(Publisher’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series that covers the history of the former Wheeling Inn hotel on the corner of 10th and Main streets in downtown Wheeling. The structure, thanks to a recent vote by Wheeling’s City Council, will be demolished soon, but there was a stretch of time when the lodge’s rooms were full, the restaurant was considered one of the best in town, and the views of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge were priceless. This series initially was published more than a year ago.)
The Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau did not purchase the former Wheeling Inn to renovate it.
Instead, the $1.7 million intention is to rip it down and reinvent the corner adjacent to the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, and the CVB’s executive director Frank O’Brien hopes to schedule the demolition in the near future.
“There are a few things in the process that will determine that timeline, and asbestos removal is first on the list,” he said. “Once that’s taken care of, we’ll be able to tear it down and prepare for a new start on the property.”
The former hotel, owned and operated by NANINI LLC before the CVB acquisition, was deemed a “nuisance” by Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger in May 2022 after an undercover investigation revealed criminal activity that resulted in several arrests and filed charges. The hotel was ordered temporarily closed by a 5-1 city council vote, and a public hearing was scheduled and canceled on several occasions.
The sale of the property, however, effectively eliminated the need for the hearing process.
Re-development has been taking place at the intersection of 10th and Main streets for several years, what with the preservation project on the retail storefronts next to the Capitol Theatre and the purchase and complete renovation of the structure that once housed the Wheeling Hotel and the current Bridge Tavern and Grill.
Although the future use of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge will remain unknown until the state Department of Transportation determines whether or not it will reopen to vehicular traffic once the ongoing $18 million overhaul of the historic span in completed, the presence of the historic span presents opportunity in O’Brien’s opinion.
“Now that we own the property, our first goal is to get the building down,” O’Brien said. “We do have plans for the future of the property and we’re investigating what is possible and what isn’t, but with the Suspension Bridge next door, we have the chance to highlight that important piece of history of the city of Wheeling and the entire area.
“This area’s history is one of the reasons why we welcome tourists to the area most weekends of the year, so we’re taking a very hard look at what’s possible so we can make the best choices,” he added. “It will be very positive when the demolition takes place and the property is cleared, and from there we’ll create a new gateway to the downtown that will be very welcoming.”
