Photo by Eric Ayres
The former Wheeling Coffee & Spice building on 14th Street has been part of the city of Wheeling’s downtown since before the Civil War. The building is expected to be demolished to make room for a new waterfront development that will include a hotel, restaurant and more.
WHEELING – A new approach to help maintain Wheeling’s valuable architectural heritage is being proposed by the historic preservation organization Friends of Wheeling.
Last week Jeanne Finstein, president of Friends of Wheeling, appeared before members of Wheeling City Council to ask city leaders to consider taking on new procedures that will help keep the Friendly City’s stock of architectural gems in place.
“As we all know, Wheeling has a remarkable history – a history that is reflected in its amazing stock of historic structures, ranging from antebellum homes through immigrant housing to elegant Victorians,” Finstein said. “We aren’t like most cities in that respect, and our wealth of historic buildings is drawing others here.”
Finstein said she knows of at least two dozen people who have moved to Wheeling over the past few years specifically because they aim to rehabilitate an historic home.
The city of Wheeling has regulations and procedures in place that need to be followed before historic structures – particularly those located in designated districts – can be torn down. Very selective demolition is needed in order to maintain the historic integrity of the city’s character, Finstein noted.
“We realize that some structures are beyond repair and must be removed for the safety of the community,” she said. “Others, however, may have fallen into disrepair, but efforts should be made to save them due to their histories or in order to maintain a consistent streetscape without empty gaps.”
Finstein stressed that it is possible to save almost any structure. For an example, she noted that a once derelict warehouse with trees growing inside of it was able to be rehabbed, and today, the renovated building houses Orrick, which is thriving in a part of Centre Wheeling that has truly benefited from its revitalization.
Currently, the city requires owners of “contributing structures” in historic districts to appear before the Historic Landmarks Commission before a demolition permit will be granted. Finstein noted that this step often results in a delay in demolition – or at least a concerted effort to salvage architectural features.
“In three fairly recent instances, property owners halted demolition efforts and donated buildings to historic preservation non-profits,” Finstein said. “Those property owners benefited by not incurring demolition costs and instead obtaining tax credits for their donations. All three of those buildings were saved. The city, however, doesn’t usually go through this step, making such preservation opportunities lost.”
According to Finstein, the Friends of Wheeling is requesting that the city take a new approach to help preserve historic architecture in town, describing the stock of vintage homes and structures in town as one of the city’s most remarkable assets.
The Friends of Wheeling proposed that four new steps be considered:
– A list of contributing structures in an historic district that are proposed for demolition should be sent – in advance – to nearby property owners, the Friends of Wheeling, Wheeling Heritage and any neighborhood organizations that might be affected.
– Wheeling Heritage and the Friends of Wheeling would request a review by the Historic Landmarks Commission of any properties that appear to have preservation possibilities, with the hope that some can be saved.
– The city should provide funding – at least equal to its demolition budget – for direct grants from the city or through an organization such as the Friends of Wheeling or Wheeling Heritage to help property owners with renovation costs.
– A Preservation Task Force should be established by the city to proactively address historic preservation issues in general.
Finstein said the Friends of Wheeling will assist the city in any way it can in consideration of these suggestions.
This week, Finstein clarified that her comments during the most recent meeting of Wheeling City Council were not intended to disfavor the proposed hotel project that is planned for the block of 14th Street between Water and Main streets, as a number of other speakers during the meeting had spoken out against this venture. In order to make room for the proposed multimillion-dollar waterfront development, a number of historic structures – including the former Wheeling Coffee & Spice building that dates back to the 1850s – will have to be demolished.
The intention of the Friends of Wheeling’s proposal was to express concern about demolition in Wheeling in general, Finstein noted.
“As we lose our architectural heritage, piece by piece, we face a future like so many other sad, rust-belt cities, with nothing unique to encourage people to come here, either to visit or to live,” she said. “We have the opportunity to make Wheeling a destination city by preserving rather than demolishing.”
