Centre Market Roof Project Nearing Completion

Photo by Eric Ayres

WHEELING - The roof replacement on the historic Lower Market House at Centre Market has gone very well and is nearing completion, Wheeling city officials reported this past week.

The city approved a $680,000 contract with Mansuetto Roofing and Sheet Metal of Martins Ferry for the project. The contract was awarded in May and work to replace the roof on the lower market house has been ongoing through the summer.

"I’m happy to report that the Centre Market roof project is about 85 percent complete," Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron told members of city council. "That project has gone very well. We had a couple of issues with the roof that was rotted underneath where we didn’t think it was going to be, but we’ve taken care of all of those."

The Lower Market House, built in 1890, is actually the newer of the two historic market houses at Centre Market. The Upper Market House predates the Civil War, opening its doors in 1853.

A variety of funding sources were used to pay for the much needed roof replacement. A grant from the National Park Service in the amount of $150,000 was used, along with a West Virginia State Development grant in the amount of $42,000. A $289,000 contribution from the city’s regular RCIP (Restricted Capital Improvement Project) fund was also used, along with a $107,500 allocation from the city’s Infrastructure RCIP and $100,000 from the city’s Project Fund.

Work was expected to be completed over the summer and be finished before a Sept. 30 deadline, but city leaders indicated that the project has moved along well and should be finished soon. Scaffolding and equipment have engulfed the Lower Market House during the roof replacement, but businesses in Centre Market have remained open through the work.

"It’s been tight quarters down there, obviously," Herron said. "But the contractor has worked very well with the business community. We’re in the home stretch there, and hopefully it’ll be completed here within the next two or three weeks."

The Lower Market House had old wood shingles previously. Although newer materials were used for the roof replacement, the project aimed to maintain the historic character of the building, officials have noted, explaining that this is actually a stipulation in the grant funding that was approved through the West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office.

"It looks great," Wheeling City Councilman Ty Thorngate said.

In other action this week, Herron reported that the city’s 2026-27 paving contract work is expected to begin soon. Last month, city council awarded a $791,761 contract with Cast & Baker of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, for this year’s street resurfacing project.

"The paving contractor will be mobilizing next week," Herron said. "It’s been delayed about 10 days due to weather. So that project will begin soon. As you know, there are several streets that will be resurfaced throughout the city."

Herron also noted that the city can now shift its focus on the Clay School property in East Wheeling from demolition to funding for a new facility on the site, which is now clear. Crews from Raze International Inc. of Shadyside were awarded a $459,300 contract to take down the 75,000-square-foot former school building, and demolition work began back in early April. The project was finished ahead of schedule, and the contractor was praised for its work on the job.

"The Clay School demolition project has been completed. If you had a chance to take a look at that, the restoration work was outstanding. The site was left in very good condition," the city manager said. "The next part of that is to figure out ways to raise funds to put a new facility on that location. So we will be beginning that and will have a nice piece of property to show future funders who may be interested in assisting us in the future development of that property."