Updates to Erie’s former Wayne School are almost complete.

The building will soon be home to the Erie Center for Arts and Technology.

We went to the former school building on East Avenue that is receiving a twelve million dollar facelift.

Construction is still going on here at the former Wayne School which is now known as the Wayne Building.

This building will house four organizations that will cater to those in need both in the city and the county.

The twelve million dollar renovation to the Wayne Building is almost complete.

The Erie Center for Arts and Technology purchased the site with the mission to house Primary Health Network, United Way of Erie County, and UPMC Jameson School of Nursing.

The 80,000 square foot building has four floors to house those programs.

The executive director of the ECAT said that her program is designed to inspire, educate, and empower at risk youth by providing rooms filled with opportunities to learn.

“To take people that maybe haven’t had a shot or haven’t had exposure to things and give them an opportunity to do that all at no cost. So we’re thrilled to bring the model to Erie. It’s been a long time coming,” said Daria Devlin, Executive Director for Erie Center for Arts & Technology.

Devlin said that once construction is done, all programs can get the ball rolling to continue to serve the community.

United Way says that the move will not only benefit the organization, but those that they serve.

“Right now we’re on what it’s called millionaires road and that doesn’t feel right. We want to be right in the neighborhood, and as I said not only with the neighbors but the partners in the building,” said Bill Jackson, President of United Way of Erie County.

Jackson said that his organization is looking forward to using the ground floor of the community space.

The executive director of ECAT said that the mission to change lives could not have happened without the help of several bank lenders.

“As well as the Erie Community Foundation and ECCREA who loan us money to help get this project off the ground. So we’re really proud of a group of organizations coming together for the funding,” said Daria Devlin, Executive Director of Erie Center for Arts & Technology.

ECAT, the United Way of Erie, and other organizations will begin to move in sometime next month.

There will also be a ribbon cutting on September 16th.

For news delivered right to you, subscribe to JET 24/FOX 66/YourErie.com’s breaking & daily news email list