Jamestown’s responsible landlords are suffering at the hands of irresponsible landlords. And so is every neighbor. And every taxpayer. From chronic blight to daily nuisances, the ill effects of under-regulated rental housing have been apparent for a while, but they’re...
New Year’s Resolutions for Jamestown
There are many reasons to feel positive about Jamestown’s prospects in the coming year – and just as many reasons to hope for speedier progress on numerous fronts. It’s the mood you’ll find in almost any city as the end of a year approaches and people take stock of...
Neighborhoods Rise to the Challenge
When the Lakeview Avenue Community Action Project has its holiday party later this month, it will mark the end of a busy year in that neighborhood and the six other neighborhoods that participated in the 2014 Renaissance Block Challenge. It was a busy year in two...
Filling Knowledge Gaps with Downtown Data
How many people work in downtown Jamestown and which sectors employ the most people? What percentage of space on upper floors is occupied and by what uses? What are the average rents for different types of space? What proportion of storefronts house non-retail...
Sharpening Jamestown’s Marketing Message
"Will the last person leaving town please turn out the lights." Variations of this phrase have been uttered in Jamestown and many other cities during economic downtimes. Real estate agents in Seattle even paid for billboards with this message in 1971 when that city...
Smart Demolition Strategy Brings Addition By Subtraction
Good news arrived for Chautauqua County's neighborhoods and Main streets this month when Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office will grant the Chautauqua County Land Bank another $1.3 million to battle vacancy and blight. This brings the Attorney...
Bridge Predicament Points to Opportunity
A transportation experiment has been unfolding for the past few months on South Main Street in Jamestown – and you’ve probably been a participant. It’s an unintentional experiment in traffic calming that stems from a maintenance issue at the bridge that connects...
As City Evolves, Flexibility is Key
When Dr. J. Hamilton Thurston decided to dabble in real estate development in the 1870s, he was taking a chance. Not only was he branching out from his successful dentistry practice, but he was trying to popularize a type of housing that was relatively unknown in...
Looking Good for a Good Reason
New signage went up earlier this month at Holmlund's Wallpaper & Paint, right next to the North Main Street viaduct. The sign caps off a complete overhaul of the building's exterior by owner Andy Jochum. It also caps off the polishing of the entire city block...
Calling all entrepreneurs
By Frank Besse Do you have a great idea for a new business in Jamestown? A bookstore? A spice emporium? A zip line across the Chadakoin River? Consider unleashing your idea this fall at the Pearl City Small Business Pitch Fest, a new event from the Jamestown...