#centremarket

Construction of St. Joseph’s Cancer Complex Beginning this Summer Construction instead of demolition. Growth rather than decline. New, not old. That’s what is expected in Center Wheeling once the $122 million WVU Cancer Institute St. Joseph Regional Cancer Complex is under construction later this year, and the hope is there will be a renewed vibe buzzing around new retail and housing once the center is completed in the late summer of 2028. That was truly the best-case scenario for the property when Wheeling’s City Council voted unanimously in June 2020 to take possession of the former campus of the Ohio Valley Medical Center. The deal with Medical Properties Trust (MPT) was instigated by Councilman Dave Palmer’s idea to renovate the former Ohio Valley Professional Center into the new headquarters for the police department, and after a couple of years of maintaining and marketing the other 770,000 square feet of space, the City finalized an agreement with WVU Health System. The OVMC campus went silent in late September 2019 when Alecto-West Virginia shuttered the facility after just two years of operation. “I believe the people of the Wheeling area are going to witness the resurrection of Center Wheeling, that’s for sure,” said Jessica Moore, associate vice president of Foundation and Community Relations for WVU Medicine. “And I believe it will also increase the crowds at Centre Market because those businesses were impacted in a big way when the hospital was shut down. We talked a lot about the jobs that were lost there, but there was a lot of loss at Centre Market, too. “The negative impact was massive,” she said. “So, we’re excited for the businesses that are there now, and for the ones that open because this development is on its way. Right now, we’re looking at an $88 million economic impact during the construction phase alone. “That's why we chose that campus for this facility. It’s going to continue to be a place of healing, and it will be an economic driver for downtown and the Center Market area.” The corner of 22nd and Chapline streets is cleared now, but in two years, the WVU cancer complex will continue the tradition of healthcare on the property. The Centre Market businesses inside – and surrounding – the city’s two market houses realized immediate revenue reductions once Alecto-West Virginia shuttered all aspects of the medical center, a decision that erased more than 700 jobs in late September 2019. “But once the construction starts later this summer, it’s very likely that construction workers will be picking up Coleman’s fish sandwiches for their families or running down after work to pick up dinner from one of the other restaurants,” Moore said. “And while they’re there, they might stop at a shop for food or beverages or something else. “The contractors will need items from Lowe’s and other businesses in that area, too,” she explained. “It’s those kinds of purchases that aren’t thought about very often, but it’s all going to add up during construction, that’s for sure.” The SMITHGROUP renderings reveal a new, four-story, 122,477-square-foot structure that will be constructed into the hillside with parking in the front and rear. Ready, Set … The two-year demolition of the campus began in October 2023, and crews completed site clearance late last year. A utility building in the northeast corner of the property was removed a few months ago, and the hillside’s void was filled and secured in April. In other words, the property is ready. “From a building standpoint, we’re about a month away from when people are finally going to see activity on the property. That’s going to be a beautiful thing because so many people have been waiting to see what’s going to follow the demolition of everything on that land,” Moore explained. “There are so many interesting parts of the construction, too, including a continuous pour to construct the ceiling and walls for the radiation oncology space in the building. “There are three treatment rooms, and the walls and ceilings will have a minimum of four-foot concrete shielding walls with an additional seven-to-eight-foot concrete shielding belt,” she explained. “It all has to be poured continuously so there are no joints or cracks in the shielding wall, so that will be an interesting beginning to this project.” The City of Wheeling and WVU Health System partnered to finance the demolition of the former medical facility. The SMITHGROUP renderings reveal a new four-story, 122,477-square-foot structure to be built into the hillside, with parking at the front and rear. The lot will feature plenty of landsculpting, a drive-up entrance, a balcony, and a bottom-level gathering area. “We are looking at seeing our first patients in the third quarter of 2028,” Moore revealed. “There are a lot of preparations taking place now that people may not be able to see, but residents will be seeing some movement on the property this month. The property has been silent for a little while because the crews were allowing the moved dirt to settle enough for the construction. “People saw a lot of dirt being moved around once the demolition was completed, and that’s because they were moving it to get the lot ready for the construction,” she said. “So, for the most part, the space is ready for the building’s construction, but there will be some other earthwork performed on the parking areas. There’s been a lot of permitting to get done for a project this size.” This roadway once took visitors to the center of the OVMC campus in Center Wheeling. A House of Healing For 129 years, this particular piece of property was a destination for those seeking help, and once the St. Joseph’s Cancer Complex begins operation in two years, that tradition will resume. The new center will welcome both local and regional patients, and many of the facility’s employees already are WVU Medicine employees, according to Moore. “On the complex is completed, we're looking at 150 full-time employees there in year one, and by year five, we'll probably add about 20 more employees,” she explained. “Now, several of those folks will be pulled from Wheeling Hospital's oncology department and Reynolds Memorial Hospital's oncology department, but that just means we're still putting 150 new people who haven't populated that space. This rendering was one of the first released by WVU Health System. “We're excited about the opportunity to help that community thrive again,” Moore added. “When I'm talking about this project from a Foundation standpoint, I talk about the other benefits that are going to be in that center because I feel this is also a very thoughtful project. One example of that is the fact that we're installing the windows that we were able to save from Mount de Chantal into the chapel.” The design is different than that of a hospital, and creating convenience was, well, on purpose. “There's so much that impacts healing,” Moore said. “Experiencing everything that goes into fighting back against cancer and then recovering from that fight is one thing, but when a patient experiences any kind of inconvenience during that battle, it’s very frustrating,” Moore said. “All of those kinds of aspects to receiving treatment were taken into account when this center was designed. “An example of that is the first-floor location of the treatment areas,” she said. “One of the things they appreciate most about this new facility is that our patients will be able to park easily and walk right into their appointments in radiation oncology on the ground floor. It’s those things that have been included with every aspect of this building’s design.” Read the full article

