Planning commission backs WVU Medicine Eye Institute, parking garage and rezoning recommendation

The Morgantown Planning Commission unanimously approved a minor subdivision and a Type 3 site plan and recommended rezoning to allow WVU Medicine to build a new Eye Institute, a connected five‑story parking garage and related site work near the intersection of Van Voorhis Road and Elmer Prince Drive.

The project would include a four‑story medical clinic and office building of about 152,000 square feet with roughly 102 exam rooms and 44 testing rooms; a five‑story parking garage connected to the clinic by a two‑story pedestrian bridge; and a reconfigured surface lot. Combined, the garage and reconfigured surface parking would provide about 1,100 parking spaces, including 20 ADA‑accessible spaces. Planning staff recommended approval of the subdivision, rezoning recommendation, and the Type 3 site plan subject to conditions in the staff packet, and commissioners voted to approve each item.

Why it matters: The development will consolidate several parcels, change zoning for the clinic and garage to a B-2 designation and add a large medical facility and substantial parking close to the Northside Fire Station and existing WVU properties. The commission’s approvals advance the project to the Board of Zoning Appeals for requested variances and to City Council for formal rezoning action.

Staff overview and approvals Ricky (planning staff) presented the project overview and drawings, telling the commission the project site is split between multiple zoning districts now and that the applicant is asking that the clinic and garage parcels be rezoned to B-2. Ricky summarized the building program, circulation, pedestrian bridge and fire‑lane design and said the fire marshal has reviewed and…