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West Liberty University Holds Official Opening for Center in Downtown Wheeling

Higher education institutions investing in downtown Wheeling

Photo by Casey Junkins Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott speaks during the Friday opening of the West Liberty University Downtown Center at 1100 Main St., while WLU mascot Topper looks on.

WHEELING — Angela Zambito-Hill vividly recalls times when, as a child, her mother took her shopping for shoes and cosmetics at the former Horne’s department store in downtown Wheeling.

Now, Zambito-Hill will get to work in that same space in her role as executive director of the West Liberty University Foundation, after the school officially opened its Downtown Center on Friday.

“It’s really cool that I now get to work where we used to come shopping,” Zambito-Hill said. “They (Horne’s) had such amazing window displays. We hope to take advantage of the windows, as well.”

The West Liberty downtown presence joins that of Wheeling Jesuit University, which teaches its physical therapy program in a portion of the nearby Stone Center.

This means two of downtown Wheeling’s historic retailers — Stone & Thomas and Horne’s — now house university centers.

Meanwhile, at the south end of downtown, West Virginia Northern Community College continues expanding its footprint with a new $4.7 million Industrial Technology Center at 1803 Eoff St.

All of this is good news in the view of Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott.

“We are entering a period of regional growth — both economic and cultural growth — and, hopefully, population growth,” Elliott said. “We need to be thinking about collaboration and cooperation opportunities wherever possible if we are going to compete globally. With respect to West Liberty, I have long maintained that more could be done to bridge the 12 miles physically separating the city from the university,” he added.

Zambito-Hill will split her time between the downtown center and the main campus. However, WLU Development Coordinator Holly Hall will work at the center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“This is a very exciting time for the foundation as we focus efforts and resources to grow the endowment for the future of West Liberty University and build new relationships that will strengthen our community,” Zambito-Hill added.

The center is on the 11th Street and Main Street corner of the building now owned by the Regional Economic Development Partnership. University President Stephen Greiner said the space should be considered “multi-use.”

“Besides housing the office of our foundation and its fundraising work, it is our vision that this new downtown location will expand West Liberty University’s entrepreneurship outreach to a wider audience in a convenient location. We plan to engage with the arts, non-profits, government and all community organizations,” Greiner said.

Currently, the university’s entrepreneurship center is located on the main campus. Greiner said officials wanted to expand it to Wheeling so that students can witness the downtown revitalization.

The university’s television station will have a mobile studio available at the center, and there will also be an art exhibit coordinated by the College of Arts and Communication. Admissions and financial aid information also are available at the center.

Adjacent to the new headquarters of The Health Plan, the former Horne’s building also houses the the RED offices, the Wheeling Nailers team office, the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce office, some additional employees of The Health Plan, the Internal Revenue Service and the Wheeling office of U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va.

“When I saw the momentum to make downtown Wheeling vibrant again, I knew West Liberty University needed to be part of it,” Greiner added.

Elliott said he hopes this continues the positive momentum for Wheeling, particularly the downtown area.

“In 2018, downtown Wheeling is defined by reinvention and by hope,” he said. “It is particularly fitting to see a former retail space repurposed to house a university foundation.”

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