Endangered Places List
23-25 S. Main Street, Union City
The Higby Building, which was built in 1889, is located within Union City Borough’s commercial corridor and the National Register listed Union City Historic District. On May 28, 2013 a tornado developed near Edinboro, PA and traveled 18 miles to Union City, PA with wind speeds of 100-105 mph per the National Weather Service. The two story brick veneer structure at 23 S. Main Street was significantly damaged by the storm: most of the brick and sheathing was pulled off the second story of the front façade and the roof was significantly damaged. The building was repaired by putting on a temporary roof, and framing a new wall with vinyl siding over a portion of the second floor. In the ensuing years, the roof has leaked significantly, and the interior framing has deteriorated.
In 2018, and in conjunction with Union City Downtown Development, Union City Pride sought proposals from individuals or entities willing to accept free-of-charge and redevelop the Higby Building. Even though proposals were received, no viable option for the property was identified. As a result, the property remains vacant and continues to incur damage from the elements.
A report prepared by consulting firm City Studio in 2020 states that, “While the building is not a danger to life and property at this time, it is not fit for occupancy and should remain secured against entry. Because of the historic value of the block, it may be desirable to preserve the building without investing what it would take to make the building ready for occupancy. It seems likely that it would be possible to address issues with the center bearing wall, shore up the roof, and not address the issues in the first and second floor framing but stabilize the building. All exterior wall issues could be addressed from the exterior without affecting the interior floors. This way the building and its historic value would be preserved, and the costs of interior fit out could be deferred until such a time that there is a buyer or tenant. Regardless of the chosen course of action, partial interior demolition of finishes to expose framing would be a necessary first step. From there, an appropriate scope of repair and stabilization could be developed.”
If good intentions could save a historic property, this building would still be a thriving part of the fabric of Union City Borough. Unfortunately, a combination of calamitous weather events and maintenance delays caused too much structural damage. After its inclusion in the endangered properties list, Preservation Erie members advocated for the Erie County Land Bank to assume ownership of the structure. The Land Bank agreed and allotted funding to the rehabilitation of the building. The structure immediately needed the temporary roof removed and replaced. The Land Bank requested bids from contractors to do that work. However, when the contractor realized the roof framing needed more extensive repairs than was in their contract, work stopped. While the Land Bank was embroiled in contract disputes, the now roofless building continued to deteriorate. Temporarily, a tarp was installed by the contractor over the structure, but it was not enough. The weight of rain and snow collapsed part of the roof and the second floor. That damage, coupled with the 2013 tornado damage to the second floor façade, made the structure unstable. The Higby building was in danger of collapse.
The weather-beaten building was demolished in 2023 using the Land Bank funds that had been programed for its rehabilitation. The Land Bank hired Construction Services of Pennsylvania to remove what remained of the Higby building while securing the adjacent historic property to the north, structure to the east and Bank Street to the south. Construction Services of Pennsylvania then purchased the lot and created the plaza that can be seen today. The new owners allow community events to be held in the plaza at no cost. The loss of the Higby building reminds us that the desire to save a historic structure is not enough. Preservation Erie, Union City Borough leaders, community organizations such as Union City Pride, a private consulting firm City Studio, and the Erie County Land Bank all advocated for the rehabilitation of the Higby Building. Many contributed funding. In the end, failure to promptly address structural damage to the building’s envelope left it vulnerable to the erosion of nature. Years of exposer to snow, wind and rain eventually damaged the historic structure beyond the point of rehabilitation.
Updated 05/16/2025