Special Meeting Held to Approve Demolition of TCI Building
Wheeling Receives Additional WVDLAP Funding to Raze Dilapidated Structures
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WHEELING - City officials in Wheeling are taking action on a long-awaited demolition project in Elm Grove with hopes of expediting the process now that state funding has been secured for it.
Members of Wheeling City Council meet in a rare special session on Monday specifically to hold a second reading and to take a vote on an ordinance to spend $130,000 with Reclaim Company LLC of Fairmont, W.Va., for asbestos abatement and demolition of the TCI of West Virginia building, located at 2184 National Road.
The ordinance received a first reading during Wheeling City Council’s most recent meeting last week on July 21, when the legislation was first introduced.
Councilman Dave Palmer, who represents the Ward 6 neighborhood of Elm Grove, said the removal of the former TCI Building in the heart of the business district on that busy stretch of National Road has been a long time coming.
"I’ve been waiting since I’ve been elected to council," said Palmer, who is now in his third term on Wheeling City Council. "I’ve been hearing it. The residents of Ward 6 would really like this eyesore removed. It’s been vacant for 25-30 years. There are issues with it - the building. We’ve waited our turn, and I ask that you please support this ordinance."
All members in attendance during Monday’s special meeting voted to approve the legislation. Councilmen Tony Assaro and Ty Thorgate were not present for the vote.
The state of the former TCI building has been an issue for Elm Grove for many years. During the most recent municipal election, Palmer mentioned during his campaign that one of his goals was to finally see the vacant building either renovated or removed.
Officials noted that the asbestos removal and demolition of the building will be paid through West Virginia Dilapidated Properties Program funding.
Photo by Eric AyresThe former TCI of West Virginia building on National Road in Elm Grove has sat vacant for decades on the corner of National Road and Junior Avenue. On Monday, members of Wheeling City Council held a special meeting to give final approval to an ordinance authorizing a contract for asbestos abatement and demolition of the building.
"These funds were made available as leftover funds from the first program," Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said of the state’s DLAP funds. "We have tight time frames to spend them to meet the state requirements. So that’s the reason for the expedited second reading is to get this project under contract and hopefully meet the DLAP timing requirements."
City leaders indicated that the project should proceed in the near future and could be completed by sometime in September.
Because of its location near the Junior Avenue Bridge and its close proximity to other businesses along National Road, officials indicated that some temporary or partial road closure could be expected once demolition of the hulking, three-story brick building.
Reclaim Company LLC was determined to be the lowest and best bidder for the project. By comparison, Raze International Inc. bid $325,957 for the work and Edgco Inc. bid $184,000 for the project.
Wheeling officials have kept a number of properties on its raze or repair list on the front burner with the anticipation of additional DLAP funding from the state’s previous rounds of distribution to become available. In May, city council took action to get a list of dilapidated residential properties under contract with the expectation that the project could be reimbursed with state DLAP funds.
"About six weeks ago, city council passed an ordinance authorizing about eight or nine residential structures with the anticipation of DLAP funding," Herron told council members at the most recent meeting. "I’m happy to report that the DLAP funding has come through, and we are able to move forward with that contract. So council’s action to be ahead of the game on that particular program enabled us to tell the state that we were ready to go with these demolitions, and therefore we did receive funding for them."
For the previous contract approved in mid-May, council authorized the expenditure of $104,800 with Edgco of Lansing for abatement and demolition of several residential properties, including 1115 ½ Lind Ave., 1321 McColloch St. and 1321 McColloch St. Rear, 2319 Jacob St., 1121 McColloch St., 505 S. York St., 21 Vermont St., 3911 McColloch St. and 3-39th St.
By comparison, Raze International of Shadyside bid $164,700 for that contract.
Photo by Eric AyresThe former TCI of West Virginia building on National Road in Elm Grove has sat vacant for decades on the corner of National Road and Junior Avenue. On Monday, members of Wheeling City Council held a special meeting to give final approval to an ordinance authorizing a contract for asbestos abatement and demolition of the building.