That's what Paul Aldridge had to say about replacing the aging, single pane wood windows on a home he owns on E. 28th Street in Erie. "We simply could not have done this without the thousand."
The "thousand" Aldridge is referring to is the one thousand dollar grant he was awarded through the Academy Neighborhood Association's Revitalize E28 program. The program, funded by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority's Renaissance Block Grant Program, awards property owners up to one thousand dollars in matching funds for home improvements.
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| (l-r) Bernadette Aldridge, Paul Aldridge, their granddaughter Jaylynn, and grandson William. Jaylynn is holding the family dog, Lilly. |
Aldridge is the third recipient of Revitalize E28 funds. The program is designed to reward reinvestment in properties along E. 28th Street in the Academy Neighborhood. The E. 28th Street corridor was chosen based on the Erie Refocused Plan, which specifically mentions E. 28th as an area to focus improvement efforts. The Renaissance Block Grant specifies that improvements should be "front facing" and be designed for maximum impact on the neighborhood at large. The Aldridge family utilized a local vendor, Window World of Erie, to replace seven front windows with double-pane, gas filled, vinyl windows designed for energy efficiency.
For more information about the Revitalize E28 program, or to see if your property is eligible, please see academyneighbors.org or email E28@academyneighbors.org.
