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Old 09-27-2012, 08:00 PM
 
Location: United states
28 posts, read 39,951 times
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Me, sitting here on my laptop, typing, in the suburb of Millcreek, Erie County, PA, I was wondering about my future living here and employment. In certain factors, anything here seems nicer than Erie. Do you know if you can help predict anything for Erie city and county growth-wise? What can Erie do to improve it's employment, publicity and image?
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Old 09-28-2012, 12:26 PM
 
Location: The Flagship City and Vacation in the Paris of Appalachia
2,773 posts, read 3,839,920 times
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I'll be the first to take a stab here, I think Erie has to transition into a new economy that is a blend of smaller manufacturing and service (higher education, healthcare, and tourism). The idea that large scale manufacturing is coming back anytime soon is something that Pittsburgh has all but abandoned and Erie needs to do the same. I see significant growth in higher education with the LECOM expansion plan and the other universities in the area. I also see growth in small scale plastics manufacturing and obviously locomotive manufacturing with all of the recent jobs added at GE. Erie Insurance seems to be expanding into different states and as they climb up the Fortune 500 list there should be more jobs at the headquarters. I think the key to all of this is focusing strategically on growing the service sector while not completely abandoning Erie's manufacturing history. I think Erie growth will be slow and steady rather than the type of growth we are seeing in the southern U.S. currently.
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:09 PM
 
Location: Philly
10,221 posts, read 16,752,543 times
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unlike the south, erie doesn't have any major military installations afaik. tourism-why should anyone visit erie? who knows about erie? what are erie's strength's and weaknesses?
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Old 09-28-2012, 01:45 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,781 posts, read 74,795,954 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smashpa View Post
What can Erie do to improve it's employment, publicity and image?
The $64 billion question.

Employment is the big factor; if employment improves, everything else will follow. Track2514 made excellent points about employment, the most notable being that large-scale heavy manufacturing isn't coming back. The city needs to look around and see how other cities have refurbished former industrial properties, and how the most successful of them have attracted and incubated small industries and businesses.

Erie also has to make itself as attractive to business as possible without giving away the store. The city has made some major gaffes with current and potential major employers in the past that still rankle.

Heaven help me, I haven't been downtown in ages other than to climb the tower or to drive on through toward the peninsula or the Sloppy Duck, but from what I've heard there seems to be the start of a bit of a resurgence despite some longtime businesses closing shop. It was nice to read that Pulakos is returning downtown. Erie's downtown nightlife has always been strong, but how do you increase the use of the civic center? There's been some movement toward downtown housing, but how can that improve?

I've noticed the thrift/consignment concentration that was once on upper State Street has migrated over onto West 26th Street. It would be great to develop an antiques/thrift neighborhood that would attract people who are here to swim, camp, gamble, go to the indoor water park, and shop at the mall. I know I'd shop there ...

Another consideration: How do you get the tourist buses that come to the mall to come into the city? It would be great to target those folks and get them downtown. All part of the marketing campaign -- which is much needed.

More tourism thoughts: How do you keep up the momentum on the bayfront? It's always been my contention that the ballpark should have been on the water and the library downtown, but what's done is done. Definitely more art galleries, restaurants, parks, green space etc. is needed along the entire bayfront, from the south pier the whole way to Liberty Park. Of course there are some commercial interests in the way (not to mention the sewer plant, ew), but the bayfront needs to be connected somehow.

I'm just typing a stream of consciousness here ... Hope at least some of this makes sense, or at the very least spurs discussion!

Quote:
Originally Posted by track2514 View Post
I think Erie growth will be slow and steady rather than the type of growth we are seeing in the southern U.S. currently.
Slow and steady wins the race!

Quote:
Originally Posted by pman View Post
unlike the south, erie doesn't have any major military installations afaik.
And the significance of this is ... ?

Quote:
tourism-why should anyone visit erie?
Figure it out for yourself.

Erie, Pennsylvania...Feel The Lake Effect
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Old 09-28-2012, 03:37 PM
 
Location: Philly
10,221 posts, read 16,752,543 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
And the significance of this is ... ?
growth in many southern regions is dependent on military spending which is partly why Republicans can't touch it despite it being the single largest item.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
Figure it out for yourself.

Erie, Pennsylvania...Feel The Lake Effect
now how is that going to attract people? the op asked, answering that question and then communicating it to people (many of whom probably don't even think of erie). I think a resurgent pittsburgh (which appears to be happening) would mean good things for erie due to proximity.

on the smaller side I've read that fishing has all but been outlawed because of a state law on nets (essenting banning nets that are used to catch whiting). getting rid of that law and bringing back fishing (rather than just sport fishing) could help.
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Old 09-28-2012, 07:27 PM
 
Location: United states
28 posts, read 39,951 times
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I only asked because Erie (particularly the core area) has been through a long, never-ending population decline. We lost 40,000 people at the core since the 1970s. I think this is bad for younger people like myself, for businesses and competitiveness in general. Some may argue though that competitiveness doesn't need to be dependent on population numbers. I personally would like to see Erie and it's surrounding areas in NW PA boom together, which would be nice for the region as a whole. Your opinion on my vision?
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Old 09-28-2012, 09:04 PM
 
Location: Philly
10,221 posts, read 16,752,543 times
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regions in decline are all losing population at their core so it probably is a bad sign. growth in the core would probably signal signs of health.
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Old 09-29-2012, 03:10 PM
 
Location: United states
28 posts, read 39,951 times
Reputation: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by pman View Post
regions in decline are all losing population at their core so it probably is a bad sign. growth in the core would probably signal signs of health.
I know this basically, but how does that work?
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Old 09-29-2012, 04:38 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,781 posts, read 74,795,954 times
Reputation: 66702
Alternate visions emerge for GAF redevelopment | GoErie.com/Erie Times-News
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Old 09-30-2012, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,221 posts, read 16,752,543 times
Reputation: 2972
Quote:
Originally Posted by smashpa View Post
I know this basically, but how does that work?
I can't say I have all the answers but making Erie (the core) a good place to start small ventures (which generally need small existing spaces) is a start. Producing things you buy is good...even if it starts with roasting coffee, brewing beer, making jam, etc.related to ohiogirls article, don't try to outsuburb the suburbs. It sounds like wachter is right...for the development to have a sustainable impact it needs some.density and urban characteristics.those things help make the core.mode attractive and eventually help draw more of the region Downtown. ..which unturned makes the small storefronts more attractive. You can't just build a convention center and expect prosperity to materialize...it doesn't work like that. I suspect the annual cost might be less effective than subsidizing flights from, say, Philadelphia to expose more people to Erie.

Last edited by pman; 09-30-2012 at 12:01 PM..
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