The Erie County Planning Department and Preservation Erie have been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to develop a Cultural Heritage Plan for Erie County. The proposed plan will look at historic preservation plans that have been used in the past, as well as current preservation plans, and develop an action plan to preserve historic resources — for example, buildings and other structures that have played an important role in Erie’s heritage and development and the buildings are in danger of falling into disrepair or being demolished.

This is the second phase of a project that began with local grants to Preservation Erie to conduct an inventory of historic properties built before World War II in Erie County. Wise Preservation Planning has completed that inventory, identifying the most historically significant properties. The inventory can be viewed at www.eriebuildings.info.

Erie County Department of Planning is pleased to partner with Preservation Erie to complete this plan. Upon completion, a blueprint will be provided for future preservation programs and next steps towards protecting Erie County’s cultural heritage.

The new grant will be used to develop a Cultural Heritage Plan for Erie County by the end of 2017. The grant from PHMC is the first piece of funding secured for the project, and additional funds need to be secured. It is anticipated that the planning process will begin in 2016.

The current concept for this project is to develop a plan that includes the standard components of a comprehensive plan and expands on that model by incorporating the type of content commonly found in heritage area management plans, such as interpretation and marketing.

For more information about Erie County’s historical legacy or if you would like to do a story on some of Erie’s properties that have been preserved or should be preserved, contact Melinda Meyer, Preservation Erie Chair at [email protected] or (814) 403-1772.

For additional information, contact the Erie County Department of Planning:
Katherine Wyrosdick, Director, Erie County Department of Planning, (814)451-7003
John McGranor, Program Administrator, Erie County Department of Planning, (814)451-7423