12th Street Reimagined
City officials have long discussed remaking the West 12th Street corridor, enhancing its appearance and function and positioning it to become magnetic to entrepreneurs. This is a gateway to downtown Erie and a center of industrial gravity, a place where things are built and made. This project will result in a detailed strategic plan that articulates a vision for West 12th Street between the I-79 interchange and Cherry Street and reality-rooted action steps to bring the vision to life.
Upcoming Events
Stay tuned for details on a second public event planned for May. This will take the form of a design charrette, inviting the community to respond to and shape vision scenarios for the corridor and target locations.
Community Input
At the first public event on March 27th , the project team presented preliminary market findings as a framework to consider potential future land uses and redevelopment concepts. If you were unable to attend the event, click the link to share your thoughts via this survey: 12th Street Market Card (Google Form)
12th Street Reimagined March 27 Presentation.mp4 (sharepoint.com)
About the project
The 12th Street Reimagined plan will engage the public and stakeholders in developing market-supported land use and transportation strategies for the stretch of West 12th Street between the I-79 Interchange and Cherry Street. The plan will examine reuse opportunities for critical sites and establish action steps for making the corridor more inviting and functional for new development and redevelopment, as well as ensuring that the roadway is designed to meet the current and future needs of all users.
This effort builds on Erie Refocused, the City of Erie’s Comprehensive Plan, which identified the West 12th Street corridor as a core focus area.
Industrial site investments by the Erie County Redevelopment Authority and new developments proposed closer to Downtown make this an optimal time to establish and advance a community-supported vision.
Who’s involved?
This project is a collaborative effort between multiple agencies, led by the City of Erie’s Department of Planning & Neighborhood Resources and Erie County’s Department of Planning and Development. The project is supported by Federal Highway Administration grant funds administered by the Erie Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Project consultants include Pashek+MTR, a Pittsburgh-based landscape architecture and community planning studio that will lead land use and aesthetics; Fourth Economy, a national community and economic development consulting firm that will contribute market analysis and development insight; and Whitman, Requardt & Associates, a nationally recognized multi-disciplinary engineering firm to lead the transportation component.
Most importantly, the project will rely on involvement from the people, groups, organizations and businesses who live, work and/or invest in the 12th Street Corridor.
Project scope and milestones
This project will take place during the first half of 2024, with plan completion anticipated for late June. Work to develop the plan will include:
- Meetings of an appointed steering committee
- Field assessment of existing conditions
- Transportation, land use and market data analysis
- Interviews, focus groups and neighborhood group meetings
- Two public events (in March and May)
- Identification of target sites, concept development
- Vision/concept workshopping
- Regulatory review
- Assembling an implementation and funding plan
Draft materials generated during the project’s development will be posted on this site for review and comment.
Your take
Please take the survey here: 12th Street Survey (Google Form)
What issues, problems or opportunities do you think it’s most important to consider in the remaking of the West 12th Street corridor?