Sandusky church invests in restoring its historical charm

SANDUSKY — A large-scale renovation at one of Sandusky's oldest churches is expected to wrap up by the end of the month, just in time for the holiday season. Grace Episcopal Church, located on the southeast corner of Washington Park, is the oldest church building in continual use in Sandusky, according to its Ohio Historical Marker placed there in 1985. Father Seth Wymer said the renovation, which began in June, was necessary because the building was outdated and no longer adequately reflected the church's historic beauty. "There's a direct correlation between the aesthetic of a church and how a parishioner interprets how a church body will take care of them in a time of need," Wymer said. "If we say this place is important, then the space should reflect that." When Wymer first joined the church, nearly three years ago, he noticed various cracks across the wall and ceiling as well as an outdated red carpet. Wymer said the church is fortunate to have a generous endowment, which it's using to cover all costs of the renovation. Supporting local talent Wymer said that it was important to him to have the renovation done by local and regional contractors. The remodel focused on restoring the church's historic beauty and improving long-term functionality. Tusing Building and Roofing Services, based in Monroeville and owned by Jason Tusing, served as the general contractor with Dwayne Poore acting as the project manager. Other contractors involved in the project include: • Eisenhour Church Furnishings of Huron — pew restoration • Popowski Paint and Paper of Avon Lake — painting • Wasiniak Construction of Norwalk — masonry • Hill's Interiors of Norwalk — flooring "We would have never accomplished this project without the help of our subcontractors," Poore said. "Not just one person made this project happen. It was definitely a collaborative effort." During the course of the project, 15 stained-glass windows were secured in new moldings. The worn red carpet and cork flooring were replaced with luxury vinyl tile after repairs were made to the 100-year-old subfloor. Restoration and preservation of the church pews Wymer, along with Tusing and Poore, all agreed that restoring the 60 original church pews represented one of the most significant and time-consuming parts of the renovation. Poore said that each of the pews had to be measured to the exact inch and manually disassembled before being labeled and loaded onto semi-trucks, which were then transported to Alabama for repainting, crack repair and wood restoration. Once the pews arrive back from Alabama, they will be reinstalled in their previous locations. While the sanctuary is under construction, worship services have temporarily moved to Grace's 1835 chapel, the original cornerstone of the parish. Due to the construction, the church has introduced a Saturday evening service to accommodate the reduced capacity during the remodel. "We have the responsibility of nourishing our community in all phases of their lives. This renovation of 'looking to the future' will allow current and future members of Grace Church to live and grow in Christ's love," Wymer said.