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Erie council ratifies $1 million Enterprise Zone loan for Gannon build-out after accessibility concerns raised
Summary
City Council on July 2 ratified a $1,000,000, 15-year Enterprise Zone loan to finance a build-out tied to Gannon University's First Ascent Biomedical project, and a council member asked the university to present a plan to reduce sidewalk closures and improve accessibility during construction.
Erie City Council on July 2 ratified a $1,000,000 loan from the City of Erie Enterprise Zone revolving loan fund to support the First Ascent Biomedical project tied to Gannon University’s Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge. The loan is for 15 years at a fixed interest rate of 2.99 percent; council directed city officials to sign the necessary documents.
The vote followed public comment criticizing prior public subsidies to the project and citing repeated sidewalk closures during related construction. A resident (name not provided) told council the institution “is one of the worst offenders of the city's sidewalk closure ordinance,” and asked why the city should loan to “this supposed nonprofit” after other public support from the county.
Council members moved and seconded the ratification as an item of business. The loan resolution was sponsored by Council Member Titus and seconded by Council Member Flores and passed unanimously by the six members present.
City staff described the loan as being charged to the City of Erie Enterprise Zone revolving loan fund and noted a one-time processing fee equal to one-half of 1 percent of the loan amount. Council discussion after the public comments focused on construction-related accessibility. One council member who requested separation of the item said they wanted to highlight public comments and asked Gannon to present “a better plan and...responsibility around” maintaining pedestrian access during construction so members could vote with confidence. Another council member clarified that the loan was intended to finance a business build-out on Gannon property rather than direct support for the university as an educational institution.
The council’s formal action ratified the Enterprise Zone loan and authorized the proper city officials to execute loan documents. Council members voting in favor were listed in the record as Flores, Nelson, Schauff, Titus, Troop and Witherspoon. The council president announced the resolution passed 6–0.
Background: The item had been placed on the consent/omnibus portion of the agenda but was separated for discussion after public comment. The loan will be governed by the loan documents and the existing Enterprise Zone revolving fund procedures; no additional administrative conditions or enforcement steps related to sidewalk management were specified in the motion on the floor.
Council direction and follow-up: During the discussion a council member explicitly asked Gannon to produce a construction management plan addressing sidewalk closures and accessibility for disabled residents; the motion that passed did not incorporate a requirement that such a plan be submitted before closing the loan. Council members asked staff to pursue better accountability and to request a presentation from Gannon on mitigation measures for sidewalk impacts.
Votes at a glance: The Enterprise Zone loan ratification (Gannon University / First Ascent Biomedical project) passed unanimously, 6–0.
What’s next: The city authorized staff to sign loan documents and to proceed with fund disbursement under the terms described in the loan paperwork. The council requested that Gannon present accessibility/sidewalk mitigation plans to the council or relevant staff in the coming weeks.
