The Emerging Erie Fund is awarding a $100,000 grant to the Bayfront Maritime Center to help bring the USS Porcupine back to Erie’s waterfront.
The project is a partnership between the Bayfront Maritime Center and the Erie Center for Arts and Technology (ECAT), combining historic preservation with hands-on workforce training.
The USS Porcupine is a replica of the original vessel that fought in the War of 1812. The original boat was built in Erie.
Bayfront Maritime Center Executive Director Robin Mascharka said the organization hopes to begin on-the-job construction training with ECAT in January 2027.
Once completed, the USS Porcupine will serve as a resource for maritime, STEM, and environmental programming, while also providing new opportunities for community members to experience Erie’s waterfront.
Emerging Erie Fund leaders said the project aligns with the organization’s mission of supporting both people and places in the Erie community.
The grant will help ECAT participants gain hands-on experience and develop skills in areas such as carpentry while contributing to a project that will become a lasting community asset.
Mascharka said she is confident the USS Porcupine will become a “gem” for the Erie community for generations to come.
The Bayfront Maritime Center is also hosting its Cardboard Boat Regatta Saturday at 9 a.m.