photo by: Eric Ayres

The city of Wheeling has approved two Facade Improvement Program grants for the Friends of Wheeling, which continues work to rehabilitate the historic buildings at 722 and 724 Main St. in North Wheeling.

Wheeling’s Facade Improvement Grant program continues to provide financial incentives for eligible property owners to upgrade their curb appeal and make other structural and cosmetic enhancements.

Now awarded on a quarterly basis through action by Wheeling City Council, the facade grants provide up to $15,000 in matching funds toward eligible projects.

The city recently awarded a total of $51,000 in the latest round of Facade Improvement Program grants to help fund upgrades to seven different buildings in town – mostly historic structures or buildings located within historic districts of Wheeling.

Recent projects included improvements to the East Wheeling buildings that house both Neely’s Grocery and Studio 27 Hair Salon, the Wheeling Artisan Center downtown, two adjacent buildings within the North Wheeling Historic District and the former Fraternal Order of Eagles and Wheeling Jamboree building on Main Street — where the new owner plans to house Holidaze by 2027 featuring a restaurant, bar and event spaces.

Depending on each private project’s overall cost, the program typically provides 50 percent in matching funds from the city — up to the maximum amount — for upgrades to an eligible building’s facade, in addition to some other qualifying improvements — including a new roof.

Wheeling’s program was initiated in 2017 and was modeled after a similar program that has been utilized in the town of Greenville, S.C. Applicants submit requests to the city’s Economic and Community Development Department, which reviews projects and determines if they are eligible for funding through the program before forwarding a list of recommendations to city council for approval every four months.

This month, the latest quarter of recommended projects was presented to council through a list of new resolutions, which were all unanimously approved. They included:

– A $3,982 grant to Maggie M. Turak for 41-15th St.

– A $5,461 grant to Friends of Wheeling for 722 Main St.

– A $1,645 grant to Friends of Wheeling for 724 Main St.

– A $9,300 grant to Wheeling National Heritage for 1400 Main St.

– A $712.62 grant to Todd and Mary Miller for 1610 Wood St.

– A $15,000 grant to Michael Runkle for 944 Main St.

– A $15,000 grant to the Mills Group, Wheeling Holdings LLC, for 1101 Market St.

“The city’s facade program continues to be a win for property owners and the city,” Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder said. “When citizens improve the face of their properties, it becomes contagious and encourages other property owners to follow suit and improve the cumulative value of the neighborhood and the city at large.”