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Jamestown to apply for $100,000 grant to add lighting, public-safety improvements on North Main viaduct
Summary
City staff will apply for Project for Public Spaces funding to pay for lighting and other improvements under the North Main Street viaduct to better connect downtown and the Riverwalk; the plan includes design work, public engagement and coordination with the railroad.
Jamestown city staff told the council they will apply for up to $100,000 in Project for Public Spaces funding to address lighting and public-safety shortfalls under the North Main Street viaduct.
The application is intended to fill a roughly $100,000 budget gap in a larger corridor project that staff says already has roughly $143,000 in existing capital designated from a mix of local and external capital sources. Staff said $67,170.05 in ARPA funds remain allocated for design and implementation and would be part of the financing mix for the phase focused on lighting.
Staff member Crystal, presenting the plan, said the underpass is currently fenced and “we've had some issues under there ... with garbage accumulating,” and described the site as the connection between downtown, the commercial corridor and the Riverwalk trailhead. Crystal said the project’s early work will include hiring a landscape architect, producing engineering drawings and developing a final design that would go through the city’s normal review process, including Planning Commission consideration and public engagement.
Council members asked about coordination with the railroad and the status of vacant or deteriorated buildings near the site. Crystal said staff has been in contact with the railroad and that the railroad staff they reached have been supportive so far. On an adjacent historic arcade building, Crystal said Preservation Buffalo Niagara and the State Historic Preservation Office have been contacted to explore stabilization options and potential funding for the exterior wall that needs attention.
City staff also said they submitted a letter of intent for the state Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a $10 million competitive program for which Jamestown said it qualifies; that potential funding would be considered alongside this project.
Next steps outlined by staff include finalizing the grant application, continuing coordination with the railroad and preservation partners, conducting public engagement on design options and bringing a final design back through the Planning Commission and council for approvals if the grant is awarded.
