WHEELING - As 2008 began, City Manager Robert Herron and former Mayor Nick Sparachane said they had an aggressive plan to re-open the Capitol Music Hall and revitalize downtown Wheeling.
As the year comes to a close, Herron and current Mayor Andy McKenzie are still trying to implement the changes they believe will lead to a rebirth of the city's downtown business district.
The downtown, overall, continues to deteriorate. A recent walk on Main and Market streets revealed more than 40 unoccupied store fronts. The Capitol Music Hall, downtown's most marketable attraction, also remains closed.
Article Photos
Photo by Casey Junkins
Wheeling leaders are still trying to find a way to re-open the Capitol Music Hall, which has remained closed since May 2007.
Tax Increment Financing and the Wheeling 2020 Plan
Herron and Sparachane's original plans for redeveloping downtown included using $2.5 million in Tax Increment Financing to renovate the Capitol, which has remained closed since May 2007 when owner LiveNation learned of multiple fire code violations at the venue. Plans also called for using $2.5 million in TIF dollars to purchase and demolish a series of buildings in the 1100 block of Main and Market streets.
On May 9, Herron and Sparachane unveiled the Wheeling 2020 plan for the future of the city's downtown. The city, along with the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Regional Economic Development Partnership and the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corp., paid $70,000 - $17,500 per agency - for the downtown development plan formulated by Pittsburgh-based EPD Consultants.
The plan includes specific recommendations for future development in four main zones throughout the downtown - "Music Row," "Lower Main," "Riverside" and "Creekside."
Music Row encompasses areas of Main Street from the Wheeling Suspension Bridge at 10th Street to the Heritage Port Business Center. Because the zone includes the Capitol, development recommendations for this area focus on music and entertainment, as well as boutique retail shops and office space.
Lower Main includes the area of Main Street from the Heritage Port Business Center to the the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center. The plan calls for business in this zone to focus on office space as well as retail and restaurant development.
Riverside includes all of Water Street from 11th Street to WesBanco Arena. Officials would like to create a corridor for pedestrians with facades that would promote a more active sidewalk environment along Heritage Port.
Creekside consists of the area surrounding Wheeling Creek from its mouth at the Ohio River to Market Street. Ideas for this zone include room for back office development, work lofts for artists and entrepreneurs, and room for a possible hotel in the area currently used as a parking lot between WesBanco Arena and the creek.
The Wheeling 2020 plan also calls for the construction of brick street surfaces at several intersections along Main, Market and Water streets, as well as large music notes on downtown sidewalks.
Current city officials have not been clear about when, or even if, the Wheeling 2020 plan will be implemented.
Capitol Feasibility Study
In May, WHNAC Executive Director Hydie Friend announced she had hired Economic Research Associates of Washington, D.C., to conduct a market feasibility study for the Capitol.
Friend previously said a group of "interested parties," including WNHAC, RED, the Wheeling CVB and the city, had been working to see how they can re-open the 1928 theater. The primary concern with the Capitol is whether it can be a profitable venture for any potential buyer.
The city of Wheeling currently has $2.5 million in TIF money available to upgrade the Capitol; however, the money cannot be used to purchase the structure. The TIF application states the city would use $2.1 million to address life safety codes and $400,000 to build a new roof.
But due to the current state of the economy, McKenzie has said the city does not intend to issue more TIF debt in the near future.
Market Street Plaza
Installing new sidewalks with metered parking, new brick patios and a new fountain are some of the improvements city officials are looking to make to the Market Street Plaza.
The plaza - which is officially classified as a municipal park - runs along the west side of Market Street between 10th and 11th streets in downtown Wheeling. About a decade ago, the plaza was frequently filled will bustling activity. Folks would carry bags of merchandise out of Stone & Thomas and would stop for snacks and treats at some of the nearby specialty shops. Other residents would just enjoy walking through the park.
Though foot traffic in the plaza has taken a dip in recent years, city Development Specialist Kurt Zende believes the area can be revitalized. He recently said action on the plaza plan could be taken by the city's development committee in the near future.
The 1100 Block of
Main and Market streets
McKenzie recently confirmed that the city issued $715,000 in TIF bonds to fund the purchase of the former Rite Aid building, former G.C. Murphy building and former River City Dance Works buildings in the 1100 block of Main and Market streets.
While city officials explore development options for these buildings, they have taken steps to begin cleaning up the structures to make them more appealing to potential tenants.