Falcon Point Lofts to open Oct. 1

SANDUSKY — Downtown Sandusky's new apartment complex takes tenants to new heights. In the literal sense, people — no matter which of the 80 Falcon Point Lofts units they're inside of — can take in unseen, wide-sweeping, never-before-seen views. In the metaphorical sense, project developers call these luxury-style living spaces, "The best new apartments anywhere around." "When you consider everything and the overall quality, nothing else can compare to what we have here," said Joe Carmigiano, Marous Management Services' director of property management. A-plus amenities Carmigiano recently invited the Register inside Falcon Point Lofts for an exclusive tour weeks before tenants can begin moving in on Oct. 1. Falcon Point Lofts — a $14 million initiative representing a joint partnership between Bowling Green State University and Cedar Fair, Cedar Point's parent company — consists of three major components all within a 78,000-square-foot structure: • These aforementioned upper-level residential apartments • Street-level space for a forthcoming business • A ground-floor academic center, officially known as a resort and attraction management program, established by Bowling Green State University and Cedar Fair Standing five stories tall on East Market Street, administrators expect the tourism-focused academic center, where up to 200 students can enroll per semester, to open for in-person classes on Sept. 28. It's the date coinciding with when the program's fall classes commence. Some students enrolled in the program, however, began taking online classes in June. Tenants living in the residential spaces, meanwhile, can move in starting Oct. 1, about a month later than originally anticipated due to complications stemming from COVID-19. Carmigiano then addressed one of the project's biggest misnomers. "Anybody can live in this building," Carmigiano said. "As long as they meet our qualifications and standards, they can move in." Carmigiano noted how about a dozen of the 80 units — which break down to "studio" and then the two-bedroom, one-bathroom variety — have already been leased out. The monthly rent ranges between $850 and $1,550. "Based on the fact that the resort and attraction management program is going to build up over the next three to four years, we always intended to have the general public here to start with," Carmigiano said. "If the program gets big enough and becomes all students, we are fine with that. If we keep the general public in that. we're fine with that as well." Regardless of the ratio, both Carmigiano and Savana Chechak, the lofts' property manager, believe all 80 units will be grabbed up and gone well before Oct. 1 rolls around. "There is a lot of demand for these apartments," Carmigiano said. "With the Columbus Avenue Lofts (situated above City Hall in downtown, marking another Marous-developed property), we are pretty much filled up down there. We get constant inquiries from people about wanting to live downtown." Both then talked up Falcon Point Lofts' amenities: fully furnished apartments, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, laundry rooms on each floor, parcel lockers, a fitness center and a parking lot, all watched by about 40 security cameras spread throughout the grounds. "The quality of the products that we put in here is important," Carmigiano said. "By no means is anything — the furniture, the cabinetry, the flooring, the doors — a cheap product. It's all high-end quality." Both Carmigiano and Chechak wish they could actually live at the lofts. "There is really not a bad view anywhere in this building," said Chechak, noting people, depending on the given apartment's vantage point, can see Sandusky Bay, Cedar Point or rooftops making up downtown's skyline People can search for "Falcon Point Lofts" online and on social network platforms for more information. Live and learn These apartments not only can play a pivotal role in a student's overall learning experience but might just give them a distinctive advantage in fulfilling their collegiate ambitions, said Swathi Ravichandran, the resort and attraction management program's founding director. She's also a professor. "Students have the opportunity to live and learn in the same building," Ravichandran said. "If they choose to live in these apartments, they just need to come down for their classes, which is incredibly convenient, especially during inclement weather days. Students also have easy access to the program's faculty and staff." She then further expanded upon the benefits: "There are huddle rooms in the academic space for teams to work on projects together, enhancing their learning experience. Every floor also has common areas for students to potentially gather to work on assignments together. Plus, students can enjoy being near Cedar Point and experience the robust tourism industry along Lake Erie." The spacious new building also affords staff and, in turn, students, to observe safe practices when it comes to protecting themselves against COVID-19, Ravichandran said. "Because we have the space to physically distance, our plan is to offer the majority of our fall classes face-to-face through Thanksgiving after which face-to-face classes will become remote," she said. "We will be following all CDC and BGSU guidelines for safety, which include maintaining 6 feet of physical distance and wearing facial coverings," Ravichandran added. "Students are also asked to do daily health checks before coming to class and are strongly encouraged to not attend in person if not feeling well or ill." A program cheatsheet Here's how the partnership between BGSU and Cedar Fair on downtown Sandusky's resort and attraction management program, breaks down: • Bowling Green State University established a two-year academic program tailored to students taking tourism-related courses taught by its faculty. • BGSU Firelands will administer the bachelor's degree program. • Classes concentrate on subjects pertaining to the business of traveling, hospitality and entertainment. • During their studies, students can also receive on-the-job training opportunities through paid internships. • Undergraduates at the junior and senior levels can register for classes on these subjects. • BGSU students, no matter at the main campus in Bowling Green or BGSU Firelands in Huron Township, are eligible to sign up for these classes. Meanwhile, those enrolled elsewhere, such as at other colleges, can transfer into the program. • Cedar Fair will work with students to prepare them for careers in tourism. • Executives envision this academic program serving as a professional pipeline, directing trained and skilled graduates to employment opportunities at one of the corporation's 11 properties, including Cedar Point in Sandusky. • A degree can also prepare students to find work at other amusement parks, cruise lines, resorts, hotels and countless other tourism-related jobs or careers. Students "will complete a comprehensive, management-focused curriculum while gaining valuable in-the-field leadership experience," Ravichandran said. "In applied fields like those in the broader tourism field, both of these components are crucial for success," she added. "We will work with students, one-on-one, to place them in departments and positions that best meet their career interests and goals."