ST. CLAIRSVILLE — From humble beginnings, Gabe Hays grew his landscape architecture business to include work at Wheeling’s Heritage Port, Oglebay Park and other venues throughout the Upper Ohio Valley.

Hays is now the director of landscape architecture and planning for the Wallace Pancher Group, but began his own business in St. Clairsville in 1997. In his 20 years of service, the St. Clairsville native has played a key role in many projects, but he said his work in Wheeling is his greatest accomplishment.

“I feel very proud of how I have been able to contribute to the Ohio Valley’s most significant city: Wheeling,” Hays said while working in his studio on East Main Street in St. Clairsville.

Hays began his work in the Friendly City in 1998 by working with officials at Oglebay and Wheeling parks regarding facility improvements.

“Almost every project I’ve done can be traced back to Oglebay. That work introduced me to (Wheeling National Heritage Area Corp.),” he said.

The organization formerly known as WNHAC is now Wheeling Heritage. In 2004-05, Hays worked on the final phase of the Heritage Port project, which included new restrooms and adjustments to the Heritage Trail along the Ohio River.

In 2015, Hays worked to design the site for the new headquarters of The Health Plan in 1100 block of Main and Market streets, into which the first 60 of an estimated 350 employees of the insurance company moved last week. Hays also worked on the extensive Market Plaza renovations a few years prior to that.

He said he is now about to embark on his most significant venture in Wheeling: the multi-million-dollar streetscaping project for the downtown area.

“We will be doing the streetscaping project,” Hays said. “The traffic study has to be finished first, though.”

West Virginia Division of Highways officials are now studying the viability of two-way traffic on Main and Market streets downtown. The streetscaping project, according to Mayor Glenn Elliott, would likely include:

∫ New street paving on Main and Market streets from 10th-16th streets;

∫ new sidewalks for Main and Market streets for this same stretch; and

∫ new paving on 10th, 12th, 14th and 16th streets from Main to Market streets.

The original cost estimate for this work, Elliott said, was $10 million, with the city’s share being $2 million. Elliott expects this number to increase due to “unforeseen issues” with the sidewalks.

Whatever the final cost, Elliott said the city’s portion is 20 percent, with the state covering the rest.

The streetscaping plan will utilize tax increment financing, which is a tool that allows local governments to borrow money for development projects in a defined district, on the promise they will repay the debt with the proceeds from future gains in property tax revenue within that district.

“I really give a lot of credit to (Elliott) and the other members of city council. I think they have a really good vision for where to take the city,” Hays said. “They may not accomplish all of it, but at least they have goals.”

Hays continues working on major projects in Belmont County as well, with the Marcellus and Utica shale industry generating significant work for his firm.

“We do work in designing the well pads, as well as some work on the pipelines,” he said. “It’s an industry that just continues to grow here. And if the (PTT Global Chemical) ethane cracker comes to Dilles Bottom, we’ll have even more work.”

Hays also has worked with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seven Springs Mountain Resort.