Changes, improvements coming to health department campus

SANDUSKY — Big changes are coming to the campus of the Erie County Health Department, located at 420 Superior St. The department plans to put up a big sign at the intersection of Superior and Monroe streets and transform Superior Street with landscaping and other work. The changes will provide "a real entryway for our campus" and make the health department and the Erie County Community Health Center, located at the same place, more prominent and easier to find, said Pete Schade, Erie County's health commissioner. In other developments: • Construction is expected to be finished next month on changes and improvements to the campus, including a new building and an easier way to drop off patients. • The health department has taken ownership of property across the street, at 301 Superior St., which previously was leased from the Erie County commissioners. The property now houses Becky's House, a drug treatment center for women, but the health department plans future projects on the land. Schade said clients coming to the health department often miss the small sign on Monroe Avenue. "All kinds of people go flying by our entrance," Schade said. "A lot of them turn into Lions Park and kind of look across the grass." Schade said the health department should be harder to miss soon, thanks to the new project, which is getting key assistance from Sandusky city officials. He said the city has agreed to pay $100,000 to acquire a home at 3201 W. Monroe St. from the owner, Gale A. Dauch, of Huron. The city will then lease the site to the health department, probably at $20,000 a year for five years, so that the city's cost can be recovered, Schade said. He said Dauch has been good to work with and wants to help improve the neighborhood. The house will be demolished and replaced with a large sign for the health department. A landscaped divider about 120 feet long will be extended along Superior Street at the end where it meets Monroe Street. A sidewalk is being extended along Superior Street for the convenience of health department patrons, and the city plans to extend its bike and walking path to the area, Schade said. Erie County commissioners purchased the land at 301 Superior St. for $2.3 million in 2018. The former location of Ability Works was taken over when a location was needed for a residential drug treatment program for the county. The building now houses Becky's House, which provides treatment and housing for women overcoming substance use disorder. The $2.3 million purchase of the nearly 12-acre site was financed by $250,000 from the Erie County commissioners, $250,000 from the health department and $500,000 from the state with the balance covered by borrowing money. The health department has been leasing the site. Schade said the health department paid the commissioners about $1.1 million to cover the cost of the bonds and has taken possession of the property. In a few weeks, the health department will pay the commissioners $250,000 to cover the county's original cost for the project. The county will retain ownership of more than 2 acres by the Lake Erie shore, Schade said. The health department plans to put a new building on the property to provide temporary housing and social services for homeless people and people needing emergency medical health treatment. Much of the cost of the new building will be covered by $2 million in federal funds that U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, obtained for the health department by inserting a provision into the recently-passed federal budget bill. Schade said May 9 has been set as the date of completion for a new building in the front of the health department complex. The building, about 90 feet long and 40 feet wide, with two stories and a basement, will provide the health department with additional space as it continues to expand services. It will be connected to the current building with a short covered walkway. It will provide space for mental health treatment, primary medical care, epidemiology and other health department services. "Essentially the whole inside is done," Schade said. "Once we pave the parking lot, it's really going to look great." A circular drop-off area will make it easier to drop off patients at the health department. Schade said the main contractor, Studer-Obringer Inc. of New Washington, began work in March 2021 and has been slowed by various supply problems. For example, the vendor who had been lined up to supply the roof sold it to another company, so another supplier had to be found. The contractor has done a fine job, Schade said.