By Christine Lorraine Morgan, Dec. 21, 2023

The Renaissance Centre ~ 10th and State St., Erie, PA

Constructed as The Erie Trust Company Building and completed in 1928, this 198-foot skyscraper was meant to be permanent headquarters for the biggest bank in Erie, PA. Sadly, the building’s namesake failed in 1933 during the Great Depression. (Click on each pic for details).

In 1943 it was renamed the G. Daniel Baldwin Building, and was renamed again in 1996 as the Renaissance Centre. Erie’s oldest tall building was added to the national Register of Historic Places in Y2K.

All images captured on Dec. 20, 2023. Exterior building photo credit to Nicholas Sanfilippo.

The Renaissance Centre is 95 years old as of this writing. The lower level corner formerly housed the popular Peanut Shop, where hot roasted peanuts were enjoyed by countless patrons over the decades.

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The elevators in the Baldwin Building/Renaissance Centre are decadently ornate and bring to mind an earlier period of Erie’s history when downtown flourished as “the place to be.”

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The ceiling of this beautiful structure from days gone by is a real eye catcher when you enter the Renaissance Centre’s lobby.

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The red and green lights play colorful games with the shiny brass piece at the end of the hallway where the elevators are located in the Renaissance Centre.

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The stonework on the front arch entryway of the Renaissance Centre in downtown Erie is remarkably intricate and shows a high level of craftsmanship.

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The elevator buttons in the Renaissance Centre show it has 14 floors, including an option for the 13th floor!

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This closeup of the lobby ceiling of the Renaissance Centre shows just how beautiful the details really are.

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