Discovery World on Market, right, recently acquired the neighboring Wood County Senior Citizens building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — The Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission on Friday approved a request from Discovery World on Market to close an alley behind the facility.

Discovery World officials also announced they had purchased the neighboring Wood County Senior Citizens building and will utilize space behind it for parking when the hands-on children’s museum opens in the spring.

“The Senior Center Association is looking forward to our next chapter in providing services to Wood County seniors,” said Kelly Goedel, executive director of the Wood County Senior Citizens Association, in a release announcing the acquisition. “Discovery World on Market will be a wonderful asset to our community.”

The purchase price for the buildings and parking area was $750,000, according to Wendy Shriver, Discovery World executive director.

Plans for the building are still being determined, but Discovery World board Chairman Tres Ross said at the Planning Commission meeting that it could be the future site of outdoor exhibits for the museum.

The Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission approved the closure of this alley behind Discovery World on Market and the former Wood County Senior Citizens building on Market Street. The request now goes before Parkersburg City Council. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Shriver said the museum wants to close the unnamed alley connecting Ninth and 9 1/2 Street behind 900-922 Market St. for safety reasons.

“We are anticipating field trips coming, with school buses,” she said. “We want to make sure that through traffic is not zipping down the alley while children are getting off school buses.”

The Planning Commission voted 7-1, with Development Director Ryan Barber abstaining and two members absent, to approve the request, with a couple of conditions recommended by its land use subcommittee.

The first was that the Children’s Museum of the Mid-Ohio Valley Inc., which does business as Discovery World on Market, own the property on the other side of the alley. Because the alley is on the edge of two subdivisions, instead of being split between the adjacent property owners it would return to its original subdivision, the one to the south, City Planner Connor LaVelle said.

But that condition was met with the announcement of the purchase of the Senior Services building, LaVelle said.

Discovery World on Market Executive Director Wendy Shriver, left, spoke during a Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission meeting Friday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

The second provision was that full access remain for utilities like the Parkersburg Utility Board, which has a 6-inch sanitary sewer line in the alley, and Mon Power and Frontier Communications, which also have equipment and infrastructure there, as well as first responders.

Ryan Taylor, with architectural and engineering firm Pickering Associates, said the access would be maintained.

“The impact of closing this alley will be pretty benign,” he said.

Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm said he did not see the benefit of closing the alley or the safety concern, suggesting the alley is not used very frequently. Taylor cited Shriver’s estimate of 30,000 visitors to the museum in its first year and said the traffic would increase and people might see the alley as a shortcut.

Closing the alley is “safer for the future,” he said. “We want to control the traffic pattern.”

Parkersburg City Planner Connor LaVelle spoke during a Municipal Planning Commission meeting Friday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Commission member John Reed said he believes the museum will provide a great benefit to the community.

“I think as a commission we should do everything possible to help you see that it comes to fruition, as long as it’s legal and as long as it’s in the best interest of the community,” he said.

The alley closure now goes to Parkersburg City Council for its approval.

The commission also voted 9-0 to affirm that ordinances passed by council earlier this year regulating the location of residential substance abuse treatment facilities and group homes are consistent with the city’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

Parkersburg Municipal Planning Commission Vice President Eric Gumm asked a question during a meeting Friday in council chambers at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)