From longtime Mystery Theatre writer Butch Maxwell comes a character-driven drama about identity, performance, and the roles we live WHEELING, W.V. — A new original play by Wheeling-based playwright Butch Maxwell will make its debut this June at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre, marking a significant artistic departure for the writer best known for more than 50 comedy productions with Mystery Theatre Unlimited. Titled Places, the play will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 12 and 13, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14 at the historic theatre, located at 2118 Market Street in Wheeling. Reservations may be made by calling 304-242-7700 or visiting the Oglebay Institute website at oionline.com. While Maxwell’s previous work has centered on fast-paced comedic mysteries, Places shifts focus to character and emotional realism. Set within a community theatre production, the play explores the tension between the roles people perform in everyday life and the identities they struggle to claim as their own. “At its core, the play is about the difference between a life that looks right and one that feels true,” Maxwell said. “It asks what happens when you can’t pretend those are the same anymore.” The title Places carries layered meaning, referencing the backstage call that signals actors to take their positions before a performance begins. In the world of the play, that idea extends beyond the stage, reflecting the ways individuals are shaped by expectations as spouses, parents, professionals and performers. “For the main character, Sarah, ‘Places’ has been her whole life,” Maxwell said. “She’s been answering someone else’s call for years. The irony is that she enters theatre, a space built on pretending, and it becomes the first place she stops pretending.” Though grounded in drama, Places retains elements of Maxwell’s signature voice, including moments of humor and sharp observation. However, the pacing and tone differ significantly from his previous work, embracing silence, nuance and unresolved emotional tension. “There’s no big reveal,” Maxwell said. “No tidy resolution. Some people may find that frustrating. I think it’s honest.” The production is directed by Cassandra Hackbart Majetich, with technical direction by Meta Lasch. The cast includes Jenn Muscar as Sarah Morrison, Pete Fernbaugh as Eli Parker, Dee Gregg as Marla Hendricks, Sean Decker as Tom Morrison, Frank Wilson as the Director and Nico Muscar as Jake Morrison. Audiences familiar with Maxwell’s Mystery Theatre work may find Places to be a striking contrast, trading rapid-fire comedy and puzzle-driven plots for a more reflective and emotionally grounded experience. “I hope audiences leave a little unsettled—in a good way,” Maxwell said. “Not devastated. Not uplifted. Just… aware.” About Oglebay Institute and Towngate Theatre Oglebay Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives through arts, culture and education in the Ohio Valley. Its Towngate Theatre, located in downtown Wheeling, serves as a center for live performance, offering year-round programming that includes theater, music, film and community events. More information is available at oionline.com. Towngate Theatre has a longstanding history of supporting original work by regional playwrights. Its most recent original production, Under the Bridge to the Stars, was staged in 2022 following the death of playwright Tom Stobart, whose works were produced at the venue over many years. Towngate also sponsored a National Playwriting Competition for 34 years, from 1976 through 2010, helping to foster the development of new theatrical voices. The first local playwright to receive a production at Towngate was Dick Boyd. Another Ohio Valley playwright, Mick Daugherty, also had multiple works produced there over the years. Stobart, Boyd and Daugherty have all since passed away, making Places part of a continuing but relatively rare tradition of new local playwriting at the historic theatre. Read the full article

