$10 Million Renovation Continues at YWCA Wheeling
Joselyn King Trending
WHEELING -- For 112 years, the YWCA Wheeling building on Chapline Street has operated with no more than nine separate bathrooms having a combined total of 18 stalls and a handful of showers.
While the facilities mostly accommodate women, there also are three men's restrooms on the building's lower floors.
But once a $10 million renovation is completed there, the facility will have an additional 25 bathrooms upstairs as "Jill and Jill" full bathrooms with showers are being placed between every two bedrooms in the sleeping areas there. The facility has 26 separate individual bedrooms on a floor that sleeps drug rehabilitation clients, as well as another 24 rooms on a secure and separate floor for those seeking temporary shelter following domestic violence incidents.
Construction at the YWCA Wheeling is on track to be completed by Thanksgiving, according to Lori Jones, executive director of YWCA Wheeling.
"Before it was always about community. On the upper floors, there were always four showers, six sinks (on each floor). But COVID told us community was not the way to be," she explained.
YWCA officials decided that having separate bathrooms "where residents are not sharing a bunch of stuff" was the way to go, Jones continued. When the project is completed, the relocated YWCA Boutique will have its own restrooms for women and men in the basement. There will also be restrooms for both men and women on the first and second floors, which are public floors.
An important point of note is that as the weather reaches high temperatures, air conditioning units for the YWCA building are now on the roof - though they are not yet hooked up and running.
Table fans could be seen running in many of the bedrooms. The facility has never had air conditioning.
"It is exciting (for residents)," Jones said. "You'll get your own bathroom and air conditioning."
Another major improvement is the installation of a new elevator. What was supposed to be a six-week project actually took 14 months amid supply chain issues and changes in the company's ownership, she explained. The elevator was out of commission from Dec. 14, 2022, until February 2024, according to Jones.
Jones added two of the new bathrooms are almost ready to be released.
The building's former pool has been filled in to make way for the future boutique space in the basement, which is presently being used as a staging area as construction continues throughout the building.
"They haven't put any of the finishes down there yet, but they (boutique volunteers and shoppers) are champing at the bit to get down there," Jones said.
Colaianni Construction of Dillonvale is the general contractor for the YWCA project.