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Both cities seem under-rated, and rather cool and interesting in their development as what both might have been, or could have been, much larger cities than their present sizes.
If you were to compare them, how would you, and what would be better or worse according to your categories?
I can see the similarities. They're both post-industrial cities located along rivers in a mountainous setting and adjoin a neighboring state. But I think that Cumberland has done a much better job transitioning from an industrial based economy to a service based one. Wheeling just looks . . . declining, to me. At least, the downtown core does. I stayed at a hotel on the east side of the tunnel and it was a nice place.
I can see the similarities. They're both post-industrial cities located along rivers in a mountainous setting and adjoin a neighboring state. But I think that Cumberland has done a much better job transitioning from an industrial based economy to a service based one. Wheeling just looks . . . declining, to me. At least, the downtown core does. I stayed at a hotel on the east side of the tunnel and it was a nice place.
They both look pretty cool to me! I did view some youtube videos on Cumberland's downtown, and it looks like some nice outdoor restaurants and such too....I didn't see that in Wheeling, at least not on youtube anyway....no pedestrian street like that. But maybe I just didn't view the right videos though...
I can see the similarities. They're both post-industrial cities located along rivers in a mountainous setting and adjoin a neighboring state. But I think that Cumberland has done a much better job transitioning from an industrial based economy to a service based one. Wheeling just looks . . . declining, to me. At least, the downtown core does. I stayed at a hotel on the east side of the tunnel and it was a nice place.
There seems to be some effort lately in the year we’ve been here in cleaning up the downtown some. I’ve seen two old properties come down already. And the streets are being repaired. It’s not there yet, that takes times and lots of money but it is happening slowly. I think the will is there.
Wheeling Pitt lofts are being developed in the largest building in downtown which will be 128 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Another development has a proposed 48 lofts along with a restaurant and retail. A new parking garage and police station is coming soon also. the Boury lofts were opened in 2015 and several buildings are being redeveloped by private indivduals. There will also be a new parking garage with 250 spaces and retail spots.
I quite like the long-term prospects for Wheeling and Cumberland. As more and more people working remotely (and earning high salaries) begin to question why they are living in very expensive metropolitan areas when they can move to nice smaller cheaper communities and raise the quality-of-life for their families I think both cities are well-positioned to attract migrants fleeing the DC Metro Area. I mean I only moved to and lived within Northern Virginia for work---it was never an area I was going to move to by choice. I am sure a lot of other people who are earning $120,000 salaries while spending $100,000/year to live in a place like Arlington or Bethesda or Reston would consider living in Cumberland or Wheeling where they can work remotely and stretch their salaries MUCH further so they could retire sooner, vacation more, and/or spend more time with their families. I know I would be out of Pittsburgh tomorrow if I could work remotely---smaller post-Industrial towns like Wheeling or Cumberland really appeal to me.
Then there's Weirton. Unless I am missing something every time I have been there it just looks sad, sad, sad. It's a shame, too, since it is within commuting range of the job growth happening on the western side of the Pittsburgh MSA near our airport. I think Weirton will need a miracle to come back.
My ancestors settled in Wheeling around 1910. It's crawling back slowly but the architecture still around is rather mind blowing. Centre Market is awesome and the shops around there are great. The Victoria Theater, since 1904, is still going strong. Simply amazing. The rest of downtown is lost but must get revived soon.
I quite like the long-term prospects for Wheeling and Cumberland. As more and more people working remotely (and earning high salaries) begin to question why they are living in very expensive metropolitan areas when they can move to nice smaller cheaper communities and raise the quality-of-life for their families I think both cities are well-positioned to attract migrants fleeing the DC Metro Area. I mean I only moved to and lived within Northern Virginia for work---it was never an area I was going to move to by choice. I am sure a lot of other people who are earning $120,000 salaries while spending $100,000/year to live in a place like Arlington or Bethesda or Reston would consider living in Cumberland or Wheeling where they can work remotely and stretch their salaries MUCH further so they could retire sooner, vacation more, and/or spend more time with their families. I know I would be out of Pittsburgh tomorrow if I could work remotely---smaller post-Industrial towns like Wheeling or Cumberland really appeal to me.
Then there's Weirton. Unless I am missing something every time I have been there it just looks sad, sad, sad. It's a shame, too, since it is within commuting range of the job growth happening on the western side of the Pittsburgh MSA near our airport. I think Weirton will need a miracle to come back.
I did the same, I have a hybrid job in Pittsburgh, so I commute 3 days a week, occasionally 4 from a house we’re renting in Washington County, PA. Even though I only plan to work in Pittsburgh for the next 3-4 years, I saw the benefits of home ownership, especially in todays market, and when it came time to purchase a home, we were sold on a new construction in Cheat Lake, WV ~ roughly 1 hour 20 minute commute via the Mon-Fayette Expressway, which has a new phase starting soon around Duquesne. My wife works in the same county in West Virginia, so a very short commute for her.
Just a testimony I thought I’d add, although Cheat Lake is far from a post industrial town, it’s more or less just a fast growing suburb of a small city in the mountains.
I quite like the long-term prospects for Wheeling and Cumberland. As more and more people working remotely (and earning high salaries) begin to question why they are living in very expensive metropolitan areas when they can move to nice smaller cheaper communities and raise the quality-of-life for their families I think both cities are well-positioned to attract migrants fleeing the DC Metro Area. I mean I only moved to and lived within Northern Virginia for work---it was never an area I was going to move to by choice. I am sure a lot of other people who are earning $120,000 salaries while spending $100,000/year to live in a place like Arlington or Bethesda or Reston would consider living in Cumberland or Wheeling where they can work remotely and stretch their salaries MUCH further so they could retire sooner, vacation more, and/or spend more time with their families. I know I would be out of Pittsburgh tomorrow if I could work remotely---smaller post-Industrial towns like Wheeling or Cumberland really appeal to me.
Then there's Weirton. Unless I am missing something every time I have been there it just looks sad, sad, sad. It's a shame, too, since it is within commuting range of the job growth happening on the western side of the Pittsburgh MSA near our airport. I think Weirton will need a miracle to come back.
Weirton's issue is that there's not really a downtown. The massive industrial facilities and railroad lines dominate the flat floodplain along the Ohio. It would take a lot of brownfield redevelopment to turn Weirton into anything remotely nice.
If you know another video that shows a better representation of Wheeling, let me know as well. Kinda interesting though.
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