photo by: Joselyn King
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, left, is welcomed to the Wheeling Artisan Center by Jay Frey, president of the Wheeling Heritage Foundation, and historian Jeanne Finstein. Wheeling Heritage invited Capito to a ceremony Tuesday to officially unveil the renovated Artisan Center.
WHEELING — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito likes what she sees as she enters downtown Wheeling, where the Downtown Streetscape Project is winding down to completion.
But there is also still a part of the landscape she hopes to soon see gone.
Capito, R-W.Va., was in the “Friendly City” on Tuesday to celebrate the completion of renovations on the Wheeling Artisan Center. Capito was able to direct $1 million in federal funding for the construction.
Now she is eyeing funding for another project in Wheeling.
“We want to continue to enhance,” Capito told those gathered at the Wheeling Artisan Center. “If we get some (more) money — but it’s not all the way through — it will go toward taking down that ‘beautiful’ (former Wheeling Inn).”
Capito initially called the motel by another name, and those present corrected her.
“Whatever it is … it’s not good,” Capito said amid laughter in the room.
Hazardous material abatement has already started on the former Wheeling Inn along Main Street, with demolition planned to follow immediately after. The property is expected to become home to a new Gateway Center, featuring a visitor’s center for the city. The project is estimated to ultimately cost $13-$16 million.
But Tuesday was all about the Artisan Center.
The Artisan Center Shop has been relocated to the first floor, with Prodigal Daughter Treasures and Trinkets — previously in Steubenville — in the shop space next door. In front of the shops is a gallery where local artisans can display their works.
The River City Restaurant has been downsized, but also remains on the first floor.
Forefront Technology of Cleveland has opened a satellite office in part of the former Artisan Center space on the second floor, and Tipping Point Real Estate has an office in the building. EffectTV continues to be a tenant.
Capito found the new Artisan Center layout to be “so beautiful” and open. She noted that having the gift shop and the artisan’s gallery now on the first floor will really enhance business traffic once the streetscape project is completed.
“I think they’ve done a wonderful job,” she said. “It’s been a group effort, you can see.”
Capito added Wheeling Heritage Executive Director Scott Schenerlein in the beginning was very open in showing her office the plans for the proposed renovation.
“People need to remember a congressionally directed spend (formerly known as ‘earmarks’) is me designating funds through the budgeting process, but it’s also tax dollars coming back into the community,” she explained. “It’s not my money. It’s our tax dollars. I think it has been a great investment, and they’ve taken great care of it.”
In addition to the federal $1 million secured by Capito for the work, the city of Wheeling designated another $750,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the project.
“The renovations planned here were thought of over a period of years to be able to get not only congressionally directed funds, but ARPA funds to make it happen and (make the building) more efficient for business,” explained City Manager Robert Herron.
“I think it’s spectacular and a job well done by Wheeling Heritage.”
He added the City of Wheeling assisted in the administration of the overall project, but the end result “was clearly a tribute to Scott Schenerlein and his staff.”
“Three new businesses have already located here. Putting retail on the first floor is beneficial to the downtown as a whole, and preserving River City as a viable restaurant for the years to come is very positive,” Herron said.
Frank O’Brien is executive director of the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau, and he said the Artisan Center project was “fantastic.”
“It was an anchor for downtown Wheeling, and I’m surprised at how many groups use this facility,” O’Brien said. “It was a great investment. If you are part of the community, come and see it.”