A Year of Progress: An Update on the Wheeling Gateway Visitors & Heritage Center

Wheeling, West Virginia – a city where America’s history and the future converge. It's been an eventful year since the Wheeling Gateway Center site was cleared in early January 2025, marking a significant step in downtown revitalization.

This project, exclusively shaped by community input and collaboration with the State of West Virginia’s Department of Tourism, City of Wheeling, Wheeling Heritage, Ohio County, and Regional Economic Development, will be one of the most transformational projects in the Northern Panhandle in modern history.

For locals who have waited years for visible change, both the process and progress offers a sense of renewal.

For those outside our community, it's an invitation to witness a thoughtful transformation unfolding. It will be one that honors Wheeling's heritage and past, while creating new experiences for visitors to easily navigate and immerse themselves in many local destinations.

Here's a look at the key developments over the past year:

Site Clearance: A Historic Moment

In January 2025, the completion of environmental remediation and the demolition of the former Wheeling Inn stood as a monumental milestone. This long-vacant structure, a remnant of past challenges, was finally removed. While the demolition of the building happened fairly quickly, it was symbolic of burying decades of the community’s scars, while opening the door to Wheeling's next chapter.

For the first time in generations (over 150 years to be exact), unobstructed views of the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge emerged. This view reconnected the community with its iconic landscape of the Ohio River and the Historic Suspension Bridge.

Wheeling Suspension Bridge – Photo by Joe Lovell

While the demolition project was a necessary step in site preparation, the process provided a powerful opportunity to allow the community to bring new ideas to the future Center, while remembering that local resilience that has defined Wheeling through times of industry and change.

Advancing the Design: Reflecting Shared Priorities

In February 2025, Desmone Architects began the next iteration of the Design Development Drawing Package. Building on the schematic design that was unveiled to the community in Fall 2024, the goal of this scope was to optimize the quality and functionality of the Gateway Center and complete construction drawings. The community’s shared priorities – such as connectivity to the trail and riverfront, complementary retail and restaurant spaces, areas for family and social gatherings, and historical experiences – have guided these updates.

By November, the project advanced to approximately 50% construction drawings. Design updates over the past year intentionally emphasize views of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, integrating the surrounding landscape, and reinforcing the Gateway Center’s role as a welcoming entrance to downtown. Updated project renderings reflecting these refinements are anticipated to be unveiled to the community in 2026.

Developing the Heritage Attraction: Community-Driven Design

February saw the selection of TimeLooper to create the Gateway Center's Heritage Attraction. Specializing in immersive, technology-driven storytelling, TimeLooper’s goal is to create an attraction that will engage residents, visitors, educators, and students with Wheeling's history.

This choice stemmed from extensive community feedback gathered in 2024, focusing on interactive elements that highlight the city's identity and encourage exploration of downtown's businesses, historical sites, and attractions.

Over the summer, TimeLooper held additional community meetings to collect local insights on key stories, themes, and moments. In partnership with Wheeling Heritage, research has involved collaboration with organizations like WV Independence Hall, Oglebay Institute, the Ohio County Public Library, Native Nations Institute, and many other partners.

The engagement process ensures the experience reflects authentic narratives tied to Wheeling's evolution, from its industrial roots to cultural legacies. Updates, including a first look at the attraction, are planned for 2026 – a development worth following as it takes shape.

Community Meeting on Heritage Attraction - From The Intelligencer

Essential Technical and Regulatory Steps

As a result of receiving a $5 million HUD EDI Grant awarded in 2023 by Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a $1.89 million ARC POWER grant, and most recently a $6.4 million AMLER grant awarded from the State of West Virginia under the Governor Jim Justice Administration, with formal approval under the incoming Governor Patrick Morrisey Administration, the project team has focused all of its energy on ensuring that all future new construction activities will meet all federal and state requirements.

For example, these included a NEPA environmental review to evaluate impacts on the natural and human environment and a Section 106 historic preservation review to assess effects on downtown's historic context, with respect to the bridge. There has been a lot of collaboration and coordination with state and local preservation partners to help address any potential concerns thoughtfully.

Once approved to do so, geotechnical fieldwork proceeded where drilling teams collected soil core samples across the site and along the Heritage Trail, which provided critical data to inform how to approach foundation design for the future structures.

While this work is not necessarily glamorous, these behind-the-scenes efforts are crucial for ensuring the project's long-term success.

Geotechnical Drilling on Site – June 2025

Looking Ahead to 2026: Key Milestones on the Horizon

The progress in 2025 has brought the Gateway Center even closer to opening as Wheeling’s front door. As we approach the new year, anticipate these developments:

• Release of updated project renderings, offering a clearer vision of the final project

• Unveiling of the Heritage Attraction, showcasing how it will bring Wheeling’s stories to light

• Opportunity to provide YOUR INPUT for the upper floor restaurant and bar experience

• Issuance of an RFP for construction bid packages, moving us closer to groundbreaking

  
  

Generational change in Wheeling is underway, supported by key partners including the Wheeling Ohio-County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ohio County, City of Wheeling, Regional Economic Development, and Wheeling Heritage.

The Wheeling Gateway Center is one part of a broader wave of investment and collaboration reshaping the City of Wheeling. Across downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, project teams, civic leaders, and community organizations are advancing efforts that strengthen Wheeling’s economy, celebrate its heritage, and create new opportunities for residents and visitors alike.

Some of the additional development and construction projects anticipated to make progress in 2026 include:

• WVU Regional Cancer Research Center

• WVU Children’s Hospital

• Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub at 1400 Market Street

• Robrecht Riverfront Park & Trailhead

  
  

Together, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment to long-term progress. By aligning vision, resources, and leadership, Wheeling is building momentum that extends well beyond any single project, laying the groundwork for lasting, citywide impact.

For more information and past updates on the Wheeling Gateway Center, visit the project landing page at https://wheelinggateway.tippingpointdev.com/.