By BHBDC News November 30, 2021

Park Drive project to begin in March

WEIRTON – Officials expect the first phase of a business and residential development off of Park Drive to begin in the early spring.

Monday morning, the City of Weirton hosted a public hearing in order to review the progress of two Tax Increment Financing projects designated for the southern end of Three Springs Drive.

“It’s a public hearing to address any questions or concerns about the TIF district,” Kaleb Knowlton, program director for the city’s Planning Department, explained.

Currently, the city is working on its second TIF project for the district, a business and residential development in partnership with the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle and Park Drive Development LLC.

“The Park Drive development will be under construction March 2022,” Knowlton said.

The first portion of the development will focus on 12 acres directly across from the entrance of the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Officials have cited plans for multiple buildings, some for businesses and others to feature businesses on the main floors, with residential units on the upper floors.

The initial phase of the project will involve the installation of streets, parking areas and utilities.

Attending Monday’s public hearing were BDC Executive Director Marvin Six; Mike Gianni of James White Construction; and Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso.

No comments were offered during the hearing.

The first TIF project in the district, the extension of Park Drive, already has been completed, with the road now leading to the back end of the Three Springs Business Park and Pietro Fiorentini.

Following the hearing, Six noted the BDC owns the 72 acres set for the Park Drive development, which has been planned for retail, residential, restaurants and other businesses, as well as the potential for office space or light industrial operations at a later time. The property to be used for streets and parking has been deeded to the City of Weirton.

Six explained the BDC has enrolled the property in the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Voluntary Remediation Program, with plans to review the environmental status of the land as the development proceeds.

“We just want to make sure there are no bad spots,” he said.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)