There are two certainties when it comes to the future of the corner of 10th and Main streets in downtown Wheeling.
- The current standing structure will be remediated, razed, and removed.
- A hidden treasurer will be revealed. Well, sort of, anyway.
When the former hotel finally is demolished, the northeast face of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge will be exposed for the first time in more than a century. Since 1956, the lodge has rested at 949 Main Street, and archived maps with the Ohio County Public Library indicate structures were present prior to the hotel’s construction. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge opened in the mid-1800s.
The Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau purchased the hotel and parking lot parcels in January for $1.7 million and a new West Virginia welcome center is one idea that has been discussed by Executive Director Frank O’Brien and his project partners. It was announced in late July the CVB would receive $5 million in federal dollars – thanks to Senate Appropriations Committee funding bills – to go toward the estimated $16 million project.
“The welcome center idea is one possibility that’s been talked about, but we’ve talked about a lot of different ideas, too,” O’Brien confirmed. “There’s a lot of dollars being invested by the state into projects like what we have here in downtown Wheeling, and there’s a lot of construction of welcome centers in other areas of the state, too. That’s why we are working with a couple of design firms on different concepts for the property.
“No matter what, though, we want people to be able to see the suspension bridge as they are coming into downtown, and that includes that northeast face that’s been blocked by buildings for at least 150 years,” he said. “We’re not going to block that view ever again.”
Six different design and engineering proposals were reviewed and the three companies with the top scores included the Mills Group, Desmone, and Viridian. A final decision is expected by the end of October.
“Right now, it’s time to see what’s possible on that corner, and we all know how important a decision it is,” O’Brien said. “It’s really exciting we’re where we are right now, and I can’t wait until have the idea we can share with everyone.”
Clearing Confusion
A media report circulated nearly a month ago that indicated the still-standing structure would be redeveloped into a new visitors and heritage center, and that caused confusion for some local residents, according to O’Brien.
“It’s a pretty complex project so I understand how someone could get mixed up, but the plan is to take the old hotel down and never build on that area again,” he said. “We want the focus to be on the bridge and the Ohio River and we’re moving forward with that in mind. This is really is an opportunity to create something that downtown Wheeling can benefit from right now and for many years into the future so we’re going to take our time with the decision-making process.
“The future of that corner was a topic for a lot of years, and now the community has control over its future and that’s the first step. Obviously, the next step is to demolish it and that time is approaching quickly,” the CVB official explained. “I believe once the old hotel is gone and we can see what’s been hidden for so long, it’s going to be pretty special.”
While O’Brien does not know exactly what will replace the dilapidated building on the corner of 10th and Main streets, he does know what the property will not become.
“I can tell you that it’s not going to be a rest stop, and this is not going to be the typical welcome center either. There may be room for a staff of tourism people from the state, but that will not be the primary purpose of this property in the future,” he explained. “But it’s not going to be a place where the tractor-trailers sit overnight, and it’s not going to be a gas station.
“We know there’s asbestos that needs to be removed, and there are other environmental steps that need to be taken, and the engineering firm we select will be able to help with all of that,” O’Brien added. “We want to have that firm to be our partners from the beginning to the end of this project, and this will be a process that includes local residents and their ideas, as well.”
