An old Erie nightclub is about to get a makeover.

The Metropolitan on West 13th St. has been empty for years. 

Pete Zaphiris is the owner of Great Lakes Insurance and the project developer. “It’s 102-years-old this year. It was built in 1923,” he said.

“The bones are rock solid.”

He’s behind other projects like the new Citizens Bank nearby and renovations to other buildings along West 12th St.

“This one’s been in a ‘hold project’ status as we’ve been finishing the other ones.”

Construction is going to start this summer. The first floor will have a cafe and event space. Offices and apartments will go on the floors above.

“And then we’re going to wrap the entire building with integrated garages…that will become an outdoor deck for all the units, commercially and residentially,” he said. 

The work on the Metropolitan building is just the start. There’s more construction coming to the block. 

Zapharis plans similar projects on empty spots of land close to the building.

“We own the lot next to this. We own another one on the corner of 11th and Peach,” he said. 

“We own another one half a block from here.”

Those will be built years from now. They’ll be designing them while the Metropolitan building is under construction. 

He thinks the project will cost somewhere in the millions of dollars. It’s an investment the Corry native says is worth it.

“It’s our give back. Great Lakes has done very well here in town,” he said.

“This is us trying to build back Erie to what it can be.”