Department store approved for demo in West Virginia

A demolition permit has reportedly been granted for a vacant department store in Charleston, West Virginia. The demo project could clear the way for the construction of a new hotel.

A mid-May article by Charleston-based WOWK-TV says the future status of a former Sears store attached to the Charleston Town Center shopping center has been held by a dispute between the city of Charleston’s government and a developer who wants to build a hotel at the site.

The TV station says it has learned that a demolition permit has been granted to developer Mayur Patel that would allow him to take down the former Sears store.

That action should resolve litigation that has been pending, WOWK says a Charleston city attorney has told the TV station.

City Attorney Keith Baker says he anticipates the city will be dropped from the pending litigation now that the permit has been issued. The dispute had focused on whether or not the planned hotel would directly connect to the remaining shopping center, according to WOWK.