From longtime Mystery Theatre writer Butch Maxwell comes a character-driven drama about identity, performance, and the roles we live WHEELING, W.V. — A new original play by Wheeling-based playwright Butch Maxwell will make its debut this June at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre, marking a significant artistic departure for the writer best known for more than 50 comedy productions with Mystery Theatre Unlimited. Titled Places, the play will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 12 and 13, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14 at the historic theatre, located at 2118 Market Street in Wheeling. Reservations may be made by calling 304-242-7700 or visiting the Oglebay Institute website at oionline.com. While Maxwell’s previous work has centered on fast-paced comedic mysteries, Places shifts focus to character and emotional realism. Set within a community theatre production, the play explores the tension between the roles people perform in everyday life and the identities they struggle to claim as their own. “At its core, the play is about the difference between a life that looks right and one that feels true,” Maxwell said. “It asks what happens when you can’t pretend those are the same anymore.” The title Places carries layered meaning, referencing the backstage call that signals actors to take their positions before a performance begins. In the world of the play, that idea extends beyond the stage, reflecting the ways individuals are shaped by expectations as spouses, parents, professionals and performers. “For the main character, Sarah, ‘Places’ has been her whole life,” Maxwell said. “She’s been answering someone else’s call for years. The irony is that she enters theatre, a space built on pretending, and it becomes the first place she stops pretending.” Though grounded in drama, Places retains elements of Maxwell’s signature voice, including moments of humor and sharp observation. However, the pacing and tone differ significantly from his previous work, embracing silence, nuance and unresolved emotional tension. “There’s no big reveal,” Maxwell said. “No tidy resolution. Some people may find that frustrating. I think it’s honest.” The production is directed by Cassandra Hackbart Majetich, with technical direction by Meta Lasch. The cast includes Jenn Muscar as Sarah Morrison, Pete Fernbaugh as Eli Parker, Dee Gregg as Marla Hendricks, Sean Decker as Tom Morrison, Frank Wilson as the Director and Nico Muscar as Jake Morrison. Audiences familiar with Maxwell’s Mystery Theatre work may find Places to be a striking contrast, trading rapid-fire comedy and puzzle-driven plots for a more reflective and emotionally grounded experience. “I hope audiences leave a little unsettled—in a good way,” Maxwell said. “Not devastated. Not uplifted. Just… aware.” About Oglebay Institute and Towngate Theatre Oglebay Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives through arts, culture and education in the Ohio Valley. Its Towngate Theatre, located in downtown Wheeling, serves as a center for live performance, offering year-round programming that includes theater, music, film and community events. More information is available at oionline.com. Towngate Theatre has a longstanding history of supporting original work by regional playwrights. Its most recent original production, Under the Bridge to the Stars, was staged in 2022 following the death of playwright Tom Stobart, whose works were produced at the venue over many years. Towngate also sponsored a National Playwriting Competition for 34 years, from 1976 through 2010, helping to foster the development of new theatrical voices. The first local playwright to receive a production at Towngate was Dick Boyd. Another Ohio Valley playwright, Mick Daugherty, also had multiple works produced there over the years. Stobart, Boyd and Daugherty have all since passed away, making Places part of a continuing but relatively rare tradition of new local playwriting at the historic theatre. Read the full article

From longtime Mystery Theatre writer Butch Maxwell comes a character-driven drama about identity, performance, and the roles we live WHEELING, W.V. — A new original play by Wheeling-based playwright Butch Maxwell will make its debut this June at Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre, marking a significant artistic departure for the writer best known for more than 50 comedy productions with Mystery Theatre Unlimited. Titled Places, the play will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 12 and 13, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 14 at the historic theatre, located at 2118 Market Street in Wheeling. Reservations may be made by calling 304-242-7700 or visiting the Oglebay Institute website at oionline.com. While Maxwell’s previous work has centered on fast-paced comedic mysteries, Places shifts focus to character and emotional realism. Set within a community theatre production, the play explores the tension between the roles people perform in everyday life and the identities they struggle to claim as their own. “At its core, the play is about the difference between a life that looks right and one that feels true,” Maxwell said. “It asks what happens when you can’t pretend those are the same anymore.” The title Places carries layered meaning, referencing the backstage call that signals actors to take their positions before a performance begins. In the world of the play, that idea extends beyond the stage, reflecting the ways individuals are shaped by expectations as spouses, parents, professionals and performers. “For the main character, Sarah, ‘Places’ has been her whole life,” Maxwell said. “She’s been answering someone else’s call for years. The irony is that she enters theatre, a space built on pretending, and it becomes the first place she stops pretending.” Though grounded in drama, Places retains elements of Maxwell’s signature voice, including moments of humor and sharp observation. However, the pacing and tone differ significantly from his previous work, embracing silence, nuance and unresolved emotional tension. “There’s no big reveal,” Maxwell said. “No tidy resolution. Some people may find that frustrating. I think it’s honest.” The production is directed by Cassandra Hackbart Majetich, with technical direction by Meta Lasch. The cast includes Jenn Muscar as Sarah Morrison, Pete Fernbaugh as Eli Parker, Dee Gregg as Marla Hendricks, Sean Decker as Tom Morrison, Frank Wilson as the Director and Nico Muscar as Jake Morrison. Audiences familiar with Maxwell’s Mystery Theatre work may find Places to be a striking contrast, trading rapid-fire comedy and puzzle-driven plots for a more reflective and emotionally grounded experience. “I hope audiences leave a little unsettled—in a good way,” Maxwell said. “Not devastated. Not uplifted. Just… aware.” About Oglebay Institute and Towngate Theatre Oglebay Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching lives through arts, culture and education in the Ohio Valley. Its Towngate Theatre, located in downtown Wheeling, serves as a center for live performance, offering year-round programming that includes theater, music, film and community events. More information is available at oionline.com. Towngate Theatre has a longstanding history of supporting original work by regional playwrights. Its most recent original production, Under the Bridge to the Stars, was staged in 2022 following the death of playwright Tom Stobart, whose works were produced at the venue over many years. Towngate also sponsored a National Playwriting Competition for 34 years, from 1976 through 2010, helping to foster the development of new theatrical voices. The first local playwright to receive a production at Towngate was Dick Boyd. Another Ohio Valley playwright, Mick Daugherty, also had multiple works produced there over the years. Stobart, Boyd and Daugherty have all since passed away, making Places part of a continuing but relatively rare tradition of new local playwriting at the historic theatre. Read the full article

