Sage Manor all the rage

SANDUSKY — Transforming a nearly two-century-old home isn't an overnight job. But two spouses, along with a team consisting of dedicated friends and talented tradespeople, spent nearly every day over a five-year stint to transform a storied yet dilapidated property into a state-of-the-art apartment building. In mid-2020, lifelong Sandusky residents Page Warner and Scot Mayhorne first pursued a complete top-to-bottom renovation of a multi-story structure at 910 W. Washington St. (U.S. 6) in the city. Now known as Sage Manor, located near Circle K just outside of downtown's boundaries, they recently completed all major tasks. Construction work, in earnest, began in 2022, as the pair completely gutted — both personally and in supervisory roles — the historic home with visions of establishing four units within this multi-story, 6,400-square-foot space. Documents show this represents the site's largest renovation since around the 1830s. Back then, crews built the very structure still standing there today. Its first occupant: John Pool. Among his contributions to Sandusky's history, Pool aided fugitive slaves to freedom in Canada through Sandusky's portion of the Underground Railroad, according to the Sandusky Library's history blog. He also drove the locomotive for the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, which broke ground in Sandusky in 1835 at present-day Battery Park Marina. Homing in on the apartments Both Warner, an educator with Fremont Schools who's also a part-time realtor, and Mayhorne, a foreman with Sandusky-based Telamon Construction, spent nearly every waking moment of their free time making over this property. Never before pursuing a project anywhere close to this magnitude, they both wanted to invest in a property not only for themselves but also for current/future tenants and the community at large. They desired to leave their mark on Sandusky's ongoing renaissance — just like other entrepreneurs before, reinvigorating outdated residences and underused spaces elsewhere, breathing new life into them. "We have this beautiful home that we are bringing back to life as close as we can," said Warner, stressing how this marks a privately financed project without receiving any sort of public subsidy. "We want people to appreciate the historic side of Sandusky by visiting the city and our property. But, when inside their rooms, they can enjoy all of the modern-day amenities that will keep them comfortable during their stay." Four rentable fully furnished units exist inside Sage Manor: two on the ground floor, two on the upper floor. All, meanwhile, feature individual soft-color themes — blue, orange, yellow and, of course, green/sage, playing into the Sage Manor name — to help each space stand out on its own. The Sage name also derives from combining the first names of Scot and Page. They all offer anywhere between one to three bedrooms; at least one full bathroom; a full kitchen and laundry facilities; high-quality furniture; and modern-day technology accommodations, like in-house wireless internet. The building also offers its own parking lot and other security measures. "This space has everything you need, and while you are not quite in downtown, you are also not right in the middle of everything," said Warner, noting Sage Manor offers fair-market rental rates. "It's the perfect balance." During the construction phases, the pair pivoted from originally wanting to offer short-term rentals to now providing longer-term stays. Effectively, their apartments are meant for people who want to live in Sandusky for at least a year. They believed people who live in Sage Manor more frequently and on a year-round basis would take greater pride in calling Sandusky home. For example, after a positive experience at Sage Manor, one former tenant just bought a house in the area. Sage Manor's presence, then, creates spinoff benefits that support the surrounding neighborhood and community overall, they each said. Mayhorne — whose favorite spot in Sage Manor is its balcony, overlooking the busy West Washington Street, perfect for people-watching — explained. He said the neighbors, countless times over, expressed their gratitude for the house's complete rebirth, noting it's spawned investment and established a better atmosphere. The tenants have become friends and, in some cases, like family members to longtime residents around there. "This house is now a safe place," said Mayhorne, noting the home — before his and Warner's involvement — often attracted illegal activity but no longer does. "It's a totally different block, and we are proud to have played a part in that." Preserving the past Mayhorne and Warner maintained as much of the building's structural elements as possible, preserving its historic charm. For instance, among the many modernizations, they: • Kept the original hardwood floors after receiving a major touch-up • Maintained each unit's layout, giving each space a unique feel • Enhanced the entryway's tall, narrow, winding wooden staircase, serving as the most notable feature in the entire house • Repurposed the fireplaces; While they can't be used in the traditional sense, like with logs, they remain in place for decorative purposes. Many pictures of the greater Sandusky area's landmarks and beyond, including those from Lake Erie's islands, line the walls. There are also paintings created by local artists. A portrait of Pool, some original housing deed documents, train-related artifacts and more are also prominently displayed on the ground floor. The work took longer than expected. But the end result far exceeded what each had originally anticipated. "We really love it, and everyone who has come through here or lived here so far has, too," said Warner, who sanded, scraped, painted and enhanced every single door in the building. This would include the front door — now colored in a sage-green shade. Both extended their appreciation to everyone, from contractors to buddies doubling as volunteers, for getting this entire space ready. "We have some great friends and good workers who all helped us here," said Warner, a 1991 Sandusky High School graduate. Added Mayhorne, who's a 1988 Sandusky High School graduate and did lots of grunt work in this revamp: "There are a lot of local people around here who have been very, very good to us." Others, meanwhile, thanked the couple for their efforts in improving a project benefiting, whether directly or indirectly, all Sanduskains. "Investments — such as those made by the owners of Sage Manor, at 910 W. Washington Ave. — are contributing factors to the multi-year progress made in the stabilization of neighborhoods and downtown properties in Sandusky," the city's community development director Colleen Gilson said. "We are grateful for their investment as well as those made by business owners and homeowners over this last decade. We look forward to the continued revitalization happening in our community and are honored to play a role in it." People can learn more about Sage Manor by visiting sagemanorsandusky.com.