Erie County Provides Funding to Preserve Historic Union City Chair Company Building

UNION CITY — A long-vacant building that played a key role in Union City’s furniture manufacturing history is set to undergo preservation and renovation following a funding commitment from Erie County.

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County officials presented a $300,000 check Monday to support improvements to the former Union City Chair Company office building at 18 Market St. The project will stabilize and restore the historic structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The funding is part of a larger grant package totaling approximately $550,000 that will be administered by the Erie County Redevelopment Authority.

Under the plan, the Erie County Land Bank will transfer ownership of the building to the redevelopment authority for the duration of the project. The authority will oversee cleanup and renovation work before transferring ownership back to Union City Borough or one of its nonprofit organizations once the project is complete.

County officials said the additional county funding was approved after a portion of the original state funding designated for the Union City project was redirected to the Corry Redevelopment Authority for its workforce training center. The county allocation restores the funding needed to move the Union City project forward.

Borough officials said the restoration will help preserve one of the community’s most recognizable historic buildings while protecting an important piece of Union City’s manufacturing heritage. Planned work includes securing the building’s exterior and making improvements to the interior. Officials have not yet announced how the building will ultimately be used after renovations are complete.

The property was donated to the Erie County Land Bank by McLane Church, beginning the process of preserving the historic structure.

Founded in 1881, the Union City Chair Company became one of the region’s leading furniture manufacturers, producing millions of hardwood chairs before the plant closed in 2000. Along with several other furniture makers, the company helped earn Union City its longtime nickname, “Union City Seats the World.”

Construction on the preservation project is expected to begin later this year.

Among those attending Monday’s check presentation were Erie County Executive Christina Vogel, Erie County Redevelopment Authority President and CEO Tina Mengine, Union City Borough Manager Cindy Wells, Erie County Executive Office Director of Administration Chris Groner, Erie County Redevelopment Authority board member David Knapp, and Corry Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Bob Williams.