Warehouse permit OK’d, infrastructure projects ahead in Follansbee

Nov 30, 2023

Aug 23, 2023

FOLLANSBEE — Follansbee Council last week approved a building permit for storage buildings on the former Follansbee Steel property and the second readings of ordinances launching major water and sewer projects in the city.

Council has approved a building permit sought by Empire Diversified Energy for two 250,000-square-foot warehouses being built on the former Follansbee Steel property at the city’s south end.

Farley Wood, an engineer with Empire, said the buildings will be used to store noncombustible material such as silica and garnet abrasives and steel coils, pipe and cables.

The company has agreed to employ flaggers in directing truck traffic for the warehouse while pursuing easements from Wheeling-Nippon Steel and Norfolk Southern Railway to access Veterans Drive.

A permit sought by Gumby’s Cigarettes & Beer World was tabled for more information.

Plans call for a combined Gumby’s location and Geno’s limited video lottery establishment to be built at the former Tire USA site near Brooke Plaza.

In other business, Velegol said plans call for the city to advertise in October for contractors for a major wastewater project funded by a $10.2 million federal grant, $2.7 million in state funds and a $2.7 million private loan.

The project includes upgrades to the sewer plant, pump stations at the city’s south end and near the fire station and the separation of combined sanitary and stormwater sewer lines.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the combined lines, found in many communities, to be separated to prevent raw sewage from being expelled into waterways when sewers become overtaxed by heavy rainfall.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. noted the move also will make the sewer plant more cost-efficient because it won’t be treating large volumes of rain during storms.

He said the project also will include replacement of a damaged underground vault from which wastewater has backed up near Highland Street and of a 12-inch stormwater line near Neville Street with one that is 30 inches in diameter to improve the flow of runoff from the hillside above.

City officials also are preparing for $3.1 million in upgrades to Follansbee’s water treatment system.

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $2 million grant for the project, with the remaining cost to be covered by city funds.

Velegol said a condition of the grant is the Army formation’s close involvement, and Ghosh Engineering, which has designed the project, has worked with the corps to ensure they have followed its guidelines.

He said the corps also will oversee the bidding process, which is expected to occur early next year.

The project is slated to include upgrades to the downtown and Hooverson Heights water plants serving the city’s customers, as well as water lines.

But it’s expected to cause little disruption to service because of the link established between the two plants several years ago, said Velegol.

Council also agreed to send a thank-you to Randy Gassaway for his many years as a coach and volunteer with the local softball league.

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