Facade Incentives Continue To Make Impact in Wheeling
Owners Libby and Robert Strong applied for a Facade Improvement Program grant through the city of Wheeling for this downtown property at 1410 Main St. This former drug store that sits adjacent to the Wheeling Artisan Center has been vacant for years, and according to signs in the window, has been put up for sale. This week, Wheeling City Council approved $12,856 in matching funds from the city for a facade upgrade.
Eric Ayres
Owners Libby and Robert Strong applied for a Facade Improvement Program grant through the city of Wheeling for this downtown property at 1410 Main St. This former drug store that sits adjacent to the Wheeling Artisan Center has been vacant for years, and according to signs in the window, has been put up for sale. This week, Wheeling City Council approved $12,856 in matching funds from the city for a facade upgrade.
Eric Ayres
The city of Wheeling continues to incentivize investments in private property upgrades, and through its popular Facade Improvement Program, streetscapes throughout town are seeing positive results with each and every building’s facelift.
Mayor Glenn Elliott this week noted that participation in the popular incentive program is still going strong after five years, highlighting the fact that there were eight applications from the latest round of submissions that were brought before city leaders for final approval this week.
"That’s encouraging to see so many people taking advantage of this program," Elliott said. "Every time you make a visible improvement to a city streetscape somewhere, it really reflects well on everybody. It reflects well on the city, and it increases property values."
The city recently expanded the Facade Improvement Program’s eligible areas to additional neighborhoods throughout Wheeling, opening the door to even more private property upgrades in the city. Review of applications takes place on a regular basis each year, with recommendations forwarded from city staff to Wheeling City Council for final approval on a quarterly basis.
The most recent round of grant applications was unanimously approved by city council this week. Those properties and property owners who this week were given the green light for their projects -- and the amount of grant money provided to them through the city’s Facade Improvement Program -- included:
717 Main St., Sallie West, $15,000;
1410 Main St., Libbie and Robert Strong, $12,856;
648-650 Main St., Crest Investments LLC, $8,711;
96-14th St., Forty & Eight Enterprises LLC, $8,807;
817-819 Market St., Alvarado Place Properties LLC, $8,181;
44-14th St., Helping Heroes Inc., $15,000;
2800 Wood St., Kahlie Wilson, $7,510; and
82 ½-14th St., Thomas McIntire, $3,950.
"I consider these investments in ourselves, and I really want to thank city staff for continuing to work on these programs and thank members of the public for taking advantage of them," Elliott said.
Depending on each private project’s overall cost, the program typically provides 50% in matching funds from the city -- up to a maximum of $15,000 -- for upgrades to an eligible building’s facade, in addition to some other qualifying improvements.
Wheeling’s program was initiated in 2017 and was modeled after a similar program that has been utilized in the town of Greenville, South Carolina.
Originally, the Wheeling Facade Improvement Program targeted eligible properties in the downtown central business district and historic Centre Market area with financial assistance to exterior upgrades, roof improvements and other eligible work. However, the successful program was expanded beyond these districts in recent years, with city leaders encouraging owners of eligible properties - both commercial and residential - throughout the Friendly City to participate.
"We’re pleased to see that people are continuing to take advantage of the Facade Improvement Program," Wheeling Vice Mayor Chad Thalman added. "I encourage anyone who has a commercial property in the city to contact the Economic and Community Development Department to see if they are eligible for the grant."