WHEELING, W. Va, April 13, 2022 — Wheeling area residents soon will have a new high-quality housing option available downtown. The Doris on Main is a 46-unit general occupancy apartment community developed by Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. It is now under construction at 930 Main St., with completion expected by mid-2023. Supporters joined the developer today for a Ceremonial Groundbreaking at the construction site.
“We are thrilled to see The Doris project breaking ground on Main Street in Wheeling,” said Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott. “This 46-unit housing complex advances several strategic goals of City Council. First and foremost, by expanding housing opportunities in Downtown, this project will bring more people with more disposable income to a part of our city where we expect to see restaurant and retail growth in the years ahead.”
Within a few blocks of The Doris on Main, there are many restaurants, as well as retail and service outlets, churches, medical clinics, the Capitol Theater, and Heritage Port downtown festival grounds.
“The Doris on Main will replace a very inefficient use of space in a central business district—a surface parking lot—with an attractive, four-story structure filled with people,” Mayor Elliott said. “This will dramatically improve the aesthetics of the primary gateway into Downtown off of Interstate 70 and help the City make a better first impression to visitors. We thank officials from Woda Cooper Companies for continuing to demonstrate their belief in Wheeling with this exciting new project.”
U.S. Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E. also stated his appreciation for the new development. “Revitalizing downtown Wheeling has been a personal priority,” said Congressman McKinley. “New workforce housing options will help breathe life into the downtown and I applaud the developers of The Doris on Main project for sharing this vision.”
The Doris on Main is a four-story building with an attractive exterior with brick accents plus a rooftop terrace. In addition, there will be a community room with kitchenette, a fitness center, coffee lounge, and theater room. It will include a central elevator and offer one and two-bedroom apartments with large living spaces and high-quality finishes including quality cabinetry, luxury vinyl tile flooring, and attractive paint colors. The kitchens will be fully equipped with ENERGY STAR appliances including dishwashers.
“My family’s history is rooted in the Wheeling area and I’m excited our company can support the community’s growth and progress with a new high-quality housing option in the Downtown area,” said Jeffrey J. Woda, Woda Cooper founder and principal. “Over the years, Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. has invested more than $60 million dollars in housing in the area which is making an impact in the City’s economic progress. We know that business and jobs will attract workers to a community if there is also adequate quality housing.”
The Doris on Main is named in honor of Mr. Woda’s mother, the late Doris Ann Ingold Woda who was a longtime businesswoman in the Ohio Valley and who was instrumental in founding Woda Development & Construction, Inc. in 1990 that eventually became Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.
“My mother loved Wheeling and she would be very proud to know that 46 local families will have new beautiful apartments to call home,” Mr. Woda said.
Primary financing for The Doris was provided by PNC Bank. PNC invested in Opportunity Zone equity financing, and served as lender for the first mortgage, including permanent and construction loans. The bank provided more than $6 million in financing for the development.
“Deploying critical capital to support the creation of affordable housing in Wheeling reflects PNC’s long-term support of neighborhood revitalization, education and economic development in the city,” said Ted Schmidt, PNC regional president for Youngstown. “The Doris on Main project is a natural extension of our commitment to supporting community development lending in the pursuit of projects intended to benefit communities in need of reinvestment that moves all forward financially.”
General contractor is Woda Construction, Inc. PCI Design Group is architect. Woda Cooper Companies’ management division will oversee leasing and maintenance. For more information, contact info@wodagroup.com.
About PNC Bank:
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
About Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.
Woda Cooper Companies, Inc. and its affiliates specialize in the development, design, construction, and management of high-quality affordable multi-family apartments, senior communities, and single-family homes. The company marked 30 years in business May 2, 2020, with operations in 16 states and a portfolio of approximately 400 communities and 16,000 units. Green building is standard with certifications including Passive House, Zero Energy Ready Homes, LEED, Enterprise Green, EarthCraft, and ENERGY STAR. Woda Cooper has offices in Savannah, GA; Indianapolis, IN; Shelbyville, KY; Queenstown, MD; Mackinaw City, MI; Columbus, OH; and Norfolk, VA. Affordable Housing Finance magazine ranked Woda Cooper Companies 10th in nation among Developers and 18th among Owners in 2021.