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The historic homes and buildings of Wheeling have been a wonderful asset to the city over the years. As Jeanne Finstein recently told Wheeling City Council, those structures have been an enticement for those from outside to come to the Friendly City.
The city already has procedures in place to make sure historic buildings are given more scrutiny before it's decided to tear them down, but Finstein offered the council a new approach to decide which face the wrecking ball and which are attempted to rehabilitate.
The suggested steps are:
— A list of contributing structures in an historic district that are proposed for demolition should be sent – in advance – to nearby property owners, the Friends of Wheeling, Wheeling Heritage and any neighborhood organizations that might be affected.
— Wheeling Heritage and the Friends of Wheeling would request a review by the Historic Landmarks Commission of any properties that appear to have preservation possibilities, with the hope that some can be saved.
— The city should provide funding – at least equal to its demolition budget – for direct grants from the city or through an organization such as the Friends of Wheeling or Wheeling Heritage to help property owners with renovation costs.
== A Preservation Task Force should be established by the city to proactively address historic preservation issues in general.
It's a sound and logical proposal that the city should at least consider. Friends of Wheeling understands that not all buildings can be saved, but there are some that could benefit from rehabilitation and this proposal would allow for a more careful look at which buildings would be able to stay.
The Friends of Wheeling's proposal is a good discussion point in ensuring our historic structures receive proper care. They and the city should keep talking.