“Trust me, I’m not done and won’t be for a while,” the virtuoso added. “But it’s going to be interesting to see how the rest of the world cooperates.”

WHEELING, W.Va. — The Wheeling Police Department will host a monthly Downtown/Centre Market Crime Watch Group for businesses in the Downtown and Centre Market areas. The first meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 4. Future meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at Wheeling Police Headquarters, 2115 Chapline Street.  The meetings are designed for business owners and managers, focusing on crime prevention and public safety issues affecting commercial districts. These meetings are not intended for residents. Residents are encouraged to participate in Neighborhood Crime Watch meetings, which will resume in March, and are designed to address concerns specific to residential neighborhoods. For more information, businesses can contact Lt. Ryan Ferrell at [email protected] Read the full article

WHEELING, W.Va. – The City of Wheeling invites the community to come downtown for a night of spooky fun during the Freaky Friday in the Friendly City Halloween Event on Friday, Oct. 24. Activities will take place across Market Plaza and Centre Market, offering festive experiences for families and adults alike.  Please note that the traditional City-wide Trick or Treat will occur from 6:30-8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31. Market Plaza will be filled with family-friendly fun from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Guests can Trick-or-Treat at the candy stations, shop Halloween vendors, enjoy balloon animals and entertainment from Jingles the Clown and take part in even more festive activities. From 6-10 p.m., Centre Market will come alive with autumn festivities. Visitors can shop vendors, enjoy live music by Jukebox from 7-10 p.m., and explore local retailers and restaurants offering special deals, with more details to be announced soon. “We’re excited to bring the very first Freaky Friday in the Friendly City to Wheeling,” said Director of Parks & Recreation Rochelle Barry. “By teaming up with our partners Downtown and at Centre Market, we’re able to create a fun, family-friendly Halloween celebration that offers something for everyone. We look forward to seeing the community come together to enjoy the activities, treats and festive spirit of the season.” Vendors are welcome to join the fun at either location. Plaza on Market vendor spots are available for $10 and include a 10x10 space with setup beginning at 4 p.m. This is a family-focused area with trick-or-treating, and while candy distribution is encouraged, it is not required. Vendors must provide their own tables, tents and electric. Centre Market vendor spots are $20 and include a 10x10 space with setup beginning at 4:30 p.m. This area is adult-focused and features live music. Vendors must also provide their own tables, tents and electric. Both areas are rain-or-shine events, and no refunds will be issued due to inclement weather. Barry added as part of the Halloween celebration, local restaurants and taverns are invited to share seasonal drinks, dishes and desserts on our Freaky Friday map while retailers can share any special discounts. Whether it's a discount for shopping during the event, a pumpkin-spiced treat, a festive cocktail or a creative fall entrée, this is a great way to highlight your location and connect visitors and locals exploring Wheeling on Freaky Friday in the Friendly City! For full event details and vendor registration forms, visit www.wheelingwv.gov/FreakyFriday or call the City of Wheeling Parks & Recreation Department at (304) 234-3641. Read the full article

It is who I am, and there’s nowhere else I would rather call home.