Work on the state-of-the-art Wheeling Fire Department headquarters had been sailing along -- for a while.
Now, the general contractor -- PCS &build -- has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to The Intelligencer.
The building was supposed to have been completed late last year.
After the pre-fabricated walls were set and the roof placed seven months ago, firefighters as well as contractors and city officials gathered for a tree topping ceremony.
Since then, work has been underway inside. However, the bankruptcy will likely cause additional delays, Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron added.
"All payments made by the city to the contractor since work resumed in January have been made to an independent escrow account for distribution, not to this contractor. Several subcontractors have continued work this week,” he said.
On their last shift at the old headquarters in late February, firefighters were joined by former chiefs and retirees to share stories.
“We’ve been in this station for almost 46 years. There’s a lot of history here. There’s a lot of tradition here. A lot of good things happened out of this building. There’s been a countless number of lives saved – it’s unbelievable to think," Fire Chief Jim Blazier said.
