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ELKINS -- Delays and stoppages on a section of Davis Avenue that has been closed several times this summer due to ongoing construction at the Tygart Hotel are expected again this week.
According to a press release from the City of Elkins, the area of Davis Avenue between Second and Third Streets will again see construction throughout the day on Wednesday.
The work will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and both lanes will be closed for a period of time in the morning and evening when a telehandler is brought and taken from the location.
Telehandlers are also known as telescopic forklifts because of their extended boom and attachments. They can complete similar jobs to a forklift, but they bring more power, reach and versatility to a job site.
After the telehandler is in place, only one lane will be closed throughout the day while work is being completed. A flagger, stop sign, and cones will be on site to help with traffic control.
"The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires anytime somebody has a lift like that you have to take safety precautions for both pedestrians and the people working," said City of Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco. "Closing part of the street is not something we want to do, but unfortunately we have to in order to make sure we are keeping people safe. We are just following the guidelines OSHA provides."
Since early July, the block has been closed repeatedly because of ongoing construction work and the use of a boom lift crane in the street as part of the hotel renovation.
Construction delays have irritated several business owners in the vicinity of the Tygart Hotel, leading to some going before the Elkins City Council and seeking financial reimbursement from the city.
"My heart goes out to the business owners," said Marco. "We are hoping that the worst is behind us now. This is just one of those things that we have to do."
The Tygart Hotel was built in 1907 and once construction is complete will reopen as a 56-room boutique hotel, including a full restaurant and bar on the first floor and a small banquet room that will lead out to a balcony on the second floor.
The Woodlands Development Group purchased the Tygart Hotel for $700,000 in 2017 and announced back in August that the hotel would open some time this winter and the restaurant in the spring of 2024.