By Emma Delk, The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. — For Barry Allen, it’s all about giving back — and also setting the example. He’s putting that philosophy into action through a planned hotel, restaurant, retail and event center downtown that will replace the former Wheeling Coffee & Spice Co. and National Equipment Co. buildings at Wheeling’s waterfront.
The $63 million project is spearheaded by Vol for Life, a Wheeling-based development company established by Allen and his wife, Lisa — two city residents who are the former president and former CEO and chair of the board of directors of The Ziegenfelder Co., respectively — who believe the multi-use building will help fuel the city’s revitalization.
The project’s formal announcement is set to take place at 9:15 a.m. today in front of WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling.
While the hotel’s design is still being finalized, a restaurant and coffee shop are planned for the building’s first floor. Other floors will feature dedicated retail space, a 2,600-square-foot event center, 122 hotel rooms and also eight condominiums, including an almost 3,000-square-foot condo overlooking the Ohio River.
The building will also boast a rooftop bar and entertainment area.
“This is much more than a hotel, it’s an event place,” Barry Allen told The Intelligencer, a day after he penned an op-ed that set the stage for his announcement. “It’s a place for people to come and experience Wheeling. The waterfront couldn’t be a better place for a hotel to show the beauty of our city.”