eayres@theintelligencer.net
WHEELING — City leaders hope to move forward with plans for a new downtown parking garage, opening the door for a private developer to convert the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel building into a new apartment complex.
Developer Steve Coon and city leaders are expected to meet this afternoon to publicly reveal details about the Wheeling-Pitt building plans. Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott this week noted that the proposed restoration has been in the works for a couple years, was somewhat delayed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now ready to move forward.
Built from 1904-1907 as the Schmulbach Building, the highrise at 1134 Market St. in the heart of downtown that became known as the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Building was once the tallest building in the state of West Virginia. The 12-story structure served for many years as an office headquarters for Wheeling Steel and subsequently Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel before the demise of the local steel industry. It has remained vacant since 2013.