Two Major Downtown Wheeling Projects About To Meet

Eric Ayres

WHEELING -- Work is still progressing on the construction of the new Market Street Parking Garage in Wheeling, although some coordination has to be managed in the coming weeks as the state's Downtown Streetscape Project has made its way into the same city block.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation and general contractor Triton Construction of St. Albans recently closed the downtown block of Market Street between 11th and 12th streets, as the major sewer separation work as part of the $32 million streetscape project continues to make its way north. This block had already been restricted to one lane for several months because the city's new parking garage at the corner of 11th and Market streets is being built by Pittsburgh-based Carl Walker Construction.

This past week, Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron reported that the two major projects are making adjustments, as heavy equipment and the work zone being used by the two different construction companies are set to be in the same area.

"The parking structure that the city is currently constructing on Market Street is going to be subject to some Streetscape scheduling issues," Herron told members of council last week. "The crane that has been on site since the beginning of the project is going to have to be disassembled, which will occur next week. A large mobile crane will be put in its place as the storm sewer makes its way up Market Street."

Ground was broken for the construction of the six-deck, $12.6 million-dollar parking garage back in April 2022. This year, the construction has seen massive amounts of concrete being put in place at the site, as the new structure has gone from street level to a height that is slightly taller that its neighboring buildings.

"The good news is that the final major pour for that project for the final top deck will occur on Jan. 7, weather permitting," Herron reported. "Based on the forecast, the contractor feels they have a go there. So that project is progressing."

Ryan Sengewalt, acting construction engineer for the West Virginia Division of Highways District 6, told Wheeling Vice Mayor Chad Thalman last week that planning between the state's Streetscape work and the city's parking garage project has been proceeding well. However, additional closures along the already encumbered portion of upper Market Street are expected in the coming weeks.

"Coordination between the parking garage structure at 11th Street and Wheeling Streetscape Project has been great ... but unfortunately due to the amount of construction in this area, it was determined to close Market Street from 12th Street to Lane 7, and detour traffic using alternative routes while this work is ongoing," Sengewalt said. "Next week, the parking garage contractor is going to be moving out their stationary crane and mobilizing a new mobile crane to be able to better work around the Wheeling Streetscape Project."

Sengewalt said five tractor trailers will have to be staged on Market Street from 13th Street to Lane 7 -- where the current detour of outbound traffic is directed back to Market Street from Chapline Street.

"This will affect parking for the businesses on Market Street for a day or two between those two streets," he said. "The Wheeling Streetscape contractor has agreed to allow as many tractor trailers as possible within the section of roadway from Market Street between 11th and 12th streets to alleviate loss of parking for the businesses, but it is expected that the right side of the street between Lane 7 and 11th street will have little to no parking until the equipment is removed."

Sengewalt noted that as work progresses on the Streetscape project north of 11th Street from Lane 7 to 10th Street this winter, the state intends to try to incorporate traffic alongside the construction as much as possible, although this proposal is still being evaluated.

At the new parking garage, work is already underway to get the lower level retail spaces filled. Earlier this year, Wheeling City Council agreed to hire a realty firm to market the space to potential tenants, which will eventually be reviewed and approved by city leaders.

"Council did authorize Century Realty as the listing agent for the commercial space," Herron told council members last Tuesday. "A couple of weeks ago, they toured that commercial space. They have the prints for it, and they are in the process of marketing it, so that when the parking structure is ready to be occupied, we'll hopefully have some tenants to present to city council for your consideration."

Construction of the new Market Street Parking Garage is expected to be completed in April.