Erie Insurance developing properties in downtown Erie

ERIE, Pa., July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning this summer, Erie Insurance will begin development of several properties around its Home Office, including building a state-of-the-art technical learning center  and revitalizing the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory and C.F. Adams buildings. 

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20041112/ERIELOGO)

Development plans call for:

1. Building a 52,000 square foot training center adjacent to the company's new Eighth-Street Parking Garage. The Erie Insurance Technical Learning Center will provide hands-on claims training experience and include a two-story house with an attic and basement, sprinkler display and building material displays. It will also include 14 vehicle bays and equipment stations with lifts, frame repair stations, wheel alignment machines and a spray booth.
2. Historical restoration of the 100-year-old C.F. Adams Building, which formerly housed the Achievement Center and was Erie Insurance's first "owned" headquarters, into the Erie Insurance Heritage Center. The Center will reflect ERIE's history and the influence and contributions of ERIE's co-founder H.O. Hirt, who led ERIE for its first 50 years.
3. Restoring and transforming the 93-year-old Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, located at 6^th and Parade streets, into office space for ERIE employees, extending the Erie Insurance campus footprint.

Construction on all of the buildings will begin at different times throughout 2013 and end in 2014.

"For years, we've outsourced our annual claims training to third-party vendors and each one has a different style when it comes to claims adjusting," explained Chip Dufala, executive vice president, Services at Erie Insurance. "By building a dedicated training space in downtown Erie, we can keep the learning in house and ensure a consistent delivery of ERIE's claims curriculum and customer service."

"Erie Insurance has a rich history including a number of historical artifacts we would like to display which illustrate our evolution as the only Erie-based business listed on the FORTUNE 500. By context, they also tell the story of this community," explained Chairman of the Board Tom Hagen. "Our work to simultaneously preserve and further develop the neighborhood around our Home Office shows that companies can provide for the needs of a modern business while respecting and honoring the history of a community."

The Armory is on the National Register of Historic Places, and ERIE has applied for the C.F. Adams building to be placed on the Register. Both will be renovated according to historic preservation guidelines.

The training facility will be LEED certified, an internationally recognized green certification system that verifies a building was designed and built to improve efficiency, including energy and water efficiency, CO² emissions, and improved indoor environmental quality.

"Throughout our planning process, we've taken the surrounding neighborhood into consideration and given careful thought to how our efforts impact those around us," said Dufala. "We're redeveloping historical landmarks where possible, which enables us to maintain the rich history of this region and incorporate it with the needs of a contemporary business. At the same time, we're creating an environment for and providing essential tools to our employees and agents that support their efforts to deliver exceptional service to customers."

About Erie Insurance        
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 15th largest homeowners insurer and 12^th largest automobile insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written and the 20th largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has more than 4.6 million policies in force and operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500 and Barron's 500 company. Erie Insurance is proud to have received the J.D. Power and Associates' award for "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience" and to be a J.D. Power and Associates' 2012 Customer Service Champion. ERIE is one of only 50 U.S. companies so named. Erie Insurance is also recognized on the list of Ward's 50 Group of top performing insurance companies, which analyzes the financial performance of 3,000 property and casualty companies and recognizes the top performers for achieving outstanding results in safety, consistency and financial performance over a five-year period (2007-2011).

News releases and more information about Erie Insurance Group are available at www.erieinsurance.com.

SOURCE Erie Insurance