El Centro plans wellness plaza for Cotton Club space

LORAIN — A bar in South Lorain is set to be transformed into an expansion of El Centro de Servicios Sociales. On Monday, City Council approved $210,000 of its American Rescue Plan funds to help El Centro purchase and rehab the Cotton Club bar at 1766 E. 28th St. The nonprofit plans to start a capital campaign to fund major renovations of the 4,300-square-foot space once the deed is transferred, Executive Director Victor Leandry said, but will use the space as-is in the meantime to host clinics or other services. "We will start using the building with minor construction and minor things and use it as we can for clinics and meetings and training because it has open space," he said. "But that is not the final vision. My final vision includes more like a plaza ... different units where people can come and do different events, whether its a computer lab, training room, food pantry that can be open for people to come and not wait for once a month." It will also expand the nonprofit's parking, as the club has a lot behind the building. Leandry said the only impact having a bar next door has really had is litter and broken glass in their parking lot, which has tapered off. The building has been a bar for several years. Current owner Anthony Barnhill purchased the property in 2012 for $71,700, according to the Lorain County Auditor. In 2013, the city recommended the Ohio Division of Liquor Control revoke its liquor permit — a move the owners fought only to have their appeal denied in 2014. A permit in Barnhill's wife's name, Antoinette Daniels Barnhill, expired in 2015, listed as failure to renew. Lorain Fire Prevention Lt. Ben Weber said records indicate there are no outstanding fire code violations for the building. Three previous issues, relating to extension cords and open wiring, were cleared. The building will have to undergo a new fire inspection when transferred. Building, Housing and Planning Director Max Upton said he didn't know of any glaring building code violations offhand. A portion of funds Council approved Monday will cover basic renovations, Leandry said, including bringing the building up to code if needed. From there, it will be up to El Centro to start a major campaign to turn the bar into the vision Leandry and the board have. He wasn't sure how much money it will need to raise to turn the space into a wellness center similar to spaces he'd seen on trips to Community Development Corporations in Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City and Boston, but he said the renovations of El Centro's current offices cost about $1.5 million. The nonprofit has occupied the corner of East 28th Street and Pearl Avenue for just shy of 10 years. When it purchased the lot, some couldn't see the vision the agency had in mind, he said, but now look back and see how beneficial it was — something he hopes will ring true for the Cotton Club building. At Monday's meeting, Council split on the issue of using the funding to buy the building. Tony Dimacchia, D-at large, followed by Beth Henley, D-1st Ward, Josh Thornsberry, D-8th Ward, and Greg Argenti, independent-4th Ward, understood South Lorain's plight wanting to see the property change hands, but questioned if it was the best use of a the federal funds. Rey Carrion, D-6th Ward, Mitchell Fallis, D-at large, and Pam Carter, D-3rd Ward, voiced support for purchasing the bar to rid the city of what they deemed an unsafe condition. The item ultimately passed in a 6-4 vote. Leandry said when the opportunity came up to buy the bar, he started putting into writing how much El Centro had expanded its services during the pandemic by adding home visits for isolated seniors, meal deliveries and testing and vaccination outreach — something he doesn't think people realize. There was no "stay at home" for El Centro staff, he said. "I was hoping that it would pass, and it did pass — it went back and forth several times but I was suspecting that," Leandry said. "People have different opinions and people will continue to have different opinions in regards to this. I hope that in a few years from now we look back and people realize how beneficial it was." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chronilet.com.