Work on winery to commence

SANDUSKY — Two developers uncorked their long-bottled plans for transforming a notable building. Spouses Ed and Jennifer Torres recently revealed their ambitions to evolve an empty structure on East Market Street in Sandusky into a multi-use site. It will feature a restaurant, winery/tasting room and transient rental properties for short-term overnight stays, they said. For their unnamed project, they've drawn inspiration from two places in particular: Geneva on the Lake between Cleveland and Erie, Pennsylvania, as well as Gervasi Vineyard in Canton. The latter offers a place where guests can stay, eat, drink and enjoy area scenery in one area. "But then, when you add what Sandusky's downtown can offer along with Cedar Point and the islands, we have such a great advantage here," Ed said. "Our project will be a bridge that ties the downtown to the marina district. There is already a ton of foot traffic here, and it's only going to increase with all of the development happening around here." Jen followed up by summarizing the project's mission statement. "We want people to come here and enjoy the entire experience of Sandusky and especially of what we'll offer right here," Jen said. "Being able to visit a winery with all of the breweries and restaurants near us within walking distance will make this a more desirable place." Breathing new life into building Sitting largely empty since mid-2020, the building at 419 E. Market St. previously housed Buckeye Broadband/Cable. Preceding this, it also hosted Nickles Bakery — and, before that, Sunbeam Bakery — and a hardware store. James Ruthsatz CPA acted as the building's only tenant between Buckeye leaving and the Torres' acquiring this site. Ed and Jen signed a new lease with Ruthsatz, who'll remain in this spot for, at least, another five years. Ed explained his and Jen's collective interest in the 1.25-acre property. "We are always looking for a new project and thought, 'Why not this one?'" said Ed, noting he and Jen live right across the street in a new housing development. The pair operates Amerihome, which buys and rehabs multiple residential properties in Sandusky. With this business, they've overseen nearly two dozen local projects. Most notably, this includes a top-to-bottom renovation of a three-story residential structure, known as The Lofts at Hancock, at Hancock and Scott streets in Sandusky. They debuted the new-look building in 2021. "That was our biggest project," Ed said about The Lofts. "But this one coming up will be bigger." Ed pointed to the East Market Street project's size and cost, pegged at about a $3 million investment. "While the work will be similar to other projects, this will be just on a larger scale," Ed said. The Torres' won't demolish the building, rather, they'll make many cosmetic changes to its overall look. "We are going to make it very contemporary," Jen said. "It needs a facelift, and that's what we'll give it. It will feel very classy." When will it be built? Regarding a timeline, Ed and Jen intend on breaking ground at this site sometime this year. They expressed confidence in people enjoying on-site amenities, such as drinking wine and sleeping over in various living quarters, by fall 2023. Other than interior construction work, Ed and Jen want to find savvy business people with vast experience in the food and beverage industry and task them with operating the winery/tasting room and restaurant. They'll also seek guidance from hospitality experts on the transient rental component. They plan on locating a restaurant and winery/tasting room on the bottom floor. It's the upstairs where they'll locate rooms people can book on sites like Airbnb. It's possible an expansion to create more rooms could happen. With all of the on-site lodging accommodations, it's possible larger events, such as wedding receptions, could also occur from here. Many praise the Torres family for their unwavering belief in Sandusky with their many projects, including this upcoming one. "Ed and Jen Torres are a model of what Sandusky needs, returning to the city as residents while also taking on projects that make a positive impact on the community," city manager Eric Wobser said. " I'm excited to see their plans for this new investment."