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.
Governor Josh Shapiro joined Erie officials, investors, and project leaders at the ceremony marking the start of renovations at the former office building, which will be rebranded as The Trust Hotel and is targeted for completion in 2027.
The Commonwealth has committed $4.5 million through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to support electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire suppression, and other building upgrades. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has also awarded the project $500,000 in Enterprise Zone Tax Credits.
The redevelopment is one of the largest private investments in downtown Erie’s history and is expected to add 195 hotel rooms, along with a restaurant, ballroom, lounge, fitness center, and event space.
Project financing also includes support from the City of Erie, the Erie County Redevelopment Authority, and Erie Insurance, according to state officials.
The hotel is expected to strengthen Erie’s tourism sector, which generates more than $1.2 billion in annual visitor spending and supports approximately 15,000 jobs, according to figures cited by the Governor’s Office.
The project will renovate the 14-story former Erie Trust Company Building at 1001 State Street, a structure built in the early 1930s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Developers said the renovation will preserve and restore original architectural features while adapting the property for hospitality use.
Erie Mayor Daria S. Devlin said the project represents a significant investment in the city’s downtown core and is intended to create new opportunities for tourism and business activity.
The groundbreaking comes amid broader redevelopment efforts in Erie, including Bayfront infrastructure improvements, state-backed downtown revitalization initiatives, and the designation of Erie as a City Revitalization Improvement Zone, a program designed to support economic development projects through targeted state assistance.
For Erie, the hotel project represents both a historic preservation effort and a bet that growing visitor traffic can help drive further private investment in the city’s downtown business district.
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