A makeover for the Montgomery

SANDUSKY — They view the space as a hidden gem in downtown Sandusky. So spouses Nikki and Robin Lloyd decided to polish up the residential structure, home to many locals for more than 100 years. About a year ago, they acquired the century-old Montgomery Building on East Market Street. Named after a local jeweler, Frank Montgomery, it's across the street from Bowling Green State University's new downtown campus. The 10-unit, two-story structure went several decades without any major work or repairs. So the Lloyds, who co-own Hotel Kilbourne and boast much experience in renovating spaces, decided to pursue this massive undertaking, an initiative which should total about $825,000 when complete. Work started last year and should wrap up in 2021. "This is about bettering the community and bringing an affordable place where people can live downtown," said Robin, who lives at the Montgomery with Nikki. Units start at $650 per month, among the least expensive anywhere in downtown, where demand — with nearly 120 living spaces coming online in Sandusky's central business district since 2018 — is seemingly at an all-time high. "We just saw it as a great opportunity to live here while working on a great project," Nikki said. Both Nikki, a former city commissioner, and Robin, a community activist, wanted to give the Montgomery a "more artistic" feel. "Through art, whether it's the landscaping or on the walls, we want to give each unit that unique feel and sense," Robin said. "All of the apartments look different and have different layouts, which helped us be creative with the spaces." Some project tasks included: • Overhauling the courtyard into a welcoming backyard space for all tenants • Freshening up common areas with paintings • Redoing three units with several cosmetic upgrades • Gutting multiple rooms to eventually place all new amenities in them • Transforming an office into a rentable space people can book on Airbnb Sometime in 2021, the Lloyds want to paint the street-side-facing brick wall. Not only will this spruce up a bland space, they said, but will give the Montgomery more of an identity and pop out to community members. "We believe in Sandusky, and both of us have a strong passion for the city," Robin said. "This is why we're revitalizing the building. We had an opportunity to improve something in our city, to make it better for others, and we're doing just that."