Erie: the gritacular hub of northwestern Pennsylvania!

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by pj3000

This is actually a fun place. It has covered bocce courts in back!

Yeah, bocce!

[pj3000]

"on the city's far west shore there's a neighborhood called Kanawha(sp?) that has the city's largest area of upscale mansions... it reminds me of Cleveland's Edgewater neighborhood... which is also located on that city's far west shore"

Its actually "Kahkwa", but the Kahkwa neighborhood actually consists of more modest, though still very nice, housing. It abuts the Frontier and South Shore neighborhoods... those are the ones with the mansions. Though, the Glenwood, Glenwood Hills, and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods in the southern part of the city may have just as many, if not more, mansions.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by kcexpress69

BTW, doesn't Erie have a height limit on their buildings? I mean, I wouldn't expect a building 40 stories tall to be built there! Just wondering.....

Not really. Just on the bayfront, not in downtown.

[Evergrey]

Thanks for the neighborhood clarifications, pj3000... your input is appreciated. This was the most thoroughly I have ever explored Urban Erie... and I must say... I can't get Erie out of my mind...

[pj3000]

I'm glad I have the opportunity to comment... I love seeing the ol' hometown on here., and you did a great job capturing the city.

I'm sure I'll have more comments as I look through this thread over the next couple of days... hopefully, I won't get too long-winded.

[Evergrey]

Get as long-winded as you like!

Btw, I must've missed that "mansion neighborhood" you described in the southern part of the city... I found most of the southern edge to be pretty "blah" 1960s/70s suburban... lots of modest split-levels and ranches... with tons of Country Fairs (admittedly, one of the best convenience store chains ever).... of course... I didn't hit every square inch of the city... though I feel I came pretty close!

[pj3000]

Probably my least favorite section of the city. This whole area, between State and Sassafras Streets from the fomer Norfolk Southern railroad tracks (which ran at ground-level on 19th St.) to the major railroad viaduct at 14th St., was an early 1960s urban redevelopment project area... and a disaster.

They tore down an entire neighborhood, numerous brick warehouse buildings, and a huge central market (like a mini Strip District) to build these unnecessary traffic lanes, a downtown mall with huge parking lot!!!, and those other awful suburban-style buildings.

[Evergrey]

wait... there was a "downtown mall" in that vicinity??? I didn't even notice!

btw, the Downtown Erie Hotel did not appear to be in very good shape

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Get as long-winded as you like!

Btw, I must've missed that "mansion neighborhood" you described in the southern part of the city... I found most of the southern edge to be pretty "blah" 1960s/70s suburban... lots of modest split-levels and ranches... with tons of Country Fairs (admittedly, one of the best convenience store chains ever).... of course... I didn't hit every square inch of the city... though I feel I came pretty close!

Yes, you probably didn't make it there. The Glenwood area of the city consisting of Glenwood, Glenwood Park, Glenwood Hills, and a portion of Chestnut Hill is really nice (the zoo is there too!)... homes there date from probably the 1890s to the 1940s, in general. Much like the homes you saw in Frontier/Kahkwa, but set in more hilly terrain.

I'm sure you got around... the pictures prove it... but there is definitely more to see... there are a lot of places in the city that are interesting for a variety of reasons, but often go unnoticed.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

wait... there was a "downtown mall" in that vicinity??? I didn't even notice!

btw, the Downtown Erie Hotel did not appear to be in very good shape

yeah, that big eyesore to the right of the photo (west of Peach St.) was the Erie Central Mall until the 1980s. It was vacant for a while and then converted to offices in the late 1990s. I think the local Emergycare ambulance facility and St. Vincent Hospital have a major presence there.

that was actually a nice Holiday Inn years ago with a very good restaurant and jazz bar, then it fell into disrepair, then it became a Ramada, then a Super 8, then a... you get the picture.

[ColDayMan]

Thanks for the photos.

[spark317]

Great photos!!

[peanut gallery]

Fascinating tour.

[pj3000]

Projects... human warehouses.

[MolsonExport]

Amazing Grit. I especially love the giant heavy industry pics. Reminds me of some of the decayed heavy industrial sections of my hometown of Montreal.

[pj3000]

"another lonely survivor with the crappiest arena ever in the distance" -Evergrey

I agree... built on the cheap in 1983 and no renovations whatsoever in 25 years. That's one of main projects being pushed in the city... info about it on city thread.

[DruidCity]

I love exiting I-79 at 12th St and taking in the industrial might. That stretch from Greengarden to Franklin Ave on the east side at the GE plant was said to the most diverse manufacturing corridor in the world. Many local officials want that whole stretch levelled, which would be the ultimate slap in the face to Erie's industrial history (so many multi-block long brick factories have already met the wrecking ball on that street).

My father worked for GE in Erie for a few months. I think it was in the early 1950s. I haven't travelled anywhere near Erie yet, but I like seeing photo threads of places like this.

[Buckeye Native 001]

Great tour as always Evergrey!

[holladay]

Very scientific.

P.S. I love the Star Lite Hotel. It's my new background.

[theWatusi]

What an excellent tour!

I love old school buildings like this. I'd like to explore inside.

Originally Posted by Evergrey