Former Epworth Village in York repurposed as workforce housing
January 13, 2025
Sometimes reuse projects and housing projects come from unexpected places. YCDC was thrilled to play a small role in the transformation of EpWorth Village campus to EpWorks, a workforce housing project.
People who work need housing that works for them — even if they’re not in town to stay.
“Trying to find short-term housing is extremely difficult,” Frank Sandall said. “But everyone wants and deserves safe, affordable, clean housing.”
Sandall has traveled for work and worked in the staffing business. He knew many workers were coming to York to fill seasonal jobs and needed a place to stay.
His solution is called EpWorks Workforce Housing.
“We rent them a room, so much per night,” said Sandall, who owns EpWorks.
The tenant receives a furnished room, access to a washroom with individual showers and toilets, kitchen privileges and a room where they can hang out with other guests after work. They only need to bring their clothes and personal items.
Tenants — who may be staying a night, a few weeks or several months — must be gainfully employed, at least 18 years old and follow EpWorks’ code of conduct.
If it sounds a bit like a dormitory, there’s a reason for that.
“We designed EpWorks off of the buildings that we have,” Sandall said.
The location used to be the youth home Epworth Village.
“We purchased the entire Epworth facilities and grounds,” Sandall said. That includes 32 acres and 10 buildings.
The former Epworth Village dated to 1889, when it was known as the Mothers’ Jewels Home, said Margaret Donovan, chief executive officer of Epworth Family Resources.
In 2022, Epworth still had offices on the campus but hadn’t provided residential care there for four and a half years, she said, so the buildings and land were sold that August.
“By Aug. 20, we had people living here,” Sandall said.
Renovations began within a few months, and EpWorks — which takes its name to honor the location’s history — now has four buildings redone and accepting guests.
“We’ve renovated everything to OSHA standards,” Wagner said. “If we meet that standard, we can have anyone stay here.”
The tenants come from a variety of industries, including agriculture, nursing and construction. Sandall said two college students from Illinois even lived at EpWorks for six weeks while they were working at a local seed corn plant.
One thing they all have in common is the need for what Sandall calls “seasonal housing.” EpWorks has a capacity of 202 tenants and has had as many as 180 at a time.
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