There is a step-by-step method to building a new, $8-9 million parking structure in downtown Wheeling and city government moved forward this past week with the goal of completing a 300-space garage by late 2021 or early 2022.
The new structure, which is planned for the corner of 11th and Market streets, is connected to the $30 million transformation of the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Building into 128 one- and two-bedroom apartments that would include commercial business on the spacious first floor. The builder owner is Dr. John Johnson, a physician from the Columbus area, and the contractor is Coon Restoration and Sealants, Inc., from the Canton area.
Based on the construction schedule stated by Coon Restoration owner Steve Coon during the announcement on Jan. 8, the Historic Wheeling-Pitt Lofts are set for a February 2023 completion.
The land on which the new parking garage will be located will be where the former Chase Bank stands today, where the former Army-Navy Store once existed, and on a parking lot utilized by Chase. Herron could not quote the purchase prices for the property, citing that the purchases were negotiated and finalized by the city’s private economic arm known as the Regional Economic Development Partnership.
“The buildings have been vacant for more than a year and were purchased by the Ohio Valley Area Corp., or RED,” explained City Manager Bob Herron. “Along with the former locations of the Chase Bank and Chris Miller buildings, the vacant lot where the former Army/Navy Store was and the parking lot next to it were also purchased.
“Those properties were available and are in close enough proximity to the Wheeling-Pitt building and the developer feels that it would not be too far to walk for the future residents of those apartments once the renovations are completed,” he said. “We had been looking at properties across the street from the Wheeling-Pitt building, but that project involved a long-term lease with those owners, so we opted to own the land instead. It made more sense to the city.”
Due Diligence
State Code in West Virginia mandates strict procedure when it comes the legislative operation of municipal governments, and that is why members of Wheeling Council finally approved Herron to enter into the design-engineering contract during its most recent regular meeting.
The city manager acted quickly, too, and last week he hosted the garage project’s “kickoff” project.
“We have already had our first meeting with the firm, the Mills Group, and they are using a company out of Houston, Texas, as their consulting company for the parking structure,” Herron reported. “The Mills Group has started with the design, but that will take several months.
“We are looking at a parking garage with 300 parking spaces for not only the residents of the Wheeling-Pitt Lofts, but also for the public,” he continued. “Plus, right now, the Chris Miller building will not be included in the area for the parking structure. Instead, that building will be marketed to the private sector for possible future economic development.”
Other than possible economic development by the private sector, the reason the former furniture building will be salvaged is that the structure includes elevators along the north side of the interior.
“The Chris Miller building, I believe, has a lot of potential because of the way it was designed, and one of the things we’re looking at right now is the fact that the Chris Miller building has elevators,” Herron explained. “What we are looking at right now is whether or not those elevators can be incorporated to service both the Chris Miller building and the parking structure. If that is possible, we would be able to save a significant amount of money because elevators are very expensive.
“After the design is completed, that’s when the contractor would be hired after the bidding process to construct the proposed 300-space paring garage that would include retail space on the street level,” he said. “At this time, we are not sure about how many levels the new parking structure would have, and the reason for that is that the design will determine where all the parking spaces will be situated. Most of them will be on the flat areas of the structure, but it has to be determined how many would be on the ramps to get up and down in the garage.”
Times They Are A-Changin
Chase Bank was Security National, and the Chris Miller building housed J.C. Penney back in the heyday. G.C. Murphy was across the street, and Louis’ Hot Dog was right around the corner.
These days, though, the east side of Market Street between 12th and 11th streets, has seen more closed businesses than new ones. Chase and Chris Miller shuttered during the same year, the Wheeling-Pittsburgh’s 12 floors have been void of any action the past six years, and three different sub sandwich-related businesses have tried and surrendered at 1130 Market St. over the past decade.
The CVS Pharmacy and the businesses within the Laconia Building, and that’s it along that stretch these days, but the new apartments and the new parking structure are expected to change that fact.
“Believe it or not, the actual parking garage hasn’t changed over the years, but what has are the safety features that are installed on the inside of them,” Herron said. “Not only will this parking garage have areas for electric cars to charge, but it’s going to have a nice front façade that will be similar to the Intermodal with retail along Market Street. The lighting will be state-of-the-art, and all of the other security features will be, too.
“Although it is subject to change, there is a 95 percent chance the entrance for the parking structure will be along 11th Street,” he revealed. “From there, it will be determined by the design how high the floors are and what the turning radiuses will be because this new garage will be fully ADA compliant. The new apartments and the new parking structure will be big positives in our downtown area.”
