Bay View's former Moose Lodge set for makeover

BAY VIEW — Get ready for something new to debut in Bay View.Rick Hogrefe and his wife, Meghan, recently committed about $300,000 of their money to transform the former Moose Lodge on East Bayview Drive."We are turning the Moose Lodge into a hunting lodge to support the local hunting industry and bring some high-class rentals into Bay View," said Hogrefe, a former Bay View resident and 1979 Margaretta High School graduate. Today he resides in San Diego. "The local marshes are great draws for well-to-do hunters from around the Midwest. They need more opportunities to leave more of their money behind in the local communities."Hogrefe also set his sights on refurbishing a nearby building."The other property right on the lake, the location of the old Dairy Queen, will offer fun for the bay," Hogrefe said. "With the sewage system going in, the back bay will clean up quickly."Hogrefe explained his willingness to invest in the village."Bay View could end up being a great local destination for water sports," he said. "Also bird watching is a growing business. Bay View would be a great destination for bird watchers. We need to have an infrastructure that can handle it. The classic and always wonderful Bay Bell Restaurant and Rayz on the Bay are already there. We need a few more amenities to make it more enjoyable."Meanwhile the Hogrefes also purchased three downtown Sandusky properties collectively for $1.75 million. They intend to invest an additional $4 million to $6 million for various development purposes. Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.Rick Hogrefe and his wife, Meghan, recently committed about $300,000 of their money to transform the former Moose Lodge on East Bayview Drive. Rick, a former Bay View resident who today resides in San Diego, wants to transform the building into a hunting lodge.