A central Erie neighborhood 20 minutes from most everything
Marvintown, a neighborhood south of 26th Street and east of State Street, became Erie, Pennsylvania’s first German neighborhood in the mid-1800s when farmer Elihu Marvin sold parcels of his farm to German immigrants looking to build homes. Today, the city has grown up around Marvintown, a diverse neighborhood and central to many local employers and resources. “Erie’s not that big — we call it the 20-minute town,” says Realtor Kristy Market with Agresti Real Estate, who grew up in Central Erie and has been selling homes in the area for the past eight years. “You can get almost anywhere from Marvintown in minutes, like Erie Insurance on State Street, shopping on Peach Street and the Erie Zoo.”
State Street runs down the middle of the city, and Marvintown is at its midpoint. “Saint Vincent’s Hospital and the Erie VA Medical Center are blocks away,” says Fred Amendola, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Erie. “Marvintown also has Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, one of the best ranked high schools in the country. If you live inside the city, tuition is free.” Mercyhurst University, Gannon University, Erie Community College and Penn State Behrend are either a bike ride or short bus or car ride away. “Home prices in Marvintown are more economical, too,” Amendola says. The neighborhood stands between rental units of the inner city and owner-occupied single-family areas to the south, resulting in lower prices between.
Single- and multi-family homes under $200,000
Most residential properties in Marvintown are single-family homes that range in price from $40,000 to $185,000. Many were built in the early- to mid-20th century as Cape Cods, bungalows with large front porches, and colonial-style homes with original hardwood floors. “Single-family houses and some multi-family units are often used as rental investment opportunities because of the large student population,” Amendola says. Nearly a third of homes on the market in Marvintown are two-unit, multi-family properties, some designed as duplexes with separate entrances and utilities, that sell for between $65,000 and $140,000. Off-street parking, detached garages and private backyards are other pluses that comes with the homes of this urban, Erie neighborhood.
Because of the large student population in Marvintown many homes are used as rental investments.
Many homes in Marvintown come with off-street parking or garages.
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Where to eat, drink, smoke and shop in Marvintown
Mighty Fine Donuts on Parade Street has been family-operated for over 50 years. Customers can choose from dozens of donuts and baked goods. The shop is also a mini-convenience store that sells lottery tickets, bottled soft drinks and cigarettes. Pulakos Chocolates a few doors up has been selling handmade chocolates in its State Street location for over 100 years. Middle East Market and Kitchen carries grocery items and serves falafel, stuffed grape leaves, pita, baklava and other Middle Eastern favorites. For a drink, a round of pool or a game of darts, Uptown Browns is the place to be. Gatherings is another local bar with classic pub food, cocktails and weekly drink specials. Sunima Hookah Lounge and Café offers video slot machines, a rainbow of flavored tobacco and comfortable lounge chairs to smoke in.
A Walmart Supercenter is on the far east side of Marvintown, built on land that used to be Marvintown Field, a baseball diamond. Route 19/Peach Street, Central Erie’s main commercial corridor, is west of State Street several blocks from Marvintown with dozens of stores and restaurants.
Presque Isle Downs and Casino is another attraction south of town on Route 97/Perry Highway, a road that begins in Marvintown 4 miles north. The facility features a horse track with thoroughbred betting, a casino with slots and gaming tables, restaurants and live shows.
Colao's Restaurant near Marvintown uses family recipes since 1999.
World of Music near Marvintown has an amazing collection of instruments including used ones.
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CelebrateErie and the Erie Irish Festival
A three-day festival in August that showcases the art, food, culture and music of the Erie region is CelebrateErie. State Street between East 9th and 8th becomes the canvas for a chalk art walk, families with kids can enjoy dancing and wellness activities a few blocks down, local restaurants and bars and the new Flagship City Food Hall establishments bring their dishes to the streets, and free concerts are offered on three stages. In mid-September, Saint Patrick’s Church hosts the Erie Irish Festival, another three-day event, with Celtic and folk musical performers, Irish stew and other traditional food, beers and homemade spirits, and a sports tent showing college and pro games.
Erie schools within walking distance
The schools serving Marvintown belong to the Erie City School District, which receives a C-plus from Niche. Lincoln Elementary, which earns a C, is within walking distance of neighborhood homes. Woodrow Wilson Middle School, a C-minus school, is also central to Marvintown. Erie High, a C-rated school, is next door in Arbor Heights. Students must apply to Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, an A-plus high school at the corner of East 26th and State streets. The school boasts a 100% four-year college acceptance rate and is in the top 1% of American public high schools. Mercyhurst University, a Catholic co-ed institution with a total enrollment of over 2,500 students, is 5 blocks south on East 38th Street.
From ball fields to lakefront views
In the neighborhood's southwest corner, Baker Field takes up most of a city block and features a soccer field. Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy and other high schools host football and soccer games at Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium a few blocks north. The stadium is the largest in the city, with 10,000 seats. Burton Park off East 38th Street is a few blocks south of Marvintown. It offers tennis and basketball courts, a picnic shelter and playground, benches and walking paths. Erie is a lakefront city. Those who love to boat and fish can access four public launch ramps on the waterfront or use Lampe Marina, which has 253 slips and is just outside the channel to Presque Isle Bay. Jutting out into the lake, Presque Isle State Park (often called “The Peninsula”) features several beaches, trails, ponds and incredible lake views.
Burton Park in Marvintown has a playground, basketball and tennis.
Baker Field in Marvintown features a soccer field right between homes.
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Public transportation and health-care resources in Erie
With sidewalks and little traffic, Marvintown is walkable. The only citywide bike lanes are on Route 290/Bayfront Connector, which runs past the Walmart next to Marvintown and takes cyclists as far north as the lakefront and nearby points of interest, such as the Lake Erie Arboretum and Frontier Park. Presque Isle State Park has bike paths that run throughout the peninsula. The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority buses stop along East 26th Street and several other roads in the neighborhood. Interstate 90 connects with Buffalo, 90 miles east, and Cleveland, 100 miles west. Residents can access it by taking Old French Road/Route 97 south. Interstate 79 also intersects I-90. It runs to Pittsburgh, 120 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.
This bus line in Marvintown connects the area with downtown.
While being quiet, Marvintown is fairly close to downtown and Lake Erie.
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Flooding risk and noise levels in Marvintown
While no rivers or creeks run through Marvintown, homes in low-lying areas are susceptible to flooding during heavy rains, such as properties along Florida Street where it intersects with East 30th Street. Flooding can also occur in pockets from East 30th to 33rd between Ash and Reed streets. East 30th at Perry Street can also flood with more accumulations between East and Pennsylvania avenues. Marvintown is bordered by East 26th Street, a busy thoroughfare, and Parade Street, which becomes Routes 97 and 2, runs down its center. Despite these higher trafficked roads, the neighborhood is quiet, except for the usual city background noise.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Marvintown, Erie sell after 38 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Marvintown, Erie over the last 12 months is $130,000, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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