchased in 2013. He acknowledged the efforts of Kevin Duffin, who is renovating the 120-year-old Flatiron Building adjacent to the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center on Main Street.
Elliott also said city officials are working toward design standards for downtown buildings, with specific emphasis on new construction. He said great downtowns “do not happen by accident.”
“We are looking at a period now in which we are going to have new buildings being built in downtown Wheeling. We have to get this right,” he said.
Elliott did not rule out adopting some standards for existing buildings, but emphasized the matter is still in the works and would have to be approved by city council.
“The main focus is the new construction. You want the new buildings to fit well with the historical buildings,” he said.
One of Elliott’s main additional goals for downtown is to attract a full-service grocery store for those who already live in the area or may be on the way.
“That is a must. It would really enhance the downtown experience to have somewhere that would sell fresh produce and fresh meats,” he said. “We have some people looking at it, but they are not there quite yet.”
Another one of Elliott’s goals is to work with the West Virginia Department of Transportation to open Main and Market streets to two-way vehicle traffic. For many years, traffic on Main Street has only traveled south, while vehicles on Market Street go north.
“We want this to be a place you can live, work and play,” he added of downtown.
Recycling and Progress
Elliott said becoming a vibrant and “progressive” city that attracts younger residents requires new thinking. Part of this, he said, was the ordinance passed last year to protect housing and employment rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.
“Corporate America has long ago resolved this issue in favor of inclusion, and progressive cities across the country, as well as our state, are following suit,” he said.
Additionally, Elliott said the city needs to take recycling more seriously. He cited the presence of the Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe Global Operations Center, as well as Williams Lea Tag. Both companies hire college-educated employees, while both firms feature offices in cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., New York City, Shanghai, and London.
“They may be from San Francisco or New York and get transferred to Wheeling,” he said. “When they find out we don’t have a more aggressive recycling program, it offends them.”
According to the city’s website, Wheeling now collects magazines, newspapers, aluminum, steel and tin from households for recycling once every two weeks. There is no mention of collecting plastic, however. In the past, city officials have said plastic presents challenges because they can’t get much return from it due to its light weight.
Crime, Drugs and Vacant Buildings
For all the efforts to move the city forward, Elliott acknowledges Wheeling has a variety of problems associated with decades of economic and population decline.
“We have to recognize that while our population has decreased, our city still occupies the same 16 square miles it has for generations — only now with countless more vacant structures creating opportunities for criminal activity,” he said.
According to Economic and Community Development Director Nancy Prager, 247 unoccupied structures throughout the city are now registered via Wheeling’s home rule authority, while 49 left the program last year. Of these, 23 were demolished during the last year, while 26 became occupied.
Elliott also said the opioid abuse epidemic is a major problem that is “ruining too many lives and consuming more and more of our public safety resources.”
The mayor said partnering with county, state and federal officials to combat the drug problem is crucial.
“When it comes to public safety, we must pledge to never let complacency sink in.” he added.
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