Council holds public hearings on historic-designation nominations for Old Customs House and Erie Day School

City planning staff and applicants presented two local historic-designation nominations during a Jan. 8 public hearing before Erie City Council: the Old Customs House at 411 State Street (used by the Erie Art Museum) and the Erie Day School at 1372 West 6th Street.

Solicitor Ed Betts opened the hearing and took sworn testimony. Jackie Spry, director of planning and neighborhood resources, outlined the Old Customs House nomination, noting the building’s Greek Revival design, its 19th-century origins (built as a branch of a United States bank in the 1830s per the presentation) and the Erie Art Museum’s stewardship since the building’s purchase in 1983. Spry said the Erie Historic Review Commission voted on Nov. 4, 2024 to approve local-designation nomination for 411 State Street under Article 7 of the City of Erie zoning ordinance.

For the second hearing, planning staff presented the Erie Day School nomination at 1372 West 6th Street. The staff report described the school’s founding in 1929, its progressive education history, longstanding accreditation through the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools and the Historic Review Commission’s September 9, 2024 recommendation for designation. Planning staff said the Planning Commission on Nov. 19, 2024 reviewed and unanimously recommended designation following the HRC recommendation.

Applicants and representatives for both nominations were available for questions; the council heard no additional public testimony on either property and closed the hearing. City officials said council would “take action accordingly,” indicating the nominations will be returned to the council for action in a subsequent agenda item. The hearing record was formally closed with a court reporter present.

Both nominations were explicitly tied to the criteria in Article 7 of the zoning ordinance that allow local designation when a property is associated with significant events or persons, embodies distinctive architectural characteristics and contributes to municipal heritage. The planning director noted that local designation can make properties eligible for certain grants and funding sources, a point raised by council members during questions to applicants.

Council did not vote on designations at the Jan. 8 hearing; the record will be part of a future council action to adopt, modify or deny local-designation requests.