Corso's plans housing project

Editor's note: This news story has been updated to correct the church's operating status. SANDUSKY — An ongoing rezoning effort aims to turn a church into living quarters so a company with deep local roots can house its workers and interns. Corso's Flower & Garden Center's horticulture division recently proposed a plan to occupy the former St. Paul Lutheran Church on Mills Street and West Perkins Avenue. It's near the former YMCA property. "This would house agricultural workers utilizing the H-2A (temporary, non-immigrant workers) visa program and collegiate student interns primarily from the Ohio State University Agricultural School," said Jonathan Holody, the city's community development director. Holody said Corso's does offer housing to these groups today, but it's segmented and dispersed throughout the area. "When the opportunity arose to locate everyone in a central location, they took advantage of it," Holody said. "The grounds would also be used for training for the students and Corso's staff as well as a possible showcase location for Corso's projects." Holody then offered some insight into upcoming construction work: • "The (church's former) school rooms will be converted into sleeping quarters." • "Restrooms will need to be converted into dormitory-style restrooms with appropriate amounts of showers and other amenities." Corso's spokesman Fritz Mueller said the building's physical footprint "will remain relatively unchanged. We plan to begin housing approximately eight college interns and 160 agricultural workers in 2022." How much the renovations will cost was not disclosed. Corso's has yet to take over the property. Those details, and others, should crystalize when the project goes before a city board for final approval, likely taking place this summer. On this timeline, Mueller expects construction to end in November. Sounding off The public-private partnership also satisfies one of Sandusky's ongoing goals: developing underused and vacant properties so they don't fall into a state of blighted disrepair. • Holody: This project, along with the project at the former YMCA site, represents good reuses for underutilized buildings. The project will add to the city's tax base, support the continued growth and success of a local company and be a nice location for workers and college interns to reside. • Mueller: Corso's operates greenhouse operations, growing and selling perennial plants to the public and national home improvement stores. We utilize agricultural workers licensed through the H-2A program governed by the United States Department of Labor. These H-2A workers are provided housing as specified by that program's regulations. They have been housed for the last several years in a variety of locations extending out to Sheffield Lake. Travel times for these workers have been excessive. Providing a better housing solution for these workers is a top priority for Corso's. Sandusky provides a great housing solution, affording those workers access to good shopping options, activities and close proximity to our farm locations. Corso's welcomes the opportunity to invest in Sandusky.