photo by: Derek Redd
Much of Market Street is closed down due to the ongoing Downtown Streetscape Project. Wheeling City Council’s Development Committee is expected to meet to day to discuss potential relief for businesses affected by the work.
WHEELING — Members of Wheeling City Council will hold their first meeting of December tonight, but the Development Committee of Council’s session just prior to the regular council meeting promises to generate significant interest as officials are set to discuss assistance for downtown retailers being impacted by the Streetscape project.
The Development Committee — composed of Mayor Glenn Elliott, Vice Mayor Chad Thalman and Councilman Ty Thorngate — is scheduled to meet at 5:15 p.m today prior to the regular 5:30 p.m. meeting.
Last week, the scale of the state’s $32 million Downtown Streetscape Project was realized at a whole new level when another block of Market Street — one of the city’s main downtown traffic arteries — was closed to traffic for ongoing storm sewer installments. The latest closure is expected to last for months — through the end of February. Some downtown businesses have already been struggling to keep customers coming through their doors because of the overwhelming amount of construction, and the new closure has basically detoured motorists and foot traffic even further away from their storefronts.
Officials have said they plan to explore proposals to offer some type of relief to downtown businesses that are being negatively impacted by the construction zones from the Streetscape Project, which is being completed by the West Virginia Division of Highways and its general contractor, Triton Construction of St. Albans.
The long-awaited project is expected to continue on a grand scale through the end of 2024, bringing new streets, curbs, sidewalks, landscaping, traffic signals, crosswalks and stormwater management systems to the downtown for a major functional facelift.
Currently, construction is in full swing along both Main and Market streets downtown.
Most of the work on Main Street has involved reconstruction of curbs and sidewalks on both sides of the streets allowing one lane of free-flowing traffic through most of the construction zone, while Market Street has been closed in sections for the major sewer separation work. A new storm sewer along Main Street was already completed prior to the beginning of the state’s Streetscape Project.
A number of downtown business owners that have been negatively impacted by the construction are expected to attend tonight’s Development Committee meeting.
In other action scheduled for this evening, city leaders during the regular council session are slated to hear readings for legislation related to the distribution of some of the last chunks of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act money. A first reading is slated on legislation to provide $100,000 for the Temple Child Care project by Bethlehem Apostolic Temple at its North Wheeling Dream Center. A second and final reading, followed by a vote, is slated on another $100,000 to go toward The Life Hub for its plans to serve the local homeless population.
Also tonight, officials are scheduled to hear first readings on a small handful of new pieces of legislation.
A new ordinance is being introduced to authorize the city manager to spend $49,966 with Duke’s Root Control of Elgin, Illinois, for the purchase of root control services for city wastewater lines to be charged to the Water Pollution Control Division.
Resolutions are also on the agenda to authorize funding for two new Facade Improvement Grants. The city’s Economic and Community Development Department has recommended approval of grants for Constantine and Marie Kayafas at 2310 Chapline St. in the amount of $10,180 and for Matt and Nancy Quinet at 723 Main St. in the amount of $9,400.
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