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Update Public On Big Projects

A number of initiatives by Wheeling officials have been in the works for well over a year. Mayor Glenn Elliott’s state of the city speech, scheduled for Tuesday, is the perfect time for members of the public to be updated on where the proposals stand.

State of the city addresses, modeled on similar annual speeches delivered by governors and presidents, tend to be upbeat presentations. But Wheeling faces action on at least three — possibly more — major projects this year. Controversy has been a feature of each of them.

So, we hope the mayor will discuss the three in some detail, They are:

n A proposed $14.5 million public safety building to house Wheeling police and firefighters. City officials are more than two-thirds of the way through a 90-day option-to-buy agreement approved Dec. 17 with Frank Calabrese, owner of land at 19th and Jacob streets, where the facility could be constructed.

What discussions have there been regarding how much Calabrese would be paid, investigation of contamination of the ground and buildings now on it, and whether federal funds can be obtained for environmental remediation?

n Potential construction of a new parking garage downtown, to serve the old Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel building. An Ohio developer has proposed renovating it for residential and commercial use.

What is the status of the developer’s plan? How far along are city officials on the garage? Where would it be sited and how much would it cost (the original estimate was $11 million)?

n “Streetscaping” in downtown Wheeling. On the back burner for some time, the proposal for repaving and general improvements for motorists and pedestrians had been estimated to cost $19 million. But last fall, city officials learned their application for $10 million in federal funding had been turned down.

What, in general, is the plan now? What would it cost? How would the money be raised?

Wheeling residents have many other concerns, certainly not the least of which is the historic Suspension Bridge’s future. That, too, ought to be discussed by the mayor.

Again, proposals such as those outlined above have been controversial during the past year. Tuesday’s speech would be an appropriate time for Elliott to update Wheeling residents on what to expect regarding them all during the coming year.

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