Friends of Wheeling Celebrates Architectural Achievements

WHEELING -- Each year since 2008, Friends of Wheeling has presented three awards to individuals or organizations that have made a significant contribution to Wheeling's architectural heritage. With last year's awards dinner canceled due to COVID-19, the group handed out six awards — three for 2020 and three for 2021 — this past Wednesday at the McLure House Ballroom.

Among the awards given out for 2020 were:

– Outstanding Adaptation of a Historic Building to Kevin and Patty Duffin for the Flatiron Building -- The building, originally constructed in 1895-96 by the National Tube Company later served as the offices of the Wheeling Steel and Iron Company. Major renovations were completed by 2018, resulting in seven loft apartments on the upper floors and a coffee shop on the first floor.

– Outstanding Adaptation of a Historic Building to Jeff Woda for the Boury Lofts and the Stone Center (accepted by Erica Green, Woda Group Regional Vice President, and Daniel Archer, Regional Manager -- The Woda Group converted the former Boury warehouse into loft apartments, and also converted the upper floors of the former Stone & Thomas Department Store into 22 apartments, offering a prime example of adaptive reuse.

– Outstanding Creative Interpretation of Wheeling to the late Thomas Griffith, accepted by Charles Griffith -- For decades, the late Tom Griffith created colorful paintings of street scenes in and around Wheeling, in both public buildings and private homes throughout town.

Awards for 2021 were:

– Outstanding Rehabilitation of a Historic Building to Douglas Carl and Mike Carl for the Bridge Tavern -- In the late 1800s, this building featured a grocery store with housing on the second floor. In the early 1960s, the Dormas family opened the Bridge Tavern and operated it until 2018. The current owners have done extensive renovation work, with design input from architect Wendy Scatterday. Modern apartments and AirBNBs are now on the upper floors, while the Bridge Tavern remains on the first floor.

– Outstanding Stewardship of a Cemetery to Paula Stein and Joan Smith for Mount Zion Cemetery -- This cemetery, affiliated with the Zion Lutheran Church and located just outside Wheeling city limits, was dedicated on July 3, 1864. More than 12,000 people, ranging from Civil War veterans to current day interments, rest there. After the sponsoring congregation gave up the property, it fell into disrepair. A group of dedicated volunteers began taking care of the property in 2015 -- mowing the grass, removing tree limbs and debris, planting flowers, and resetting markers. These efforts are ongoing.

– Outstanding Property Rehabilitation to Mike Koker and Roger Edwards for 635 Main Street -- Koker applied for and received one of the Friends of Wheeling Loan Guarantee Fund opportunities in the spring of 2019 and set to work, alongside master builder Edwards, to create an apartment on the third floor, while living below.

Friends of Wheeling, founded in 1970, is the oldest historic preservation organization in the state. The organization is open to anyone who is interested in Wheeling's history and architectural heritage.