Not a major project, but the below is the type of small development that really contributes to helping downtown Erie revitalilze. A coffee shop can really serve as a hub for people of many walks of life, bringing new consumers, foot traffic, and ideas to the area. There's a nice Starbucks across the street and up a block. but a locally-owned and operated
The downtown area was experiencing a lot of positive momentum from the late 90s to around 2010 or so. Since then, Erie has seen significant increases in violent crime, unemployment, disinvestment in the downtown, and decreases in city population. So there has been a lull in recent years, but things seem to be REALLY picking up now, with concerted efforts by a consortium of major employers, gov't, non-profits, and outside experts to halt the decline and rebuild a downtown the region can be proud of.
The Ember+Forge coffee shop will be opening soon in a two century-old building on this corner in the Lower State part of downtown Erie (where the former Northwest Svgs bank was):