UNION CITY PROJECT INVENTORY (2009 – present*)

For information on any of these initiatives, contact UC Borough Secretary Cindy Wells

*Not intended as an exhaustive list of initiatives within the borough, but rather key examples of the most significant “community development” projects undertaken by UC Borough, nonprofit Union City Pride, other community organizations and a variety of funding sources. Initiatives outlined in green are current/ongoing. Initiatives outlined in yellow are completed.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION FUNDING SOURCES TOTAL INVESTMENT STATUS
Rehabilitation of owner-occupied single family homes. Erie County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to UC Borough. $179,000 Rehabilitation projects largely completed in 2019, with limited funding still available in 2020.
Downtown “gateway” conceptual design (north downtown entrance at Main and High Streets) Erie Community Foundation Shaping Tomorrow grant to UC Pride $50,000 Up to $50,000 Bostwick Design Partnership of Erie selected in January 2020 to create gateway design concepts by summer 2020. Public input will be sought.
Public parking lot across from UC Public
Library on west side of Main Street		 ECGRA Mission Main Street to UC Borough
$30,000; Erie Community Foundation Shaping Tomorrow grant to UC
Pride $65,000.		 Up to $95,000 UC Public Library and UC Pride donating the
lots, with UC Pride to oversee lot construction; engineering
provided through UC Borough. Goal to create lot by end of 2020.
Caflisch Park ADA accessibility and other
improvements		 ECGRA Community Assets grant to UC Borough
$50,000; PA Department of Community & Natural Resources
$50,000; UC Borough $1,500		 $101,500 Initial engineering design finalized. Work
anticipated in 2020.
Comprehensive Recreation, Park & Open
Space Plan (master plan) for Union City’s four parks.		 PA Department of Community & Economic
Development (DCED) grant to UC Borough $50,000; UC Community
Foundation grant $10,000.		 $60,000 Master plan agreement in place between
borough and engineering firm. Planning work expected to begin
February 2020, with possible plan completion by mid-2020.
Structural assessments of 19
“historically contributing” downtown building interiors and
exteriors.		 ECGRA Mission Main Street grant to UC Borough
$38,000; Erie Community Foundation Shaping Tomorrow grant to UC
Pride $38,000.		 $76,000 Structural assessments expected to be
completed by Spring 2020.
Downtown building interior and exterior
rehabilitation matching fund for projects resulting from
structural assessments.		 ECGRA Mission Main Street grant to UC Borough
$85,000; participating property owners 1-to-1 matches $85,000		 Up to $170,000 Applications and funds to be made available
upon completion of structural assessments in Spring 2020.
Main Street PennDOT improvements,
including traffic signal updates, pedestrian crossings,
intersection redesign at Main-High streets.		 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation $1,215,000 Work scheduled for June-December 2020.
Multimodal Sidewalk Project, replacing
sidewalk/partial curbing along south side of Johnson Street
between S. Main S. and Miles St., from Johnston St. to Elementary
School.		 PennDOT Multi-Model Transportation Fund
$121,800; Union City Borough $36,000; Property owners $6,000.		 $163,800 Preparing the Request for Proposals (RFPs)
for project bidding. Tentative completion by Fall 2020.
Borough Sidewalk Grant. Available to
property owners since 2002, with 2,601 feet of sidewalk replaced
between 2016-2019.		 Since 2016, Union City
Borough $10,688; UC Community Foundation $3,000; UC Community
House Association $1,000; plus property owner contributions.		 $14,688 Funding still available.
Purchased UC Dinor and adjacent Main
Street building.		 Erie Community Foundation Shaping Tomorrow
grant to UC Pride, and UC Community Foundation grant to UC Pride,
totaling $62,533.		 $62,533 Properties acquired by UC Pride September
2019.
Create downtown Historic Preservation
master plan, including advisement on historically contributing
buildings, signage, lighting, seating and public spaces.		 PA Historical & Museum Commission $25,000
to UC Borough; matched by UC Community Foundation $13,000; ECGRA
$10,000; and UC Borough $2,000.		 $50,000 Completed 2019.
Downtown building façade improvements. ECGRA Mission Main Street grant to UC Borough
$35,000; matched by participating property owners $44,315.		 $79,315 Completed 2019
Façade/exterior improvements available
to homes in the area of South Street, West & East High Street,
and the Avenues.		 ECGRA Renaissance Grant to UC Borough $50,000;
matched by participating property owners $56,043.		 $106,043 Completed 2019.
Downtown façade improvements. ECGRA Mission Main Street grant to UC Borough
$15,000; matched+ by participating businesses $31,000; and UC
Community Foundation $6,500.		 $52,500 Completed 2018.
Downtown façade improvements, downtown
signage, window tinting, sidewalk benches.		 ECGRA Mission Main Street grant to UC Pride
$15,000; matched by participating businesses $6,000; UC Pride
$6,232; UC Lions Club $1,934, UC Municipal Authority $290; UC
Little League $544.		 $30,000 Completed 2018.
Rehabilitation of owner-occupied single
family homes.		 Erie County Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) funds from federal Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) to UC Borough.		 $225,000 Completed 2017-18.
Façade safety initiative for tornado
remediation, downtown welcome sign, downtown flowers and
landscaping, Community Day initiative.		 ECGRA Mission Main
Street program to UC Downtown Development Committee via UC
Community House Association; Union City Pride; UC Community
Foundation; Erie County Greenways.		 $23,000 Completed 2015-16.
Hogan’s Alley picnic pavilion,
landscaping and picnic tables, Welcome to UC signs, downtown
flowers, Community Day & Buy Local initiatives.		 ECGRA Mission Main Street program to UC
Downtown Development Committee via UC Community House Association;
Erie County Greenways Program to UC Downtown Development; UC Lions
Club; UC Community Foundation.		 $30,289 Completed 2014-15.
Downtown flower planters & flowers,
Welcome to UC signs, Borough Building windows, historical museum
windows, first Community Day event		 Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) Mission Main Street program to UC Downtown Development Committee via UC Community House Association; & UC Community Foundation $20,432 Completed in 2013-14.
Acquisition of 23-25 South Main St. (“Higby Bldg”) following tornado to secure façade for safety purposes and roof for preservation. UC Community Foundation to UC Pride; & UC Pride $8,650 Acquired in 2013; façade secured and miscellaneous preservation work in 2015; temporary roof repairs conducted in 2019.
Acquisition and demolition of multiple South Main Street properties across from UC Public Library. UC Community Foundation to UC Pride $29,900 Acquired by UC Pride in 2009 and 2014. Demolition in 2010 and 2017. Site of future public parking lot (see above).
Acquisition and demolition of three houses on Concord Street. UC Community Foundation to UC Pride; & UC Pride $13,000 Acquired and demolished by UC Pride in 2009.
TOTAL INVESTMENT —

2009 TO DATE

 $2,855,650