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Council votes to close part of 7th Street for Camden Clark’s new East Tower

By Brett Dunlap 6 min read

PARKERSBURG - Parkersburg City Council passed an ordinance on first reading that could lead to the closure of part of 7th Street to make way for WVU Medicine Camden Clark's East Tower project.

Council unanimously passed the ordinance during Tuesday's regular meeting.

The ordinance has the city vacating a portion of Seventh Street between Juliana and Ann streets, with the property reverting to the city’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA).

WVU Medicine officials announced recently they are creating the new East Tower, a five-floor (with four floors that can be occupied) 138,800-square-foot facility that will include four additional surgical suites; a proposed women’s and children’s floor offering private labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum rooms, along with two dedicated operating rooms for cesarean sections onsite; and 450 additional parking spaces.

Community Bank also recently announced they are building a new downtown full-service bank at the corner of Eighth and Avery Street and will move all of their operations from their Juliana Street location to this new spot in order to make way for the new East Tower to be built.

The Urban Renewal Authority is made up of all nine members of Parkersburg City Council.

"The city would transfer any interest and ownership the city has (over that section of 7th Street) to the Urban Renewal Authority, regarding easement, right-of-way or otherwise," City Attorney Blaine Myers said.

Officials said this is being done so the property can be sold directly to Camden Clark.

The City of Parkersburg itself can own property and sell property, Mayor Tom Joyce said. "They can't do it exclusively."

The City of Parkersburg can dispose of property by sealed bid or auction, he said adding the URA would have the ability to sell the property to Camden Clark for development purposes.

"This is just the first step," said Joyce of eventually selling the property.

City officials said there are still some issues being worked through regarding original ownership and how the property is supposed to be transferred being done by local attorney Rob Tebay III.

A message was left at Tebay's office Wednesday, but was not returned by presstime.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl said the property is being transferred to the URA so the ownership issues can be worked out.

All of the city council members were given artist's renditions of what the new East Tower would look like.

Councilman Chris Rexroad pointed out in one that it appeared Ann Street would be closed off with grounds and more created connecting the new complex with the main hospital complex. He asked if Ann Street was also planned to be closed.

Camden Clark Director of Engineering and Facilities Zac Campbell said that is a possibility. They were in the first steps with the state to see if that is something they, as well as the city, would be willing to accept. Campbell said traffic studies are being done.

"There are contingency plans if Ann Street can't be closed," he said of walkways over the road that can be built to connect the new tower to the main hospital complex.

Kuhl said she felt the proposed East Tower was "a great project."

Campbell said the initial plans were done with the safety of the patients and staff in mind.

Some area residents spoke in favor of the project while some had concerns about how it was proceeding.

Resident Greg Sanders of Brooklyn Drive said he supports investment in healthcare in the community as his wife is a cardiac care nurse.

He wants to see the project Camden Clark is proposing succeed, but he still wants city officials to do their due diligence.

Sanders said around 430 feet of road will be vacated and transferred to the URA. We asked if any kind of appraisal has been done of the property in question.

"If it has, make it public," he said. "Why would we transfer public property before we know what it is worth?

"The taxpayers have paid for the maintenance and upkeep of this street for generations. If the ultimate plan is for the URA to transfer this property to (WVU Medicine) for little or nothing, the council should explain why that is fiscally responsible."

He said WVU Medicine is part of a multi-billion dollar health system that is investing $150,000 into this project and feels they have the financial resources to purchase the property they need.

"That does not mean council needs to demand every dollar of appraised value," he said. "Maybe the public benefits from a different arrangement, but first determine the value, disclose the terms and the tax figures of what they are receiving in return."

Also, he brought up how local traffic will be impacted as well as how local businesses will be impacted and how those need to be looked at.

"None of this is anti-(WVU Medicine)," he said. "It is basic due diligence we should expect when the government permanently disposes of a public asset.

"A project this important deserves a process just as sound. If this is a good project tonight, it will be a good project after an independent appraisal, appropriate title review, traffic/safety analysis and full disclosure of the terms."

He wanted the council to postpone their action until the issues he brought up were looked at to make sure it was done responsibly.

Sanders brought up the question of actual ownership of the property.

"I say resolve those questions (before the transfer and) before leaving the taxpayers with another potential legal fight," he said.

Buddy Malone of Garfield Avenue, representing the Parkersburg-Marietta Buildings and Trades Council, urged council to move forward with the project and supported the closure of the part of 7th Street outlined in the ordinance. He believes the contractors who will build the tower will utilize local workers.

"Permanently closing a public street deserves careful consideration," he said. "We also have to look at what Parkersburg gains in return."

The project will help strengthen health care throughout the Mid-Ohio Valley and put local people to work in construction related jobs, he said.

"Local workers building local projects helps support local families and local businesses, our schools and our communities," Malone said. "This is the kind of economic development we want to encourage with the type of investment that improves our community and create good jobs for the local people here."

He acknowledges there may be some inconvenience with closing that portion of 7th Street, but needs to be weighed against the long-term benefits.

"Years from now people will not remember that short section of street that was closed, they are going to see a new hospital tower providing healthcare to thousands of people," Malone said. "This project is an investment in healthcare, an investment in local workers and an investment in the future of Parkersburg."

The ordinance moves on for a second reading in council.

Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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