The Erie County Redevelopment Authority (ECRDA), through its' affiliate the Enterprise Development Center of Erie County (EDCEC), has entered into an agreement to purchase the former Quin T Tech Paper and Boards property at 140 East 16th St. Covering more than four acres between French and Holland Streets, the Quin T property encompasses a complex of buildings abandoned more than 15 years ago.

"If we are to rebuild our neighborhoods and provide clean, useful property for future development, it is critical that we eliminate blight throughout the region," stated Tina Mengine, ECRDA CEO, regarding the Quin T property purchase. "This property is an example of the kind of blight that plagues our community and must be addressed for the betterment of our residents. These particular acres have long been considered environmentally challenging and we are committed to investing in and preparing this land for sustainable, economic opportunities."

The purchase is part of a commitment of $2M by the City of Erie for blight acquisition and remediation that was set aside through the water authority deal.

"We want every resident to live in a welcoming, vibrant neighborhood," commented Erie Mayor Joe Schember. "We are looking forward to the transformation at 16th and French Streets…[because] no one's home should be near something like this."

"We are thrilled and grateful to the ECRDA for their commitment to address blight in the city," Schember added. "Thanks to CEO Tina Mengine, Vice Presidents Chris Groner and Sherri Geary, and the entire ECRDA staff for all their work on this. I am very happy that we are addressing this property."

Since Quin T Paper and Boards closed in 2005, graffiti has littered the dilapidated buildings and partially boarded windows and the homeless have sought shelter there. Most notably, over a 2-year span from 2013-2015, local firefighters invested invaluable time and resources to extinguish 17 separate fires, leaving much of the complex unsafe for any type of use or occupation.

The closing is set for early March. The much-anticipated demolition and clean-up will begin shortly thereafter.