Mercy Health Foundation Lorain settling in

After eight months worth of renovations, Mercy Health Foundation Lorain officially has moved into its new location at the historic Citizens Home Savings bank building at 360 Cleveland Ave. in Amherst.

Mercy Health Foundation Lorain president Scott Pember said extensive work began in January and required the entire building to be gutted down to the brick walls.

One of the major setbacks during construction was the removal of an old safe in the middle of the building, Pember said.

“They thought it might take about three days to get it out,” he said. “It took three weeks to get it out of here.”

Pember estimates the building originally was built around the safe, which weighed 5,000 pounds, since it was covered with 18 inches of concrete and metal.

“Several pieces of equipment were broken trying to get it out of here,” Pember said. “It just wouldn’t come out.”

The foundation leases the building from Amherst businessman Chris Russo.

It has eight offices, a kitchen, break room and conference room on a newly built mezzanine, which can be used by the public for meetings and events.

Pember said Russo, who also owns Brew Kettle, Hastee Tastee and Hot Dog Heaven in Amherst, had the entire new second floor built as a gift for the foundation.

Since settling into the new space, Pember said the foundation has seen a positive impact on donations and visibility in the area.

“This has already been very beneficial for us,” he said. “Just moving here has already resulted in over $200,000 of gifts.”

The fundraising arm of Mercy

Health Lorain, the foundation has experienced a recent uptick in donations, jumping from a normal range of about $1 million to over $4 million last year.

Pember said he contributes that increase to taking advantage of facility naming opportunities and fundraising events.

The foundation was previously housed in Mercy Health - Lorain Hospital, 3600 Kolbe Road in Lorain.

Pember said visibility is a highlighting factor for the move.

“A lot of folks didn’t even know we existed, so this gives us a presence and lets folks know that we’re here,” he said.

With a newly renovated space, donors are starting to take notice, Pember said.

“We’ve actually had our first visits from some potential donors that really looked around and said, ‘Wow, you guys are going to be here for a while,’” he said.

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL Mercy Health Foundation Lorain President Scott Pember poses at the foot of the stairs at the organization’s new location at 360 Cleveland Ave. in Amherst.

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL A conference room at the top of a mezzanine is one of the additions made to Amherst’s old bank building, 360 Cleveland Ave., for the new Mercy Health Foundation Lorain location. Eight offices, a kitchen and break room are now housed in the building.