WHEELING -- The City of Wheeling is creating jobs and improving the downtown area through tax increment financing, according to a new report.

City-council met Tuesday night for a five-year progress report.

Tax increment funding, or TIF, is a program that allows the city of Wheeling to use anticipated gains to finance improvements.

Two of the three projects that the City of Wheeling has chosen to work on have been successful, including the Lowe's project.

"The jobs at Lowes, the investment in the community, and they're very happy ... sales are strong," said Mayor Andy McKenzie

City Manager Bob Herron agreed and said the city is glad to have Lowe's in the city of Wheeling that they are a great business and occupation taxpayer.

McKenzie added that more jobs are headed to Wheeling, this week, as a new business moves into the Stone Center.

"The Stone Center, a TIF project, and TTI Vista is creating jobs that are more than $75,000. We couldn't have completed these projects without a TIF," said McKenzie.

The 1100 block of Main and Market streets, including the Capitol Theatre, is the third project the city took on just a year ago.

"We just bought the building and I think we are trying to get a feel before we decide one way or the other what to do with it," said Herron.

Herron said that whatever the city decides to do with those vacant downtown buildings the TIF program is a good fit for Wheeling.

The city already has already made some improvements, but sprucing up the downtown area could pay off big.

The city of Wheeling renovated the Stone Center three years ago, hoping to attract new businesses. State and local politicians will attend an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for TTI Technologies on Thursday at 1 p.m. the newly renovated building.

The company will help develop low-cost, high-tech radar technology for the Army.