Hotel owner needed to empty building, but wanted to keep tenants close

Developer Christian Siembieda faced a challenge as he made plans to transform the former Renaissance Centre into the $60 million Trust Hotel. Tenants of Erie's tallest building would need to move out. But Siembieda, who welcomed Gov. Josh Shapiro recently to symbolically kick off work on the 14-story building , didn't want tenants to go far. He was hopeful most would find new homes in the adjoining blocks. It was more than good public relations. Siembieda, who hopes to open his upscale hotel and on-site restaurant in about two years, is banking on a vibrant, flourishing neighborhood. That's why he and Chuck Peters, who manages property for him as owner of Altair Real Estate Services , have been trying to find new homes for former tenants and looking for other ways to spur activity in the neighborhood. Developer has 3 other State Street buildings under control As part of that process, he's purchased two significant State Street buildings and is leasing another with plans to purchase it. Siembieda bought the former Key Bank building at 801 State St. and the former Palace Hardware building at 913 State St. He is also leasing and plans to buy 900 State St., which

Affordable Housing Project

Construction begins at Royal Homes affordable housing project

Construction has begun on the Royal Homes Project, a five-year-in-the-making affordable housing development on Erie's East Side.

Jackson Township property sells for $3.9 million | Property transfers

Vail Capital Group LLC has purchased about 78 acres of agricultural property in Jackson Township for $3.9 million, according to the latest real estate transfers filed with the Stark County Auditor's Office. The Massillon-based real estate holding company acquired 2820 Perry Drive NW on the northwest corner of Perry Drive NW and Brunnerdale Avenue NW from 2820 Farm LLC. The owners asked Jackson Township trustees to rezone the land from rural residential to planned unit development for a new housing development but cancelled that request in 2025. The real estate transfers cover May 23 to May 29. Bethlehem Township Bell Joel A from Abbott Carmen & Folden Mary, parcel 10016811 Zebra Strip Ave SW, $5,000. Lambert Ronald L & Tessa T from Map Office Work in Progress, 8687 Goodrich Rd SW, $20,740. Canal Fulton Kahadali Properties LLC from Morber Mary M, 444 Birch St, $150,000. Jackson Township Diacontonas David B & Donna M from Carroll Ted B, 4046 Lindbergh Ave NW, $275,000. Jellison Caroline Childs from Farina Rochelle Trustee of the Rochelle, 5265 Pin Oak Ave NW, $412,000. Khouri Jamil Ttee from Tridoc Development Inc, 4456 Red Panda Cir NW, $505,000. Lawson Catherine & Kristopher M from Brown Nicholas, 5221

Tiny Homes to be Re-Housed

After not meeting county zoning requirements, the county is currently in the process of transferring the homes to area organizations who could benefit from them.

Brown Announces State Funding for Housing Rehabilitation and Community Revitalization Projects in Lawrence County

HARRISBURG – Rep. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence) today announced two Lawrence County projects have been awarded a total of $500,000 through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) program to support housing improvements, accessibility upgrades and community revitalization efforts. The funding was approved this week by the Pennsylvania Housing...

This Quiet New York Town Offers Rent Under $680 And A Beautifully Slower Pace Of Life

Tucked along the southern shore of Lake Erie in Chautauqua County, Dunkirk, New York is the kind of place where life moves at a pace that actually lets you breathe. With a population of just over 12,000 people, this small city offers something rare in today’s world: affordable living without sacrificing charm or community.

City To Pilot Rehab Housing Program

The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Butler has received funding from the state to start a pilot program to address blighted homes. The Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) awarded the city’s Redevelopment Authority $250,000 for a new program to rehabilitate homes. With the money, the...

200 Years Later, the Eagle Hotel Still Draws a Crowd

As we near the Eagle Hotel’s 200th anniversary the Fort LeBoeuf Historical society as well as the Eagle Bicentennial Committee is proud to announce that their Bicentennial Celebration is sold out. Formerly a stagecoach stop, tavern, hotel, restaurant, and gathering place for all, the Eagle Hotel is now celebrating...

100 Seneca Continues to Grow as a Hub for Business, Collaboration, and Community

The momentum continues at 100 Seneca in downtown Oil City as the historic building evolves into a vibrant center for business, entrepreneurship, dining, and community activity. The redevelopment of the nearly century-old landmark was designed to foster economic growth, professional development, and community connection in the Oil Region. The building’s...

The Affordable New York Town That Feels Too Good To Be True

When someone tells you they found affordable rent in New York, your first instinct is to check if they’re talking about a cardboard box under a bridge. But Jamestown sits on the shores of Chautauqua Lake, offering actual apartments for under $700 a month, and no, you’re not hallucinating.

National Fuel Expanding Erie Presence with New Headquarters

National Fuel Gas Company is expanding its footprint in Erie with the purchase of a historic office building and approximately 10 acres of property on East Lake Road that will become the company's primary office location for its Pennsylvania and Ohio regulated operations. The facility, which once served as the...

Couple Looking to Buy Home Ends Up Owning Whole Town in Pennsylvania

When Cleaveland couple Saji Daniel and Shannon McGauley got an invitation in October 2020 from their neighbor, Dr. Lou Keppler, to visit Foxburg, Pa., they thought it would just be a nice daily escape from the city. Katherine Clarke, in The Wall Street Journal, chronicled how it lead to a real-estate buying spree.

Officials Break Ground for Trust Hotel

Erie Hotel Project Advances With $60 Million Redevelopment

ERIE, PA — A $60 million redevelopment project backed by state, local, and private funding moved into the construction phase Friday as developers broke ground on the conversion of downtown Erie’s historic Renaissance Centre into a 195-room boutique hotel aimed at expanding tourism and economic activity in the city center.

Erie's tallest building begins hotel transformation with Gov. Shapiro

Save for a single remaining tenant — and it will be gone soon — Erie's tallest building sits empty. Owner Christian Siembieda doesn't expect it will stay that way for long. Interior demolition work already has begun on the 14-story, 160,000-square foot building at 10011 State St, known for years as the Renaissance Centre. Gov. Josh Shapiro was in Erie on May 29 to ceremonially kick off the $60 million transformation of the former office building into what will become the Trust Hotel. Although demolition is already underway, Shapiro offered his services punching holes in the plaster with a sledgehammer. Siembieda, a California-based investor who paid $2 million to purchase the building in 2023, is hopeful that the work will be done in two years. The 195-room hotel is expected to employ 120 people. Erie Insurance and Commonwealth are key investors Shapiro and the people of Pennsylvania already have invested in the form of a $4.5 million from the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, $500,000 in historic tax credits and a $5 million loan from the state-authorized Erie City Revitalization & Improvement Zone or CRIZ Authority. Shapiro, who spoke Friday before a crowd of about 100, said he feels good