Greg Edwards

County officials agree with The Gebbie Foundation that it is best for the Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System to find a new hub in downtown Jamestown.

Greg Edwards, CEO of the Gebbie Foundation, expressed the goal for the newly constructed piazza in front of the National Comedy Center is to use the space as a frequent host for public events, from festival block parties to movie screenings and more.

The planned use for the piazza as a busy public hangout is the reason the CARTS won’t be returning to their original hub at the former Erie-Lackawanna Train Station. As of April, when construction began on the piazza, CARTS has occupied a temporary hub for picking up and dropping off passengers along Pine Street between Third and Fourth streets. Use of this new hub location has been extended to Oct. 19 while county officials analyze options and plan for a new permanent hub location for CARTS in Jamestown.

“Everybody’s working hard to try to get a resolution to that,” Edwards said.

Edwards also answered why he thinks the change of service hubs for CARTS will not affect the $6 million Federal Transit Administration grant given to the city to help renovate the train station. He said that with the draw of the surrounding comedy center increasing bus traffic, future rail use and pedestrian bridges in Comedy Center Park, the train station still serves as a multi-modal hub for transportation.

In efforts to increase foot traffic in the piazza, lights are tentatively planned to be hung above the space by the end of October. These new, permanent fixtures, which will hang at a minimum height of 15 feet from the ground, will be able to be controlled digitally, changing color on command. The Gebbie Foundation is also looking for funders to help create an expansion on Northwest Arena that could include a cafe or store on the corner nearest the train station.

Edwards originally shared information about the construction and future use of the piazza and former hub space because he wanted “to help CARTS be successful and effective in their job” and make sure CARTS would be prepared to find a new location for its hub. The Pine Street location is only temporary because the incline would make its use as a hub potentially unsafe during slippery conditions in winter weather.

While county officials decide on a new spot for CARTS, the Gebbie Foundation in partnership with the National Comedy Center intend to follow the Jamestown Urban Design Plan further. Edwards explained that part of that is to utilize the piazza frequently in the future to cause people to enjoy the downtown space and hopefully decide to eat, shop and live in the city.

“All of these pieces start to come together, and that’s really where you get this economic engine going,” Edwards said.

There are plans for comedy center staff to host events and screenings of movies with the screens on the front of the center. Other organizations could also request to host events, and current city activities including the Jamestown Cruise-In car show and Christmas Parade could end with attendees congregating in the piazza instead of fizzling out into the streets or going home.

Edwards said that since he and other planners have envisioned the piazza as the most active spot in the city in the future, the area would be an impractical hub for CARTS as it wouldn’t provide the reliable location needed. Edwards said stability is needed in a hub location for the long-term plan of CARTS organizers and passengers.

“Going forward, more and more, that location (in front of the train station) is not going to work for what their core purpose is, and that’s consistency,” Edwards said.

Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello agrees the piazza will not be the ideal location for the CARTS hub. Borrello said the street will be shut down to traffic on a “regular basis,” so access to the area will be limited.

“I believe the new piazza is great for Jamestown and will help create more downtown activity by attracting many locals and visitors,” Borrello said. “I applaud the Gebbie Foundation in their effort to assist the city with the creation of another great compliment to Jamestown’s growing hospitality industry.”

Borrello added that continued use of the piazza as a hub could be confusing for CARTS ridership. When the piazza is closed off for events like festivals and pre-event parties, communication troubles could arise, and riders might not be informed about where to go for pick-up instead. Many passengers who have disabilities and impaired mobility would also be inconvenienced the most by a fickle hub schedule, which is another reason why the county intends to find another consistent, permanent hub location.

“The county is working on identifying a more suitable location that will not create disruption for our riders,” Borrello said. “Serving our customers, especially those that rely on CARTS as their primary means of transportation, is our first priority.”

Borrello said the county is hopeful that a solution regarding a new hub location will be found before the Oct. 19 deadline.