Selection process underway for State Street National Register district study

City staff told the Historic Review Commission on Sept. 8 that selection work is underway for a consultant to prepare a National Register nomination for an expanded State Street historic district.

The update matters because a new or expanded National Register district could guide preservation incentives and future planning along a core commercial corridor.

Staff said the Erie Downtown Partnership, Erie DDC and other partners issued an RFP to identify a consultant to prepare the district nomination. The partners are in the selection phase and expect to name a contractor shortly. Staff said one outcome of the consultant’s work will be a defensible boundary recommendation; earlier work identified a small, eligible Lower State Street district and the current project aspires to expand that area down State Street, potentially to around Tenth or Twelfth Street, depending on the consultant’s research and the argument presented to the state historic board.

Staff said the partners aspire to file an application to the state historic board early next year, but that the consultant will make final recommendations about the district boundary and eligibility arguments.

Commissioners asked questions about the geographic reach and were told the consultant will develop the boundary rationale and present it to the state historic board for review.