Downtown Erie is Making a Comeback.
Since 2017, the EDDC has been driving downtown Erie's transformation by attracting investment, restoring historic properties, and building the infrastructure for a thriving urban core.
WHO WE ARE
Built by Erie.
Invested in Erie.
For the long haul.
The Erie Downtown Development Corporation is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization formed in 2017 by a coalition of visionary business, philanthropic, and civic leaders who believed downtown Erie's best days were still ahead of it.
We don't just invest in buildings. We invest in the conditions that allow a city to thrive. That means attracting businesses and residents, restoring historic properties, creating public spaces worth gathering in, and building programming that makes downtown Erie a destination.
See for yourself the transformation of Downtown Erie.
12
Development projects completed or underway
100K
Sq ft of new commercial space created
8
Historic properties restored to active use
2017
Year the EDDC was founded
HOW WE WORK
A nonprofit model
built for lasting impact.
01
Identify & Acquire
We identify underutilized properties in downtown Erie's core, often historic buildings, and acquire them through philanthropic capital, New Market Tax Credits, and strategic partnerships.
02
Develop & Activate
We redevelop properties into mixed-use spaces: ground-floor commercial, upper-floor residential, and community-facing spaces. We prioritize local and independent tenants who add character and economic resilience.
03
Sustain & Grow
Revenue from our properties funds ongoing operations and future development, a self-sustaining model that means we're building an endowment for Erie's downtown, one project at a time.
The EDDC operates differently than a private developer. As a nonprofit, our returns aren't measured in quarterly profits. They're measured in jobs created, residents attracted, and tax base rebuilt. We take on the projects the market alone wouldn't tackle, with a 30-year horizon in mind.
This structure lets us pursue historic preservation, mixed-income housing, and community-serving tenants that a profit-first developer might pass on.
OUR PROJECTS
What our transformation
looks like.
Food Hall • Open Now
Flagship City Food Hall
Erie's first and only food hall. A community dining room anchoring the Flagship City District.
Mixed Use • Opening 2027
Flagship City Commons
A landmark development transforming Erie's downtown core.
Residential • Now Leasing
Flagship City Living
Modern apartments in the heart of Downtown Erie.
Retail • Now Open
Shops at 5th & State
Downtown Erie’s newest retail destination.
Infrastructure • Now Open
300+ Space Garage
Solving one of downtown’s most-cited barriers to visitation
These aren't renderings collecting dust. Each project is either open, under construction, or in active development, forming a tangible portfolio and a picture of what it looks like when a city decides to bet on itself.
AVAILABLE SPACE
Ready to be part of
what's happening
downtown?
Downtown Erie is open for business! The listings below include available commercial, retail, and office space across the district, both within the EDDC portfolio and beyond. We work with prospective tenants to find the right fit, regardless of who holds the lease. If you're looking for space in downtown Erie, this is your starting point.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Follow the progress
as it happens.
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Ryan takes you inside the projects, the conversations, and the decisions shaping downtown Erie's future. Construction tours, community leader interviews, and honest updates. Grab a hard hat, join Ryan, and get up-to-speed!