Brent Sheldon, R-Ward I and Chair of the Finance Committee, reads the resolution regarding the grant that has been applied for the Prendergast Landing Project, during Monday’s council meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

A long-discussed project in the city, the Prendergast Landing Project, is working to secure more funding as the city of Jamestown has applied for a state grant through the Round Nine Restore New York Communities Initiative Municipal Grant Program.

Applying for the grant was discussed in a resolution from the city’s Finance Committee during Monday’s meeting. Brent Sheldon, R-Ward I and Chair of the Finance Committee, said the grant has been applied for up to $2 million from the state, and that there is a lot that the developer is looking to do with this project.

“The developer is looking to put in some storefronts, some shared neighbor space, shared office space, as well as a couple of short term rentals on the third floor,” Sheldon said. “They’ve done all of the demolition work already at this time.”

Additionally, Sheldon said this project is taking place in the old Joyce’s Keg Room building, which was purchased by Rahsann Graham, founder of Jade Empire LLC in 2020. Crystal Surdyk, Director of Development, said this is the same project that the city has submitted things for in the past. Funding was not received in the last round of this grant, and Surdyk said there was a meeting with Empire State Development to discuss why.

“The biggest reason was that it was extremely competitive in the last round,” Surdyk said. “But, the other reason was, they wanted to see more detail and the cost estimate, so they have done that and we are resubmitting, and were highly encouraged by the state to do so.”

She added that the state has some funding that has gone into the project already and would like to see it go over the finish line. There has also been constant contact with the developer and it was noted how much money the developer himself has put into the project, and that he is extremely committed to it.

The project budget had been listed as between $2.4 and $2.6 million, but could be higher as inflation drives up construction costs. The project has received a state grant through the Jamestown Renaissance Corp. and tax breaks from the county Industrial Development Agency. The first floor of the Prendergast Landing will be shops while the second floor will be shared office space. The third and fourth floors will be short-term housing units and the bottom floor is projected to be a kayak rental business.

Incubator funding could be used for work on the first two floors. Graham said the storefront will be available for artisans or food vendors who have outgrown farmer’s markets but aren’t big enough yet for their own storefront. There will be a kitchen available for small sandwiches or salads and a coffee bar.

The second floor will be shared office space that could be used by those working from home who need a work space outside the home or for small companies that need office space but can’t absorb the cost for a long-term lease in a bigger office building.

Graham has ties with the Small Business Development Center and the city’s ELab program working on business incubation and is in his fourth year offering small business development training with a program called Fast Track. He also sits on the board of the state’s Small Business Advisory Board. Businesses who move into Prendergast Landing would receive help creating their business from some of those agencies.