It shouldn't take a visit from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to remind us that, despite its current condition, downtown Wheeling really is a pretty special place.
Many of us have wonderful memories of the downtown that was: thousands of people on the streets; dozens of locally owned businesses offering goods and services; great eateries; weekly entertainment at the Capitol and other venues; and an underlying energy that made Wheeling feel like a much bigger place.
That version of downtown is gone -- in fact, it's been gone for decades. The downtown of today and tomorrow, when you look past the orange barrels, the rutted roads and the in-need-of-a-facelift buildings, is one where hope springs eternal.
Consider: People and families are moving into downtown, calling it their home; private investors are returning, finding new life for old buildings or, when necessary, tearing down and starting anew; there are new events taking place at WesBanco Arena and the Capitol Theatre -- not to mention the weekly shows and festivals at the city's waterfront; and local officials are finding unique ways to provide targeted public investment -- the $32 million Downtown Streetscape Project is an example -- that will help modernize our city.
All of this will help Wheeling re-emerge not as the downtown of old, but as a new downtown, one with a blank canvas for those of us here now to fill.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg noted many of the changes happening here in Wheeling during a visit Tuesday.
"What I see is a lot of pride in a community that is shaping a stronger future by making good investments in its downtown area," Buttigieg said. "When you talk about building up a downtown, that's not just for America's biggest cities. That's really important for communities like Wheeling, and it's really important to us as an administration to be supporting that with funding. So the $16 million that we have pledged to help this project we hope will help to unlock private sector dollars."
There's the key -- the public/private partnership. Revitalizing downtown can't happen with just our tax dollars -- the private sector must have a stake, as well. We're seeing that with new housing options at Doris on Main, and the Wheeling-Pitt Lofts; with new venues such as Waterfront Hall and the newly finished 1306; revitilization of the buildings in the 1400 block of Market Street and the former Columbia Gas building; and much more.
"The revitalization we're seeing in downtown is incredible," said Councilman Ben Seidler. "People are talking about it. It's creating a buzz."
Yes, it is.
Now, it's up to us to continue the effort so that our children, grandchildren and newcomers to our region can make their own memories in a new, re-imagined downtown Wheeling.