WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling City Council approved a $2 million investment from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds to revitalize four historic buildings on the 1400 Market block near Independence Hall.
This initiative will focus on food and be called the Ohio Valley Food & Innovation Hub, and marks a crucial step in revitalizing the Market Street corridor and the city’s historic district.
City Manager Robert Herron underscored the importance of this investment, stating, “After more than 50 years of underutilization, these historic properties – believed to date back to the era of Independence Hall – are on the cusp of a renovation to make them last another 150 years.” He added, “The City’s decisive action to acquire, stabilize, and renovate these buildings, as confirmed by City Council’s vote, will usher in a new era of investment, job creation, and housing in our historic district and beyond.”
The ambitious revitalization effort is spearheaded by Chip Desmone, managing member of Standard Cigarworks LLC. Desmone, who has extensive experience in urban renewal efforts in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood, believes Wheeling can undergo a similar transformation.
“Even though these buildings are extraordinarily costly to preserve, this investment will be worth it in the long run,” Desmone remarked. “Like Lawrenceville, which has transformed into a vibrant community, Wheeling has the potential to become one of the ‘coolest’ places to live in America. To achieve this, we must forge long-term partnerships with regional economic development groups and nonprofits that have the resources to support entrepreneurship, new jobs, and emerging industries. This project will make that vision a reality, and we’re calling it the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub.”
The initiative has also gained the backing of Tipping Point, an organization assisting in securing additional capital through grants, tax credits, and construction loans. The group is working on development of the Wheeling Gateway & Visitors Center and recently completed demolition of the former Wheeling Inn, where the center is slated to be built.
Jim Ambrose, President of Tipping Point, emphasized the importance of local and regional collaboration in making this project a success:
“We work in many markets seeking transformative change, and in Wheeling, the level of collaboration and coordination between local governmental officials, regional economic development partners, nonprofits, state and federal civil servants is extremely impressive and refreshing,” Ambrose said. “I wholeheartedly believe that the 1400 Market block’s story will serve as a sustainable economic development blueprint for other communities in West Virginia and across the Appalachian region.”
The vision for the 1400 Market block is to create a thriving hub for food, entrepreneurship, and community innovation. The project will feature a state-of-the-art food hub designed to combat food insecurity, complete with a commercial kitchen and distribution services for local producers. Additionally, an entrepreneurial incubator will foster new business growth, and dynamic community spaces will be available to nonprofits and higher education institutions, allowing them to launch programs that support the Ohio Valley region.
The $2 million in funding will facilitate the securing of new market and historic tax credits, as well as finalizing construction loans necessary to complete the project. Over the coming months, project leaders will introduce additional funding partners and provide further details on programming, nonprofit involvement, and tenant selection for the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed on project updates and contribute their ideas for potential businesses and programming at the Hub. Updates and subscription details can be found at the project website.
The project is also seeking ideas from the community, which you can also submit on the website.
