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Funding Secured for $58.7M Downtown Wheeling Waterfront Development

Funding Secured for $58.7M Development, To Include Hotel, Conference Center, Restaurants

By ERIC AYRES 11 min read

WHEELING - W.Va. Gov. Patrick Morrisey joined local and state leaders in Wheeling on Tuesday to celebrate a milestone in the effort to bring a new, multimillion-dollar waterfront development to the city.

A who’s who of city and state officials, representatives of supporting agencies and others gathered on the patio of WesBanco Arena on Tuesday overlooking the Ohio River, Heritage Port and the corner block of 14th Street between Water and Main streets, where the $58.7 million development promises to bring a new hotel — named the JC Lando — a conference center, retail space, restaurant and more to the heart of downtown.

The project is spearheaded by local entrepreneur Barry Allen, who along with his wife, Lisa, the city of Wheeling and a team of community leaders, helped put together a plan to bring an ambitious vision for the future of the city to life over the past few years. A new entity known as Vol for Life LLC with Allen as principal was established for the venture, which was first announced to the public back in 2024. But the idea for the new waterfront complex had been years in the works before that.

Allen said the venture first began to materialize after he and his wife retired - stepping away from their leadership roles at the Ziegenfelder Corporation, the Wheeling-based frozen treat manufacturer that distributes its popular products nationwide.

"Back in ’22, this project began as a simple passion - a desire to give something back to a city that has given so much to me and my family," Allen said. "My mission has always been simple - to revitalize Wheeling, West Virginia.

"So, now, I share with you the JC Lando."

Known loosely in its infancy as the Wheeling Waterfront Development, the project’s official name is a tip of the cap to Allen’s father-in-law, a man who Allen said he never met in person but a figure whose presence resonated through the company that Barry and Lisa Allen helped shepherd into one of the Friendly City business community’s pillars.

"This is in honor and memory of Charles Lando, Lisa’s father - a second-generation entrepreneur and owner of the Ziegenfelder Company, which produces 2.3 million Twin Pops a day right here in Wheeling, West Virginia," Allen said, noting that this vision for this project goes beyond the construction of a new building. "It’s about creating opportunity. It’s about bringing visitors to our city. It’s about encouraging families to live here, attracting new businesses, creating jobs and building a future that our children and grandchildren will be proud of."

Morrisey said the JC Lando development is an important piece of a puzzle that will open the door to new tourism opportunities in the future, creating economic growth for both the city and the state.

"This is an amazing project," the governor said. "The JC Lando project is going to transform downtown Wheeling. This is a telltale sign of the amazing future West Virginia has. We’ve been working hard on the fundamentals, and we’re pushing to make sure economic development investment is real."

Allen and city officials thanked the governor and his administration for their support in the project, which recently helped provide the final piece of the capital stack to fund the venture. On June 18, the West Virginia Economic Development Authority Board approved a $9.5 million loan for the project.

"This is truly a transformational project for downtown Wheeling, and we couldn’t have done it without you and the state," Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron told the governor. "This is a significant private sector investment. This project continues the resurgence and renaissance of our city, particularly downtown Wheeling. This is going to be a unique building that will help showcase our fabulous waterfront."

Herron said that the state’s Downtown Streetscape Project has renovated the heart of the city and is now complete.

"Now is the time for development on the private side of things," Herron said. "We look forward to construction in the coming months."

Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder described the project as an important step forward in the continued revitalization of the city’s downtown. Magruder applauded Allen and his team for their efforts in bringing it to fruition.

"Their investment is not simply a building," the mayor noted. "It’s an investment into the future of our community, our economy and all of the people who call Wheeling home. It will bring visitors, support local businesses and restaurants, create jobs and strengthen Wheeling’s position as a destination for tourism, business and special events. It’s another sign that our downtown continues to build momentum, and that people really believe in Wheeling’s future."

Josh Jefferson, president of the Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED) and emcee for Tuesday’s event said the continued development of downtown Wheeling is exciting news.

"This significant project is being made possible by a vision and collaboration of many who are excited to see our region and West Virginia prosper," Jefferson said. "It will be a centerpiece joining other major investments happening to the north and south - including the WVU Cancer Institute St. Joseph Regional Cancer Complex and the Wheeling Gateway Center - and it will complement and support many other tremendous partners, including the Capitol, WesBanco Arena and Oglebay Park."

The Mills Group designed the building, and on Tuesday, it was announced that Southern Hospitality Group will serve as the project’s developer. Andrew Cajka, president of the Greenville, South Carolina-based Southern Hospitality Group, said they are eager to begin work.

"Our firm is excited to be a part of this project," Cajka said. "We look forward to transforming the Wheeling waterfront."

Founded in 1998, Southern Hospitality Group has developed and managed independent and franchised hotels with Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton.

Allen also thanked Bob Peckenpaugh, president and CEO of the Wheeling Park Commission, for his collaborative efforts to help bring the project forward, offering support and insight as the head of Oglebay Resort. Allen said the JC Lando project will not compete with Oglebay, but will instead complement the park’s efforts to establish Wheeling as a destination.

