Planning commission approves Gateway Lofts site plan after new SEQR review amid lead concerns

At a Jamestown Planning Commission meeting, commissioners voted to rescind an earlier environmental determination, accept a newly submitted short Environmental Assessment Form (EAF Part 1) and issue a negative SEQR declaration that cleared the way for approval of the Gateway Lofts site plan.

The decision allows the Salvation Army–led redevelopment of a former industrial building into supportive housing to move forward subject to conditions the commission listed, including execution of a tile agreement with the city and a mitigation payment described by staff as $350,000 to support housing demolition and replacement along North Main Street. Commissioners said the approvals incorporate the updated short EAF and other materials submitted by the applicant.

Public commenters and several commissioners asked detailed questions about historic industrial contamination at the site. Resident Doug Chad, who addressed the commission during public comment, said the building’s past use as a foundry posed a risk: “I do not wanna see children, pregnant women, families in a facility that was led based,” he said, adding his concern the building’s floors, walls and beams could contain lead that would be costly to remediate.

Project representatives said the site is being remediated under state oversight. A developer representative identified in the meeting as Steven told the commission the project has been admitted to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) cleanup oversight and that the team has budgeted for full cleanup work. “Children are at the top of their priority. They’re not going to let impaired children and disabilities at any kind of risk,” Steven said, describing DEC’s review and the additional environmental standards imposed by the New York State Housing Finance Agency on projects receiving its support.

Commissioners and staff discussed legal and procedural requirements under SEQR and related state rules. One staff speaker referenced 6 NYCRR 617.3(a) when describing what triggers further SEQR review, and noted the commission must also account for county planning review required for projects within 500 feet of certain county- or state-owned facilities. The applicant team said the project has undergone prior approvals and that the new short EAF reflected updated conditions and adopted local policies, including the city’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.

On the motion floor, commissioners approved rescinding the earlier SEQR action, accepted the newly submitted short EAF and adopted a negative declaration, then moved to approve the Gateway Lofts site plan. The site-plan approval included the conditions cited in the draft resolution: final execution of a tile agreement with the city and agreement to the mitigation payment described in the resolution. The commission also directed the applicant to continue coordination with county planners where required.

The project team and several commissioners emphasized a funding timeline as one reason for acting at the meeting: local funders and state program deadlines were cited as creating a narrow window to begin construction. Project representatives said much of the project funding comes through state programs that require higher environmental and energy standards, which the applicants said increases remediation and construction costs.

The commission’s resolution and the applicant’s paperwork incorporate prior site plan materials and the newly submitted short EAF. The motion and votes taken at the meeting did not list a roll-call tally tied to member names in the transcript; the record as read aloud indicated the motions carried. The commission also discussed ongoing monitoring and regulatory follow-up that will occur as part of DEC oversight and state housing finance agency requirements.

The approval is subject to the conditions the commission recorded in the resolution; the applicant team said it will proceed with DEC-directed remediation and final permit coordination with city and county agencies.