Transformational Projects Highlighted at 16th Annual Dinner

2024 Dinner Crowd

The Wyandot County Office of Economic Development (“WCOED”) hosted its 16th Annual Dinner event last Tuesday evening at the Everhart Gathering Place.  The event was one of the organization’s largest with over 140 attendees.  WCOED Executive Director Greg Moon that roughly 30% of the attendees were from non-WCOED member represented organizations, which indicated the community’s heightened interest in economic development projects happening around Wyandot County.

Moon provided highlights of WCOED effort throughout the past year including the successful 100,000+ square foot expansion of Kalmbach Feed’s MPK warehouse complex and the new 88,400 square foot expansion/new facility by Vancrest of Upper Sandusky.  The combined results of all the past year projects that the WCOED had played a significant role in bringing to fruition, accounted for the creation of 60 new full-time jobs with an associated annual payroll of $3.57 million, $30 million in new capital investment, and over $8.5 million in grant dollars secured.  Moon noted a heightened sense of development activities in Wyandot County in recent years, and the organization was also working with more potential projects in its pipeline that would further add to recent success.

Brief county statistics were provided showing Wyandot County was tied for the second lowest unemployment rate in the state in September, while also having the highest labor force participation rate in Ohio.  The county experienced the 4th highest job growth rate in the NW Ohio region over the last 5 years and is expected to remain in the top 5 NW Ohio counties with the highest job growth rates over the next 5 years.

Following the organizational recap, Moon turned the program over to representatives of 3 organizations carrying out transformational projects in Wyandot County.  Each representative provided a brief presentation of their projects and were awarded the WCOED’s Distinguished Contribution to Economic Development Award:

Vancrest Award
Award Presented to Vancrest of Upper Sandusky

Shane Stewart, Chief Operations Officer of Vancrest Health Care Centers, provided an overview of the new Vancrest of Upper Sandusky facility under construction on the south end of the city.  The 88,400 square foot facility broke ground in July of this year and plans for completion in June 2026.  The facility will house   99 skilled nursing beds and include 40 assisted living apartments.  It is Vancrest’s largest building constructed to date and an $18.5 million project.

Next up, Danielle McWilliams of Thrive Local covered the new real estate development company’s plans for its roughly 33,000 square foot mixed-use development project in downtown Upper Sandusky.  Thrive Local plans to transform the former Viceroy Hall space into Stoked Bar & Mechanicals, a new bar and restaurant space with duckpin bowling and other games.  The former Shotzy’s property adjacent will be converted into an outdoor courtyard and elevated patio.

Thrive Local Award
Award Presented to Thrive Local

Moving north, the former space occupied by Woods’ Antiques will be renovated into a rentable space known as The Nook. Sip & Savor, a wine & cheese shop will be in the former Ohio State room of Koehler Drug store and be connected to the adjacent Chapters, which includes a coffee shop, lounge, and bookstore.  Occupying the space on the 2nd floor of all these connecting buildings will be The Novel Hotel, a boutique hotel with 21 guest rooms themed around famous novels. The combined project is expected to include $4.3 million in capital investment and result in 78 new jobs, of which 39 will be full-time, accounting for $1.5 million in new payroll.

To close out the night, Louis Dreyfus Company’s Farm Origination Specialist, Ryan Martin, gave an overview and current update on the company’s new soybean processing facility west of Upper Sandusky.  The $540 million facility is expected to be complete by Q2 2026 and will see the creation of 114 new full-time jobs with an associated $9.1 million in new annual payroll.  The facility will offer receiving operations 24-hours per day from local farmers and has the capability to receive 1.9 million bushels per day via truck and 950,000 bushels per day via rail.

LDC Award
Award Presented to Louis Dreyfus Company Representatives