Addison Leech House — 1872

Client: Historic Erie Restorations
Location: 462 West 6th St., Erie, Pennsylvania
Dates: Original building — 1872; Renovation complete — 2021
National Register of Historic Places: Significant building in West Sixth Street Historic District.
Tax Credits: Federal and Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credits
Size: 5,000 SF

Originally constructed as a single-family home in the Second Empire style, the building was converted to six apartments in 1946. This project renovated the building to include five apartments and was completed as part of a neighborhood revitalization effort.

The project involved extensive masonry restoration and cleaning, new slate roof, window replacement, painting and landscaping. Significant interior renovation work and modifications were required in addition to major structural and foundation repair. While respecting the original design of the building, two new stairways were created, one to replace the original, which had been removed in 1946, and the other to provide code-compliant egress. Additional work included painting, extensive woodwork restoration and repair, replacement of all flooring and finishes, and all new electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and sprinkler system.

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The house was built in 1872 for Addison H. Leech (1824–1899) and his wife, Mary Watson (1834–1821). A graduate of Allegheny College, Mr. Leech served in the Civil War as a Lt. Colonel in the Union Army. He managed the Anchor Transportation Lines and Grain Elevators in Erie. He was active in the Republican Party and owned extensive grain lands in North Dakota, where he served on the Constitutional Convention establishing statehood in 1889. The Leech Family owned the house for 72 years.

Around 1942, the property was sold by the Leeches and the house was converted into apartments. The property was acquired by the Historic Erie Restorations in 2018.

Preservation Pennsylvania recognized Historic Erie Restorations, LLC with the 2022 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award for revitalization of the 300-400 blocks of the West Sixth Street Historic District, including this property.