WHEELING CITY COUNCIL APPROVES LOAN FOR OHIO VALLEY FOOD & INNOVATION HUB

Wheeling City Council has officially approved a contract for a Section 108 loan guarantee, clearing the way for the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub to move forward. The vote secures the financing needed to begin redevelopment efforts on the 1400 block of Market Street, where the hub will feature a food hall, business incubator, and juice bar designed to support entrepreneurs and revitalize the corridor.

The Section 108 program, administered through Community Development Block Grants, enables cities to leverage federal funding for flexible, low-cost financing. This approval allows Wheeling to advance the capital stack required for the project, including federal and state tax credits that were dependent on the loan agreement moving into place.

In the press release, Tipping Point President Jim Ambrose noted that the approval unlocks the final pieces needed for partners to begin their work. With financing secured, additional entities contributing to the redevelopment will now be able to move forward, ensuring construction can mobilize as early as 2026.

City leaders are positioning the Ohio Valley Food and Innovation Hub as a transformative anchor for downtown, combining culinary space, entrepreneurial support, and community energy.

With this milestone achieved, the project is on track to continue strengthening economic momentum in Wheeling’s Market Street district.

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