$139,561Average Value$100Average Price per Sq Ft10Homes For Sale
Residential living blocks of stores, restaurants, schools and parks
Living in a city like Erie, Pennsylvania, should have its advantages, and it does for residents of Arbor Heights, otherwise known as Southwest Erie. This residential neighborhood is only a blocks from some of the city’s prime shopping, recreational, medical and educational centers. “You’re just a few blocks from the Peach Street corridor,” says Realtor Julie Crosscut, a four-year veteran with Howard Hanna-Erie Southwest. “Peach Street runs from 26th south to I-90 and is full of retail, restaurants and businesses. Homes in the neighborhood are tucked away behind or around it.” With a regional YMCA, an ice arena, a golf course and a city park all within a four-block area at Peach and West 38th streets, Arbor Heights doesn’t lack things to do. “Saint Vincent Hospital has the cancer center one block away, and UPMC Hamot is less than 3 miles north near the lakefront,” says Realtor Fred Amendola, leader of the Fred Amendola Team at Keller Williams Realty Erie, who has been selling homes in the city for over 10 years. “Proximity to hospitals, schools like Erie High School, which is right in the neighborhood, the post office and shopping make this area attractive to homebuyers who want to be these services nearby.”
Tipsy Bean Cafe in Arbor Heights has amazing coffee and baked goods.
Perry Elementary School has 462 students.
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Shopping and dining along Peach and West 38th streets
Peach Street is one of Erie’s main business corridors, featuring medical offices, retail stores, credit unions and restaurants, like Federal Hill Smokehouse. This popular barbecue place has a historic, urban vibe, with exposed brick walls and well-worn wooden floors. From its pulled pork to its brisket, the place sells out daily. For a special occasion, Colao’s Ristorante occupies the corner spot deep within a residential set of blocks and blends with the homes around it. The same family has owned and operated it since 1999, and family recipes used for generations are still used. There’s a Tops Friendly Market where West 38th crosses Peach, part of the Liberty Plaza shopping center. Across the street, locally owned furniture store Fred’s has served the community since 1968, and Werner Books and Coffee, an independent bookstore, offers plenty of room to work, meet and study. The Erie Zoo is also off West 38th. Here, visitors can see over 400 animals, stroll through 11 botanical gardens and spend time at the Flo Fabrizio Ice Center, which offers public skating from November to February and events rentals the rest of the year. For an afternoon of shopping, residents need only follow Peach Street about 3 miles south to the Millcreek Mall. This shopping complex features over 170 well-known stores and eateries.
Federal Hill Smokehouse in Arbor Heights is often sold out before they close.
Federal Hill Smokehouse in Arbor Heights has excellent ham.
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Single-family homes tucked away behind the commercial
Most homes in Arbor Heights were built in the late 1800s to early 1900s and are within blocks of businesses and city amenities. Craftsman-style bungalows with original hardwood floors and woodwork feature off street parking and detached garages and sell for $70,000 to $175,000. Mid-sized colonial-style houses list from $50,000 to $175,000. They feature three or more bedrooms, large open or enclosed front porches and full basements. A smaller number of midcentury ranch-style homes and Cape Cods fill this neighborhood, too. Ranches are priced between $100,000 and $175,000. Many have been updated with metal roofs and covered back patios. Capes run in the same range, from $100,000 to $165,000, and can include spacious second stories with dormers and enclosed front or back porches that serve as additional living space. “A lot of homes are being fixed up,” Crosscut says, “although it’s not unusual to see one neglected a few doors down. You’re in the city after all. The point is you’re close to all the conveniences the city has to offer.” Duplexes and other multi-family homes are available, too. They run from $80,000 for a two-unit property to $300,000 for a four-unit apartment-style building.
Home prices in Arbor Heights are up 11 percent over the previous 12 months.
The median year built for homes in Arbor Heights is 1920.
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Outdoor and indoor recreation in Arbor Heights
Glenwood Park, a green space that follows Glenwood Park Avenue south of the Erie Zoo, features a playground and covered pavilions. It is a popular place to hold birthday parties and other celebrations. The wooded area opposite the park offers a narrow trail that runs the park's length, giving hikers a taste of the forest in the city. The J.C. Martin Golf Course is right next door. The 9-hole, par-32 short course is well suited for young players who want to learn the game and experienced players who want to enjoy a leisurely round of golf. North of the course, the Glenwood Park YMCA has served the region since 1962 and offers many amenities, including personal training, group classes, family and lap pools, racquetball/handball courts, a fitness center and youth programs.
Glenwood Park YMCA in Arbor Heights has fitness, wellness and youth programs.
The Erie Zoo in Arbor Heights has larger wild cats as well as smaller ones.
