WHEELING — Construction work at the City-County Building in downtown Wheeling is approaching its final stages.

Melissa Marco, project coordinator for Ohio County, updated county commissioners on the status of the building’s upgrades during their meeting this week.

Marco reported the stone pavers down on the portico on the 16th Street side of the building are now in place.

“If you haven’t seen it, it looks incredible,” she said. “I don’t know how they were able to match stone from 60 years ago.”

The west portico at the main entrance along Chapline Street now is roped off as paver replacement happens there.

Visitors are still able to use the entrance by using the ramp at the left side of the main doors.

Marco expects that work there will be done in two weeks.

The final phase of construction now begins as the city of Wheeling finance and water departments on the first floor will be temporarily moved into the former Wheeling Police Department space as upgrades to heating, air conditioning and other improvements take place in their offices. The move is expected to take place next week.

Improvements to the former police station area already have been completed.

The Ohio County Health Department office will relocate there at the end of October, and that will permit renovations to take place throughout the main areas of the first floor.

The moves will be part of the next and final phase of renovations at the City-County Building.

The Ohio County Building Authority approved the issuance of $12 million in bonds in October 2022 to do all the work needed, and construction gradually has been taking place over the past couple of years.

Marco anticipates the project could be completed in its entirety by early next year.

The city of Wheeling leases space for municipal offices from Ohio County, which owns and operates the City-County Building. In order to contribute to the costs associated with the major renovation project, the city in 2022 approved terms of a revised lease with the county.