No, he doesn’t want you or the City of Wheeling to ignore what’s wrong no matter what the issue may be.
And yes, Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder does realize there are issues.
But for decades he was an ambassador (pronounced: /ˈCHirˌlēdər/) for everything about the city of Wheeling, and now that he’s the mayor of the Friendly City, he wishes for more current residents to join him in the role.
“I just think one of the things we need to do is to learn how to celebrate our positives on social media instead of being negative, and that’s because I know people read the pages that are about our city,” said Magruder, who was elected over five others in May 2024. “I have no idea how many pages other cities have, but it seems like we have a lot of them that center on Wheeling, and that’s why I think we should promote our town as much as possible. We need to take care of our image.
“Now, no one is suggesting we ignore our problems and our issues. We have to do that so we can make the improvements we need to make,” he said. “But I think we should keep the drama to a minimum so we don’t ruin our image to the people taking a look at Wheeling and the valley as a whole.”
That’s because Magruder, who was the manager of Wesbanco Arena and the Capitol Theatre for several decades, believes he sees speculative potential finally coming to fruition.
“That’s why I believe the next best thing for Wheeling is the conglomeration of what’s happening right now with all of the construction that’s taking place in our downtown, and that means the streetscape, and the private investment that’s being made right now along Main Street,” he explained. “It’s the buildings and the streets, but it’s also the people who are making those investments. That’s the next best thing.
“What’s happening in Wheeling right now hasn’t happened here in a long time,” he said. “The state has made a heck of an investment here in Wheeling with all of the infrastructure improvements, and now we’re seeing private investors coming in to help the city grow.”
The development of the ongoing $32 million streetscape began in 2015 with former mayor Andy McKenzie, and its completion is scheduled for the Fall, and the renovations to the Wheeling Suspension Bridge ($19 million) are finished. The $240 million “Roads to Prosperity” project on Interstate 70 was completed in early 2023, and the city itself conducted approximately $4 million worth of infrastructure and paving work over the past five years.
That publicly funded work has instigated private investment, as well, and that’s what has Magruder most excited.
“The investment Toni DiCarlo is making in our downtown is incredible, and I say the same thing about what the Carl family has down with the Bridge Tavern and that entire building on the corner of 10th and Main streets,” Magruder said. “Across 10th Street, you have the incredible transformation that the people with Newbridge Academy have performed, and we can’t forget the hotel project that’s been proposed near Wesbanco Arena by the Allen family.
“I know we have big questions when it comes to some pretty big buildings in our downtown, but I believe we will see Steve Coon (of Coon Restoration & Sealants) move forward with the Wheeling-Pitt Building, and I am hopeful something great will take place with the McLure Hotel,” Magruder said. “I’m excited about what’s happening and what could happen in the next few years, and that’s why I hope people open their eyes so they can see the same.”
Rust Belt Resurgence
One of those Facebook pages where online participants recall what downtown Wheeling once was is the “Memories of Wheeling” timeline, a collection of more than 31,000 members who enjoy reminiscing about the shops and the eateries and the crowded sidewalks.
Often, though, the online posters from afar make derogatory comments about today’s Wheeling sitting only as a ghost town without the potential of a rebirth a few decades after the Upper Ohio Valley lost thousands of residents thanks to evolving economic trends. For example, in the 1970s, something called the “Mall” snatched consumers away from downtown districts across the United States because the shoppers wanted to avoid the weather.
Now, consumers prefer online options or retail developments like The Highlands in Ohio County.
“I believe everyone realizes that downtown Wheeling is not going to be the king it once was along Main and Market. There will be some retail, but there was a time when we had JC Penney and Sears in our downtown and that’s not going to happen again,” Magruder said. “Our consumers moved passed downtown districts and went to malls many years ago and now they go to The Highlands and they go online to Amazon. That’s where we are.
“But our downtown will be something new and that’s OK, too. If people want to complain about it, there’s nothing we can do about that,” he said. “The world has changed, and no matter how hard we battled against those changes, our downtown is becoming something new.”
The new and improved Smart Center, the mayor believes, is a prime example of what a new downtown Wheeling will offer.
“What Libby and Bob Strong have created with their new Smart Center across from the Public Market is amazing,” Magruder said. “They’ve transformed the former Goodwin Drug Company, and it’s incredible. If parents haven’t taken their kids there yet, they are really missing out.
“There will be similar improvements along Market Street as the streetscape continues to roll through toward its completion later this year,” he said. “Good things are happening because our people are making them happen.”
There is no “next best thing” on Magruder’s drawing board, and he’ll be honest and tell you that when asked. Instead, he sees his role right now as a manager of what’s in motion already.
“I believe one of my biggest jobs as the mayor is to water the seeds that have been planted over the past 20 years, and if we can add along the way, we want to do that, too. We want to set the table,” Magruder said. “A lot of great changes have taken place in all corners of downtown, and we’ve seen roads get paved and underground infrastructure projects in most areas of the city. But yes, there’s still plenty more to do.
“We have the finest police and fire departments in the state of West Virginia, and we’re working hard on attracting even more economic development. That’s very important if we expect to grow here,” he said. “We have a lot of people who are working to move us forward and I see it already taking place, and that’s why I’ve suggested the people who go online to be positive about what’s taking place here.
“People read those comments, and they make decisions based on those comments, and I hope people realize that.”