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From good eats to fun trick-or-treats
Erie Restaurant Week is held every January to attract new customers and welcome back old ones at its many eateries, including Federal Hill Smokehouse on Peach Street mentioned above. Some restaurants offer prix fixe menus and special pricing during this event. The Erie Zoo, too, holds a two-week event in October. Zooboo is kid-friendly with trick-or-treating, talking pumpkins, a DJ who plays spooky music, train rides through the “bootanical” gardens and live entertainment nightly. The Halloween events lasts from the middle to the end of October.
Federal Hill Smokehouse in Arbor Heights is popular for lunch.
Peach Street in Arbor Heights is the main retail hub.
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Erie High School welcomes back students with a new stadium, sports facility
The schools that serve Arbor Heights belong to the Erie City School District, which receives a C-plus from Niche. Perry Elementary, within walking distance, and Strong Vincent Middle, farther west toward the lakefront, are both C-rated schools. In 2024, Erie High, another C school located at the center of the neighborhood, completed renovations on a new football field named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff, the high school’s most famous alum. The $6 million renovation turned the stadium into a multi-sport facility. Adjacent to the neighborhood, Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, an A-plus high school, has its own stadium that seats 10,000. The school boasts a 100% four-year college acceptance rate and is in the top 1% of American public high schools. Students must apply to attend.
A handful of colleges are also within a 3-mile radius of Arbor Heights, including Mercyhurst University and Gannon University, both Catholic co-ed institutions. Erie County Community College has multiple locations and enrolls part-time and non-traditional students. The Penn State Behrend campus is 7 miles east.
Strong Vincent Middle School has 729 students.
Erie High School has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
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Public transportation and other resources in Erie
With businesses just a few blocks from most homes, Arbor Heights encourages walking since sidewalks are everywhere and most traffic is confined to main streets like Peach, West 26th and West 38th. The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority buses have stops throughout the neighborhood every few blocks. Interstate 90 is only 4 miles south of the neighborhood, connecting drivers to Buffalo, 95 miles east, and Cleveland, 100 miles west. Interstate 79 is even closer, just 2.5 miles west on West 26th Street. It runs to Pittsburgh, 125 miles south.
Erie has its own Amtrak station, no more than 2 miles away, and the closest airport is Erie International Airport, 8 miles west, with nonstop flights to Charlotte and Orlando. “The introduction of Orlando flights is huge,” Amendola says. “Erie has a fair number of snowbirds that leave after the holidays and head down to Florida to miss the winter. Passengers often fly out of Buffalo, Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Adding these flights locally will keep business here.”
Saint Vincent Hospital and the Erie VA Medical Center are only a few blocks from Arbor Heights, and a children’s urgent care and primary care facility through UPMC Hamot is right off Peach Street next to Erie High School.
The best way to travel in and out of Glenwood Heights is by the bus.
Arbor Heights is also known as Southwest Erie.
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Flood risk and noise in Arbor Heights
Homes along Glenwood Park Avenue, which runs along Mill Creek, can flood along with the creek during heavy rains. In 1915, the creek caused widespread damage and loss of life in the city after a tropical system forced it to overflow. Today, the creek is piped underground starting at West 30th Street and emptying in Lake Erie, one of the most comprehensive flood mitigation projects of its time. Other trouble areas include moderate street flooding in the western half of the neighborhood. Except for Peach and West 26th streets, which are the busiest, the rest of the neighborhood is relatively quiet, save for the expected city background noise.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Arbor Heights, Erie sell after 20 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Arbor Heights, Erie over the last 12 months is $138,700, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Great investment opportunity for the Owner Occupant or investment portfolio. 2 unit with $1300 monthly income with potential income for more. New roof in 2017. great opportunity for the Owner/Occupant for additional income potential.
This charming 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath home offers a perfect blend of classic character and modern updates. Step inside to a freshly painted interior that exudes warmth and style, with two cozy fireplaces enhancing the inviting ambiance. The spacious kitchen features a delightful breakfast nook, ideal for casual dining. Upstairs, discover a luxurious third-floor primary suite complete with an ensuite
Cozy 3-bedroom home with the possibility of a 4th bedroom. Features a first-floor kitchen, covered patio, fenced yard, and new flooring in the kitchen and upstairs. Currently tenant-occupied ,ideal as an investment property or a great first home.
This is a great cozy upstairs apartment. Conveniently located near St. Vincent Hospital, close to all amenities and bus lines. This property offers offstreet parking. Laundry hook ups in the basement.
one bedroom 2nd floor apartment in southwest Erie, close to downtown, shopping and St Vincent hospital, $25 application fee does apply, landlord is a Pa licensed Realtor
Property Id: 2105715Very spacious, centrally located on Erie's west side. This is a 2 bedroom 2nd floor apartment. Living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms. Rooms are decently sized. Non smoking. No Evictions. 3xs the monthly rent for income. Animals accepted upon approval. $75.00 more a month, must be spayed/neutered and current on all shots.
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