I’m glad to see something there. I worked downtown from 2014-2020 and saw the fall of Macy’s and subsequent emptiness, which both saddened and annoyed me greatly. Downtown is rife with higher end men’s clothing stores and has no equivalent for women’s wear; it was bizarre and off-putting. Not to mention I missed having a place to shop for household merch that wasn’t a tired old Burlington Coat Factory.

I’m from Pittsburgh and have trekked up to Erie many a time to visit my best friend and her husband. They went to Gannon University and with the exception of a brief stint in grad school at Pitt, they got jobs there and never left. The cost of living is really low compared to Pennsylvania’s other cities, but it’s still got enough amenities going for it to make it a decent place to settle down and raise a family. They also take advantage of close proximity to Buffalo. That said, if not for my bestie, I’d never go out of my way to go to Erie. If I want beach access, I’m more of an ocean person myself.

Holy shit, Beaver County surprises me.

Same. I rented a 2 br/1ba radiator-heated duplex in Sewickley that was built in 1924 and my worst gas bill was just under $400. The windows were modernized, but insulation was nil.