It is possible, according to the current timeline offered by Wheeling City Manager Bob Herron, that 128 new apartments and a new downtown parking garage will become available along Market Street in less than 14 months from now.
Plus, the building that once housed Chris Miller Furniture will not be demolished but instead will be redeveloped into market-rate housing and retail space on the street level, Herron revealed. The structure is located at 1122 Market Street and is separated from the Wheeling-Pitt building only by the CVS Pharmacy. The former Chase Bank, however, will be demolished to make way for the parking structure.
“We are finalizing that garage project now, but we are still determining how much of the first floor will be available for retail and how much space will be utilized for access to the parking structure,” Herron explained. “At this time, I cannot identify the developer of the market-rate housing.
“We are very pleased to be able to save that building,” he said. “And I am encouraged with the progress that has been made with the downtown residential projects that have taken place.”
Time Will Tell
There could be obstacles, Herron warned, with supply issues caused by the ongoing pandemic, but a December 2022 completion for both is the plan as of this point in time. The garage is designed for six floors with approximately 250 spaces at the corner of 11th and Market streets. The development contract for the residential development project is between the City of Wheeling and Coon Restoration of Louisville, Ohio, and the parking garage is an investment on the part of taxpayer dollars.
Developer Steve Coon announced in January he and building owner Dr. John Johnson plan to transform the former Wheeling-Pitt headquarters into 128 one- and two-bedroom apartment complex. Retail is expected on the spacious first floor, and the structure’s remaining 11 levels are set for the residential units. According to Coon, the 116-year-old building will be named the Historic Wheeling-Pitt Lofts.
According to Herron, the city and Coon Restoration have entered into a development agreement involving the two projects. Without the agreement, the city would not be moving forward with the development of the new parking garage.
“That is correct,” the city manager confirmed. “The garage project is going out to bid next week and that is when we will know the cost of the garage. We have an estimate in mind, but the bids that are entered will determine how much the project will cost.”
