Sandusky Main Street at Rieger Place

topey@sanduskyregister.comIt took some planning but the Rieger Place preview event was a success.I worked last week with Sandusky Main Street Association as they prepared for the Rieger Place unveiling.Main Street Association board members John Lippus, Randy Hunt, and Nancy Beach, the project co-chairs, came together beforehand with Rieger Place developer Pat Torrence to plan the Rieger Place preview event.Torrence approached Main Street about using the event as a fundraiser for Main Street Association because of the agency's importance in projects that help revitalize downtown.We discussed how many one and two bedroom apartments would be shown and selected a variety of empty ones that would best represent the layouts.Lippus wanted as many apartments as possible to ensure people providing a donation would feel it was worthwhile. After much discussion it was decided a minimum of four would be shown with the possibility of one more if there was time.worthwhile. After much discussion it was decided a minimum of four would be shown with the possibility of one more if there was time.Torrence planned on putting old photos of the Rieger on display throughout the first floor.Signs and raffle tickets would be needed.Food was already scheduled from Small City Taphouse. No one was positive if anyone had approached J Bistro and it was decided Nancy would talk to them.I suggested someone visit Maurizio Buttinelli, owner of Amarone Italian Restaurant.I knew if approached he would help. He did, making a couple of dishes for the event.Daly's, Toft Dairy and Subway also provided food. Hermes Winery provided a gift basket for a raffle.J Bistro provided an hors d'oeuvre platter.The event was scheduled to run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.I was one of six tour guides. More members of the Main Street committee helped with the evening event by manning registration, the buffet and bar.About 40 people had called in advance to ensure their spot. Based on that we anticipated maybe 100 people would show.By the end of the night about 300 people walked through Rieger Place.Hundreds of people showed up at the beginning of the tour.We took 10 to 15 people at a time due to the size of the rooms. Visitors were given a number that would be called when the tours began.The large number of people arriving at once created a little glitch, as some people were impatient and — apparently not realizing people were already living in Rieger Place — went upstairs to check out the place for themselves.Lippus gave the first tour and the last tour, which ended at 7:50 p.m.Once things got moving, the tours moved quickly.Of course visitors saw the apartments and learned about their square footage and rental cost, averaging about $540 for a one-bedroom and $640 for a two-bedroom.There are already applications for every apartment but the guests still enjoyed seeing the transformation of the historic building.The tour guides told the visitors about the amenities, such as the laundry room on each floor and the common spaces. I also showed them the outdoor balcony on the third floor.I also told people about the restoration and the history of the building.The Rieger was built in three stages and finally ended up with 120 hotel rooms.Each hotel room door remains, many incorporated into the outside appearance of each apartment as part of the requirements of the historic tax credits that were used in the project.Torrence saved whatever he could, such as the iron railings of the staircases and the terrazzo marble that makes up portions of the floor, as well as the ornate plaster on the ceiling of main lobby.I explained that John Rieger was a self-made Sandusky resident who did a lot of things but made his money in custom boots and shoes."Who knew shoes would get you a hotel," I told a group. planned on putting old photos of the Rieger on display throughout the first floor.Register photo/JASON WERLING Melissa Topey brings a group together for a tour of the new Rieger Place apartments in downtown Sandusky, November 13, 2014. An open house was presented to the public Thursday night with over 300 people touring the reborn building.Register photo/JASON WERLING Melissa Topey, left, shows a bedroom and hallway of one of the apartments during a tour of the new Rieger Place in downtown Sandusky, November 13, 2014. An open house was presented to the public Thursday night with over 300 people touring the reborn building.Register photo/JASON WERLING Melissa Topey talks to a group during a tour of the new Rieger Place apartments in downtown Sandusky, November 13, 2014. An open house was presented to the public Thursday night with over 300 people touring the reborn building.