Resources

Associations & Engagements

Preservation Buffalo Niagara –  works to bring resources and results that ensure that historic places in Western New York thrive for generations to come. We partner with PBN regularly to host Historic Tax Credit workshops. We are also excited to support their Preservation Passport of Jamestown’s downtown historic district.

Strong Towns – offers pragmatic and incremental solutions to the difficulties facing many communities in America. Their website is full of insightful and action-oriented resources including articles, a podcast, guides, and more. For those looking to dive deeper, we recommend Strong Towns the book and their free Strong Towns 101 course that dives deep into issues and solutions facing communities across America with insights very applicable to Jamestown.

Main Street America – an economic development non-profit focused on redeveloping the main streets of small cities and towns across the country. They’re a great resource for those looking to understand the economic dynamics of communities like Jamestown that have density, history, and aspirations for an improved “Main Street” for the betterment of the entire community.

Middle Neighborhoods – this term can describe several neighborhoods in Jamestown. Simply put, middle neighborhoods are those on the edge between growth and decline, middle neighborhoods are generally affordable, stable, and safe. The Middle Neighborhoods organization provides great insights on understanding these neighborhoods and practices on how to ensure long-term stability to them.

Plans & Studies

These studies guide the majority of our work at the JRC. The 2006 Urban Design Plan helped make the case for creating our organization. After a few years of work in our downtown, there was interest in getting a better understanding of our struggling neighborhoods. The City of Jamestown, A Liveable Community study in 2010 provided the data and initiatives needed to address our community’s needs. The JRC grew to do some of the work outlined in that report. Both the Urban Design Plan and the neighborhood report received updates validating our work and gave us a path to build upon our successes to help Jamestown realize its potential.

Jamestown Urban Design Plan (2006)

This plan outlines a vision for renewing downtown Jamestown, identifies the actions needed to accomplish the vision, and defines the roles and responsibilities of the institutions and people that can make it happen. It grew out of an extraordinarily collaborative effort involving city government, business and community leaders, foundations, downtown businesses, and city residents.

City of Jamestown, A Livable Community (2010)

This report lays the groundwork and develops a blueprint to strategically revitalize Jamestown’s neighborhoods, create a vision for making Jamestown a more livable community, and to establish implementation plans and policy actions necessary to do so. It is a collaborative effort between City of Jamestown, JURA, Jamestown Planning Commission, and the Jamestown Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission.

Neighborhood Update Report (2017)

This report updates the data and analysis of the City of Jamestown, A Livable Community (2010. It provides data to suggest our interventions are working and suggests adjustments to our tactics. Most notably, making adjustments to the Renaissance Block Challenge program that would focus our work into “target areas” for multiple years. 

Jamestown Urban Design Plan 2.0 (2018)

This plan outlines an update to progress made on the implementation of the first UDP vision for renewing downtown Jamestown, identifies the actions needed to accomplish the vision, and defines the roles and responsibilities of the institutions and people that can make it happen. It grew out of an extraordinarily collaborative effort involving city government, business and community leaders, foundations, downtown businesses, and city residents.

Storefront Mastery District Report (2022)

This plan outlines an update to progress made on the implementation of the first UDP vision for renewing downtown Jamestown, identifies the actions needed to accomplish the vision, and defines the roles and responsibilities of the institutions and people that can make it happen. It grew out of an extraordinarily collaborative effort involving city government, business and community leaders, foundations, downtown businesses, and city residents.

Other Relevant Studies

City of Jamestown Comprehensive Plan (to commence in 2022)

The Comprehensive Planning process will begin with goal-setting, followed by an inventory and analysis of existing conditions. The focus of the Comprehensive Plan will be an in-depth analysis of particular issues influencing the current condition of the city and a series of recommendations for polices to guide the growth of the community in a direction to meet the established goals. 

Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan (September 2021)

Through the efforts of the Gebbie Foundation, Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, Board of Public Utilities, City of Jamestown and the Jamestown Urban Renewal Agency (JURA), and several private business stakeholders, the Chadakoin River Strategic Business Plan provides a blueprint for the creation of a unique and vibrant destination that capitalizes on existing assets, identifies important public improvements, increases activity contributing to the affirmative quality of life issues and leverages future investments along the Chadakoin River Corridor and River basin. This plan is an extension of the City’s LWRP and will assist in the continued implementation of the LWRP, BOAs, Urban Design Plan, and Comprehensive Plan. (Project Area: Chadakoin River Corridor)

Unite North Main Street (2017)

This JRC-led process brought a variety of stakeholders together to better understand the Main Street corridor from I-86 to downtown and suggest actions to improve corridor/city identity, beautification, wayfinding, neighborhood vitality, street function, and establish a gateway into the city. The plan captures the traffic, building use, zoning, demographics, and other data to properly understand current dynamics. This examination leads to an outline of possible next steps to implement Complete Streets, Smart Growth, and other best practices to bring improvements to Jamestown’s main thoroughfare. 

Downtown Jamestown Economic Development Strategy [AECOM] (2015)

In preparation for the opening of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, the Gebbie Foundation engaged AECOM Technical Services, Inc. (AECOM) evaluated strategic economic development opportunities downtown that would help maximize the economic impact of the National Comedy Center in downtown. The study reviewed and analyzed existing conditions and market conditions, including the performance of downtown Jamestown, considering hotel occupancy, residential development, retail demand, hotel demand.

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (2014)

The City of Jamestown Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) is a locally prepared comprehensive land and water use plan for the City’s natural, public, and developed waterfront resources along the Chadakoin River. The LWRP refines and supplements the State’s Coastal Management Program and provides a framework within which critical waterfront issues can be addressed, and planned waterfront improvement projects can be pursued and implemented.

Downtown Jamestown Business Mix (2012)

W-ZHA was retained to identify a target business mix for Downtown Jamestown given Downtown’s brand of “Up Close and Wonderful”. The branding study identified Downtown’s target market as those households that are interested in an urban vibe as well as an accessible creative center.

Jamestown Tourism Branding Project (2011)

The Jamestown Tourism Branding Project identifies the City of Jamestown’s tourism niche – the attraction of quality that differentiates the city as a tourist destination. The project identified Jamestown’s “lure” for visitors and laid out a detailed marketing plan that builds on its identified brand. This is a crucial step toward the realization of Jamestown’s Urban Design Plan.

City of Jamestown Traffic and Streetscape Enhancement Plan (2008)

This effort is intended to provide a strategy for improving vehicular and pedestrian circulation throughout the downtown core, as well as recommendations for improving and enhancing the downtown streetscape to make it more attractive, welcoming, and safe. The recommendations and guidelines are considerate of the unique characteristics and development conditions that exist within downtown Jamestown, including the existing railroad line, the waterfront, and its signature topography.

City of Jamestown Historical Survey Report by Bero Associates (1993) 

This exhaustive report is dives into the history of Jamestown through it’s buildings. The findings of the report helped inform the creation of Jamestown’s three historic districts.