Leslie Calimeri of the Chautauqua Art Gallery and Frank Besse of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation joined WRFA’s Anthony Merchant to discuss the new public art program ArtScape coming to downtown Jamestown in Spring 2023

www.jamestownrenaissance.org/artscape
www.chautauquaartgallery.com
www.jamestownrenaissance.org

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is co-sponsoring an Historic District Tax Credit Workshop. We learn more about that tax credit program and historic districts in Jamestown.

The free, virtual workshop will take place on zoom at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 15 and the JRC also will have a space at City Hall where people can watch the presentation.

JRC Urban Core Director Frank Besse said the three historic districts in Jamestown include downtown, Lakeview district, and Forest Heights. He said those who choose to participate in the program can receive a tax credit on their New York State income tax, “You come up with a project and you have that project reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office, or what we call SHPO. They approve it and the work is then done. And you will get some paperwork from SHPO that says, ‘Hey, you passed the test,’ and then that is given to your accountant and they do their magic. But basically, you’ll have a credit that’s 20% if it’s a residential property. 20% of the value of the work.”

Besse said there is a $5,000 minimum threshold to trigger that credit. He said if you don’t have a state income tax liability, that credit turns into a refund.

JRC Neighborhood Project Coordinator Mary Maxwell said the City is working on applying to the state to add a fourth historic district on the west side.

She said the Lakeview district, which was approved in 2017, has had $88,000 invested in properties. The downtown district, which was approved in 2014, has seen $27 million reinvested by those taking advantage of the historic tax credits.

Pre-registration is required for the workshop and can be done at PreservationBuffaloNiagara.org. Those who wish to attend the presentation in person, or who want more information, should contact Mary Maxwell at mary@jamestownrenaissance.org or call (716) 708-6964.

JRC Urban Core Director Frank Besse, presenting to Jamestown City Council, said the goal of the project is to beautify downtown, improve walkability, and engage the community in a unique way, “So, we’re going to do a public solicitation for regional artists to submit their artwork. And we will use that artwork to beautify downtown hanging banners on light poles. And this will be throughout the downtown, Third and Second Streets will be the primary focus but we’ll look for unique opportunities to put things other places.”

Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri said she was living in Northern Virginia when they started a similar program 11 years ago. She says they’ve been doing it ever since, “We reached out to the Arts Council in Winchester, Virginia and have used a lot of the information that they’ve really kind of perfected and polished over the years to create this program. I think it’s exciting to have a partnership with the businesses. They help sponsor the banners. And it creates a good partnership there as well. This year, we’re looking for some grant funding to help get it started. But, we are hoping to be able keep it going and move in the direction of having it just business-private-public support system there.”

Calimeri said interested artists may submit up to three works for consideration to the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation. These works will be juried by a selection committee.

The chosen pieces will be professionally photographed for display on the banners.

At the end of the year, the banners will be removed and given to the sponsor, or the sponsor may choose to donate the banner to the artist.

Calimeri and Besse said they hope to install banners in June and provide a walking tour brochure on the banners.

Interested artists and those interested in sponsoring a banner can find information and an application at https://www.jamestownrenaissance.org/artscape/.

The deadline for both artists and sponsorship is April 7, 2023.

Jamestown City Council

Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri and Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Urban Core Director Frank Besse will present their Downtown ArtScape Banner project to council.

JRC Neighborhood Coordinator Mary Maxwell also will be presenting to the Housing Committee about a Historic Tax Credit Workshop.

The Finance Committee is expected to continue a discussion on American Rescue Plan funds.

And the Public Safety Committee will review a block party application for an event by Jensen British Sports Cars at the National Comedy Center to be held on Saturday, June 8.

The Public Works Committee meeting has been canceled due to lack of agenda items.

The Housing Committee will meet at 6:45 p.m. with Finance and Public Safety committees meeting at 7:00 p.m. The full City Council work session will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Police Training Room located on the fourth floor of City Hall. The public is welcome to attend all meetings with the full work session being streamed on jamestownny.gov.

Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Urban Core Director Frank Besse talks about a grant opportunity for downtown business and building owners.

Jamestown Skate Products building on Pine Street, before and after receiving JRC Building and Business Improvement Program grant funds.

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is accepting applications for its downtown building and business improvement program.

Urban Core Director Frank Besse said the JRC will award up to $25,000 in matching funds for various costs associated with improving a downtown business or building.

Besse said the funding is geared toward incentiving people to make their business or building more profitable, “We don’t want to just look at repairs. Those are important, but we’re trying to inspire and get new or different thinking around the buildings. And it doesn’t have to be new or the first time ever in the world. There’s a lot of examples, maybe in Jamestown or across the country, that people could do, adding seating, changing the flow of buildings, things like that that we want to see people take on that’s maybe a little risky. We want to be there to support them.”

