Hogrefe Building gets grant

SANDUSKY — A state grant represents the final piece to fully fund a local multimillion-dollar project in downtown Sandusky. On Thursday, JobsOhio, the state's private economic development corporation, announced the Hogrefe Building secured $1 million for construction-related expenses. Known as a vibrant communities grant, it's intended to help smaller cities statewide revitalize their central commercial corridors, often doubling as downtowns. About 40 entities applied for funding, but only four — including Sandusky's Hogrefe Building application — locked down dollars from this grant program. Property owners Rick and Meghan Hogrefe, elated over the award, previously indicated they'll fund a vast majority — north of $7 million — to round out this $8.8 million initiative. A special tax agreement provided by Sandusky's government also offers them aid. The grant "will help us close the financing gap on the project and will ensure that the Hogrefe Building will soon be one of the crown jewels of downtown Sandusky," they said in a joint statement. Hogrefe Building blueprint Ongoing construction work at the Hogrefe Building, wrapping around Columbus Avenue and Market Street across from Small City Taphouse, should end sometime later this year. "We are still planning for a February 2022 opening," Rick said. "We are going to schedule an open house in late January. We will announce the date in December." A new building should mirror its predecessor, the Cooke Building, which fell into a dilapidated state and couldn't be saved due to decades of neglect from past owners. In an effort to honor history, Rick and Meghan aggressively pursued plans in recreating the Cooke Building's look. For instance, crews mirrored the former building's shape and dimensions. The Hogrefe Building, totaling about 30,000 square feet, should stand three stories tall and reach 45 feet, just like the Cooke Building did. Within the structure, people can expect the Hogrefe Building to house a mixed-use site for retail, office and residential uses. It will also connect to the adjacent Marketplace at Cooke complex. Thursday's announcement also mentioned Reminger Co., a city-based law firm located on Washington Row, becomes the building's first official tenant. "We are excited to move our offices into a state-of-the-art space right in the heart of downtown," Reminger partner Justin Harris said. "We are proud to be an anchor tenant in the Hogrefe Building, one of the largest development projects in downtown Sandusky in recent memory." Before the Hogrefes went forward with construction work, they obtained a special permit from the city government. Back then, and ever since, the administration continues to express its full support of this project. "The site of the Hogrefe Building is so important to our downtown, and the city committed to working with the Hogrefes in a public-private partnership to ensure that the new building will contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Sandusky for many decades, and centuries, to come," city manager Eric Wobser said.