WHEELING, W.Va. — The next project in the development of downtown Wheeling will soon start taking shape. Ground was broken Tuesday on the J.C. Lando redevelopment project.
The project features a $58.7 Million private investment along Wheeling’s waterfront. The project will include a boutique hotel, private residences, restaurants, retail space, conference facilities, and public gathering areas. It’s carefully designed to celebrate Wheeling’s history and heritage and serve as an attraction to bring people into Wheeling.
“This is a wonderful project and I’m so excited to be here and share in the success that was put together long before I became Governor,” said Governor Patrick Morrisey at the ceremony. “This is something you’ve been working on for years and I want to say thank-you and there’s a lot more of this to come in the future.”
The State supported the project through tourism development tax credits and financing from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority. The project is led by the Allen and Lando families and Vol for Life LLC with support from the City of Wheeling, Regional Economic Development Partnership (RED), WesBanco, Spillman Thomas & Battle, the Mills Group, Southern Hospitality Group, and other community partners.
“Back in ’22 this project began as a simple passion to give something back to the city that has given so much to me and my family. My mission has always been simple, to revitalize Wheeling, West Virginia.” said Barry Allen, one of the principle developers on the project.
The new development is named for this father-in-law and he believes will spur more growth and investment in the city.
“This project is much more than constructing buildings. It’s about creating opportunity. It’s about bringing visitors to our city and encouraging families to live here, attracting new businesses, creating jobs, and building a future our children and grandchildren can be proud of,” said Allen.
During construction, the project is expected to support approximately 465 jobs and generate nearly $88 million in economic activity across West Virginia. Once fully operational, the hotel, restaurant, and retail components are projected to support approximately 187 jobs while generating nearly $23 million in annual economic activity.
“For years, people talked about what downtown Wheeling used to be. Today, we’re talking about what it can become,” Morrisey said. “Projects like this strengthen local communities, attract visitors, and give businesses the confidence to make the next investment. Winning is contagious.”