Pre-applications are due December 19th with the full application due January 17th. Only those who complete the pre-application will be given access to the full application.

To learn more about eligibility and apply, visit jamestownrenaissance.org.

Grant awards will be announced in February 2023.

For more information, contact Frank Besse at 716-708-6761 or Frank@jamestownrenaissance.org.

Officials cut ribbon for reopening of Potter’s Terrace (November 2, 2022)

Officials cut the ribbon to reopen a renovated Potters Terrace Park in downtown Jamestown Wednesday afternoon.

The park, owned by the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, had been closed since 2019 due to issues with the wood structure that used to cover an 8-foot hole beneath the park. That structure was removed and the hole filled in back in 2021.

JRC Urban Core Director Frank Besse said the park features trees and shrubbery, “..limestone benches and tables, different large boulders that can be used as seating or as kind of an area to run and jump and play if you’re a younger frequenter of downtown. And it’s a place where you can take a break, maybe, from your job downtown. Or if you live downtown, to get some fresh air. But it’s that congregation place, ‘Oh, I’ll meet you down at Potter’s Terrace,’ to maybe go shopping downtown or before a show, or just catch up with somebody or perhaps read a book.”

Besse said Leaf and Stone Architecture designed the space with Sivak Stonemasonry performing the construction work. He said facade work will be done soon on the neighboring Chamber of Commerce Building as well as the facade of the building next to Potter’s Alley, “A long standing project of the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation has been what we call ‘Potter’s Gallery.’ This public art that we see on buildings neighboring on Potter’s Alley. So, the oldest of those pieces is about nine years old and is showing weather. So what we’ve done is work with Jamestown Public Schools to find more local student artwork, get that printed, and hung up here. So, hopefully we’ll see that here in the next few weeks to a month.”

Besse said the facade work will hopefully be completed on the Chamber Building by Spring.

The project was funded through a grant of $200,000 from the Gebbie Foundation with some support by Community Development Block Grant funds from the City of Jamestown.

Reconstruction of Potter’s Terrace on East Third Street underway (August 1, 2022)

Construction is underway at the former Potter’s Terrace Park on East Third Street in downtown Jamestown.

Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Urban Core Director Frank Besse said Sivac Stone Masonry is working at moving stone and earth on the site, “We have some large, custom, steel-fabricated planters that are being moved and located. And the last couple of pieces are showing up this week to really kind of define the space. And we’re hopefully within three to four weeks left in construction and we’ll have a great public space back in downtown.”

The park, owned by the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, has been closed since 2019 due to issues with the wood structure that used to cover an 8-foot hole beneath the park. That structure was removed and the hole filled in back in 2021.

Besse said the goal is to create a public space that didn’t need to be programmed with events or activities in order for people to want to use it, “It’s going to be programmed with some benches, other seating, tables, as well as a lot of trees and shrubs kind of greenery there to juxtapose with the downtown and it’s architectural significance there.”

Besse added it will be a great space for people to meet, have lunch, or just sit and read.

Besse said the project is being funded through a grant from the Gebbie Foundation as well as Community Development Block Grant funds from the City of Jamestown. He said it will probably end up costing just over $200,000 once construction is complete.

The event, sponsored by the Chautauqua County Land Bank in conjunction with the City of Jamestown and Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, takes place 8:00 a.m. to noon.

People interested in taking part can register at chqlandbank.org/handson or go to Tracy Plaza Saturday morning to be assigned a location to clean up. PPE, gloves, tools, and garbage bags will be provided. Refreshments also will be made available.

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is holding a Chadakoin River Clean-up at the same time as Hands On Neighborhoods. Volunteers should go to The Chautauqua Center at 107 Institute Street in Jamestown at 8:00 a.m. Ample parking and refreshments will be available. From there, work parties will tackle different sections of the Chadakoin River. Participants are asked to dress to get wet and dirty – long sleeves, long pants and sturdy closed shoes. Raincoats are also suggested with rain in the forecast.

The CWC will supply garbage bags and have some litter grabbers and additional gloves available, but supplies are limited.

Also on Saturday, the Conewango Creek Watershed Association is holding its 7th Annual Chautauqua Lake Clean-up starting at the Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, 10 Chadakoin Parkway in Celoron, NY, at 8 am.

Pre-registration is required for the Lake Clean-Up event and can be done at https://www.conewangocreek.org/2022/04/seventh-annual-chautauqua-cleanup-may-21/