The Demolition Process

In order to make room for the JC Lando, the city acquired several buildings along 14th Street, including the facility that for decades housed National Equipment. Earlier this year, National Equipment opened at its new location in Elm Grove. The former Wheeling Coffee and Spice building, a five-story warehouse building, and former barber shop building facing Main Street were also acquired.

The buildings are located within Wheeling’s Historic Downtown District. City code requires that a public hearing be held before the Wheeling Historic Landmarks Commission on the application to demolish contributing buildings within an historic district.

Some public outcry over the planned demolition of these historic buildings has been voiced in recent months. The building that housed Wheeling Coffee and Spice is a pre-Civil War structure that dates back to the 1850s. Other buildings set for demolition are also deemed contributing structures to the historic district.

A public hearing had been advertised to take place last month, but the hearing was rescheduled. Officials had indicated that they wanted the final piece of the capital stack to be secured before the process to proceed with demolition requirements moved forward. A new public hearing on the application to demolish 9-14th St., 13-14th St., 15-14th St. and 1319 Main St. has been scheduled to take place before the Wheeling Historic Landmarks Commission on Aug. 6.

Officials noted that the historic nature of this corner of Wheeling will be highlighted in the JC Lando project and a number of elements from the existing buildings will be highlighted in the new development.

"This location has long been part of Wheeling’s story," Magruder said. "Today, we begin to write an exciting new chapter, one that honors our past while embracing the opportunities of tomorrow."

Bidding for the remediation and demolition was released the day after the WVEDA approved the loan, Herron said.

"We received bids on the demolition of the buildings necessary for the hotel project on July 21," the city manager explained. "We received five bids. We do have a low bidder, and we’re prepared to make a recommendation to city council at the next council meeting. But we are going before the Historic Landmarks Commission with the project."

Herron said the intention is to save elements of the historic buildings, and this plan will be presented to the Historic Landmarks Commission.

"We will outline what we’re going to be doing to preserve portions of the coffee shop building, which include taking the pillars, the cornerstone sign, the lights and preserving those, and if there is anything else of value, certainly we’ll consider that," he said. "But that’s all part of the process to recognize and acknowledge the historic nature of the buildings but also continue on with this project."

Conceptual drawings by the Mills Group of the JC Lando building show likenesses of the historic building facades along 14th Street as part of the designs.

"Within the renderings of the building there are tributes to two of the buildings - the coffee shop building and the large, multi-story warehouse building that was next to the National Equipment building," Herron said.

Allen noted that the historic buildings - particularly the former coffee shop facility - are important to people in the community and to the city’s history, which is a key element to the new development’s theme.

"The city is in charge of demolition, and they have architects that have been involved. They’re doing everything they can to save everything on the outside and inside - whatever they can save. And our goal is to incorporate that into the new buildings," Allen said. "Our vision is to have as much of Wheeling’s history in the project as we can - that’s one of the reasons why we call it JC Lando. We want to do everything we can to save all that we can and incorporate it into the new facility."

Upon approval to proceed with demolition from the Historic Landmarks Commission, the recommendation to contract out the asbestos abatement and demolition work will go before Wheeling City Council. Physical work will then begin on the project.

"We’re hoping that we’ll be able to work on demolition of 14th Street from Main Street to Water Street - starting in late August, hopefully to the end of December," Allen said. "If that stays on course, we would break ground somewhere between January and April."

Construction would then follow.

"It would take somewhere between 18-24 months, with no issues," Allen said. "So we could have a grand opening as early as fall of ’28 or the spring of ’29."

Long-Term Economic Impact

An economic impact analysis provided Tuesday outlined how this investment could create substantial, long-term benefits for the region. Highlights included:

-During the construction period, the project is expected to generate nearly $88 million in total economic activity, support 465 jobs, provide $28 million in employee compensation and produce $2.8 million in state tax revenue.

-Once fully operational, the hotel is projected to generate more than $12 million in annual economic activity, support 87 jobs with nearly $4 million in employee compensation and generate more than $1.3 million in annual state tax revenue.

-The restaurant is estimated to support more than $9 million in total spending, create 88 jobs with nearly $2.9 million in employee compensation and $642,000 in tax revenue in West Virginia annually.

-Conservatively, it is estimated that retail operations will support $1.3 million in total spending, create 12 jobs with $479,000 in employee compensation and $202,000 in annual state tax revenue.

"I’ve always believed that if we build something truly special, people will come … and when they come, others will follow," Allen said. "I want this to be a catalyst for future investment."

Allen said his long-term vision for the project will be to invest a portion of the venture’s proceeds back into Wheeling, much of that going to causes the Allen family hold dear to their hearts like autism awareness and education. He said he also would like to see the JC Lando project provide $100,000 annually to helping young business owners in Wheeling get a solid foothold, and he said he hoped to inspire at least nine other local business leaders to make similar commitments.

"Together we can create up to a million dollars of annual investment dedicated solely to strengthening Wheeling in supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs," he said. "My vision is about building something lasting and creating momentum that continues for decades."

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