Listen up: The Mohawk Studio debuting in Sandusky

SANDUSKY — A company known as HALO would never sign a deal with the devil.In fact, it's quite the opposite for two local businessmen and Sandusky officials, with each side believing all parties make out good here.During a recent public meeting, city commissioners provided $15,000 in grant funds to proprietors of HALO 1848 so they can operate The Mohawk Studio at 805 Wayne St. HALO 1848 acts as the parent company to The Mohawk Studio.The money offsets more than $100,000 in estimated expenses to transform a former church structure into a listening room and recording studio.Among the project's scope: installing handicap accessible entryways and bathrooms, repairing ceilings, upgrading electrical wiring, adding air conditioning and improving various aesthetics.Crews should complete the work by Sept. 30, 2018."This grant will allow the building, the former Salem Evangelical Church, that will house The Mohawk Studio, to be updated to meet today's standards," co-owner Shawn Daley said.Shawn Daley, left, and John Davenport are the co-owner of The Mohawk Studio at 805 Wayne St. in Sandusky. They're transforming a former church building into a listening room and recording studio. Sandusky city commissioners provided them $15,000 in local grant funds to help offset renovation costs, which should exceed $100,000.Daley, along with his business partner, John Davenport, thanked city officials for providing these startup funds."The city of Sandusky is serious about helping small business," Daley said. "We hope that other entrepreneurs in this city see this and take the initiative to make their dream a reality."Maria Muratori, the city's economic development specialist overseeing these negotiations, further expounded upon Daley's sentiments."Music and art are important amenities in every city as each advance artistic and cultural growth, strengthen community, create jobs and increase tourism spending," Muratori said. "This project provides additional benefits to the city by utilizing a large structure that was previously vacant. The significant investment in the property will enhance and preserve the building and surrounding areas."The Mohawk Studio is located at 805 Wayne St. in Sandusky. It'll be a recording studio and listening room.Making sense of the dollars and centsA project to renovate a former church building at 805 Wayne St. in Sandusky into a listening room and recording studio should total at least $100,000, broken down with:• $15,000: coming from a city grant• $85,000: minimum amount coming from The Mohawk Studio and parent company HALO 1848Source: Sandusky economic development officeThe lowdown on The Mohawk StudioShawn Daley, co-owner of HALO 1848, provided some insight into The Mohawk Studio's origins and goals:I started recording music in my basement in Milan when I was 15. My friends and I got a mixing board from a pawn shop in Fort Lauderdale. We then wired it to a small boom box tape recorder. We recorded our own band and others to get practice on the equipment. It was the initial spark that led to me into the recording arts.Fast-forward to 2005, and The Mohawk Studio officially started in my one-bedroom apartment. In 2009, I moved to a larger place in Huron. From there, I recorded and produced 40 albums in the eight years, using my home as the studio.I've worked with dozens of artists, most local, some from other countries. I even had the opportunity to produce and record an album that had Steve Albini as my engineer. He became a bit of a mentor while (I was) working there in Chicago with him.It was there with Steve, in Chicago, that I saw his passion for his city and the artists in it. He taught me that you can't just build a structure, invest in tons of equipment, throw a name on it then sit back and expect people to invest their dreams into you. It just does not happen that way. You have to get involved. You have to be a voice in the community.I imagined the city of Sandusky becoming something far more than just another town: I saw this city's leadership move to establish art and culture as a foundation. I realized that this is where I need to be.I teamed up with Dr. John Davenport to take this amazing former church on Wayne Street and make it a cultural icon. We want it to be a beacon of light for independent music recording and performance."The Mohawk Studio name came from a dare a decade ago to get that haircut. This haircut spiraled into a book that was written about my life.For HALO 1848: HALO stands for Harmony And Lyrics Ohio, and 1848 is the year the church on Wayne Street was founded.The Mohawk Studio is located at 805 Wayne St. in Sandusky, inside a former church building.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.