WHEELING - In May, the Wheeling National Heritage Area Corp. hired a Washington, D.C. company to study market viability of the Capitol Music Hall that was closed by owner Live Nation in May 2007.
But more than four months later, WNHAC Executive Director Hydie Friend has yet to reveal any results of the study performed by Economics Research Associates that she said would take about six weeks to complete.
"I have not heard anything back from the company ... I have not received any kind of feedback from them about it," she said last week.
Friend previously said that a group of "interested parties" including WNHAC, the Regional Economic Development Partnership, the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city of Wheeling have been working to see how they can reopen the 1928 theater that Live Nation closed after city firefighters discovered 23 fire code violations at the facility.
This summer, Friend seemed to believe the Capitol needed to be reopened as quickly as possible when making the following statements: "Any downtown revitalization plan must include a plan for getting the Capitol Music Hall going again. ... The key is that I think we need to have the Capitol open to attract tourism to downtown Wheeling ..." and "... Right now, I believe the Capitol is extremely vital to the future of downtown Wheeling, but if the study shows us something else, I will change my mind."
Now, Friend says WNHAC is not rushing into anything with the Capitol.
"It (the Capitol) is not high on my priority list," she said.
Also in May, City Manager Robert Herron confirmed that he had been negotiating with Carl Nix of Harvey Goodman Realtor to purchase the $850,000 venue on behalf of the four parties.
Herron declined to comment on the status of the Capitol last week.
Seeming to be committed to the future of the Capitol, Wheeling City Council and the West Virginia Development Office have designated $2.5 million in Tax Increment Financing to repair and renovate the Capitol, in the event the theater is purchased by a non-profit group. As part of the city's $8 million TIF application, plans for the Capitol call for using $2.1 million to address life safety codes and $400,000 to install a new roof.
The Wheeling 2020 Plan the city released in the spring lists renovating and reopening the Capitol as the city's premier priority for revitalizing downtown.
But Councilwoman Gloria Delbrugge said she and other council members "have not discussed the Capitol much lately."
"To my knowledge, none of us has been in any kind of negotiations concerning the Capitol lately," she said, noting there may be some private interest in the 2,480 seat venue.
Nix confirmed that he has one out- of-town person - in addition to the city of Wheeling - interested in buying the Capitol.
"The city has always been interested in it, but I have not heard from them for a while now. I will show it to anyone who asks to see it," he said.
Though she said the Capitol is no longer a high priority, Friend said she plans to use the yet-to-be-released study as a guide for anyone who would make an option on the property.
"If you got an option to buy the Capitol, you could rely on the results of the study to direct you on what you need to do to make it work before finalizing the purchase," she said.
In August 2007, Dr. Manny Velez announced that he - along with Theresa and Jim Childers of Bellaire - had signed an agreement with Live Nation to purchase the Capitol, and wanted to have it up and running again by October.
However, the contract Velez and the Childers signed on July 31 expired on Sept. 19, placing the venue back on the market where it has remained ever since.
Delbrugge does not know if the city will look to buy the Capitol, but she clearly wants someone to purchase and reopen the theater.
"We cannot wait forever because something needs to happen with it. We would be crazy if we do not do something to make sure someone buys it," she said.
Friend maintains that every day the Capitol remains closed, the venue deteriorates a little bit more. But Nix said the venue is structurally sound.
"Live Nation still has offices in the building, so there is still some activity going on in there. The building itself is solid because it was originally designed to be several stories taller than it is. But just after it opened, The Great Depression hit, and the owners ran out of money," he said.
Nix would like to see the city redevelop the areas around the Capitol because he believes it will make the venue more attractive. Currently, the former Bill's Hamburger building adjacent to the Capitol is receiving a facelift from owner C.J. Kaiser.
Also, City Council recently voted to issue $750,000 in TIF bonds to purchase the former G.C. Murphy building, former Rite Aid building and former River City Dance Works buildings in the 1100 block of Main and Market streets. Though council members have yet to reveal their plans for these three buildings, Delbrugge said she wants to see the buildings refurbished instead of demolished.
"It would be a shame if we tore down those buildings when they have so much history," she said.
Meanwhile, Nix said he is optimistic that someone will eventually step forward to purchase the Capitol.
"Before I die, it will be sold," he vows.
Friend also believes the interested parties are far from finished with the theater.
"Stay tuned," she said.