DISCUSSIONS — Members of Weirton Council and other city officials met in a work session Monday to continue discussions on potential sites for a proposed public safety facility. City Manager Mike Adams, left, reviews some information with, seated, Ward 4 Councilman George Ash, Utilities Director Butch Mastrantoni and Councilmembers Chris Jonczak and Terry Weigel. Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh, far left, also is pictured. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Weirton Council has narrowed down its options to two possible sites for a proposed public safety facility, and will soon turn its attention to how the project will be financed.

Council and other city officials met in a work session Monday evening to continue discussions on the project, which would see the development of a new facility for the Weirton Police Department.

“We’ve been working on this, going on a year now,” Ward 7 Councilman Terry Weigel said. “We’re down to pretty much a couple locations. All the other sites we’ve pretty much ruled out.”

Of particular focus Monday was the property in the area of the intersections of Cove Road, Weir Avenue and Lee Avenue, currently owned by the Frontier Group of Companies. The 2.8 acre site has been designated as C-1. Council also discussed option E-2, which would involve the use of the parking lot north of Edwin J. Bowman Baseball Field.

Council spent more than an hour discussing aspects of each site, including any potential impacts a proposed industrial access road project near the C-1 site, and the costs of relocating utility lines and a possible parking lot project for site E-2.

The utility lines, for example, could add more than $500,000 to the project, according to Utilities Director Butch Mastrantoni, who reviewed a map with several councilmembers showing current and possible future pathways.

Officials estimate building in the existing parking area, as proposed under E-2, would result in the loss of 159 parking spots in Municipal Plaza, with Ward 2 Councilman Chris Jonczak proposing the development of a new parking area behind the Mary H. Weir Public Library to provide some relief.

City officials also don’t know if there would be any costs associated with acquiring the C-2 site from the Frontier Group.

Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso said the costs associated with the project could end up being the determining factor.

“That’s what it all boils down to,” Fracasso said. “How much are we willing to spend beyond the building itself?”

Council previously had discussed the possibility of constructing the proposed facility on the site of Bowman Field. Several members of council, Monday, said they feel that option is no longer on the table. Also not being viewed is a proposal which would have built the facility partially over the field and partially over the parking lot.

Ward 3 Councilman Fred Marsh recommended City Manager Mike Adams reach out to Frontier to check about a possible purchase price, and to begin looking into financing packages to fund the project.

“That’s going to be your next hurdle,” he said, noting he feels a review of options to pay for the facility should be the focus of council’s next workshop.

Working with representatives of Horne and King Architects, council previously identified 16 possible sites in the city for the facility. Horne and King had projected a 17,660-square-foot main building could cost just over $7 million, with a carport and a firearms range adding approximately $3 million more as a base cost.