County Eyes Options For Jamestown CHQ Transit Hub

The site of the former Ray Nelson Service Station, which had been purchased to house a hub for CHQ Transit, is pictured. County officials are discussing how to proceed since the former service station had to be torn down.
P-J file photo

Now that Chautauqua County has torn down the building that was supposed to be a hub for CHQ Transit in Jamestown, officials are looking at a number of different options.

The legislature’s Public Facilities Committee recently met with Public Facilities Director Tim Card and Assistant Director Josh Rothwell to discuss the project.

CHQ Transit, previously known as the Chautauqua Area Rural Transit System or CARTS, has been operating out of 215 E. Third St. since 2018, initially renting the location. Chautauqua County purchased the former gas station in 2020 for $158,000, using state funds.

Instead of being able to remodel it, Card said the building was in too poor condition and it was demolished last month. He noted the county purchased that building before he was hired.

According to Card, to build a new 870 square foot building it will cost $500,000.

Two neighboring properties have also approached the county to see if they would like to buy their building.

According to Card, a representative with Geer-Dunn Company asked if the county would like to buy their building at 309 Prendergast Avenue, which is directly behind 215 E. Third St. The price tag was $380,000.

That building is much larger than the county needs for a CHQ Transit Hub.

“As far as usage, that’s a 7,200 square foot building. There would be a number of uses that it could be used for, but as far as build outs, we don’t know what that cost would be because we don’t know exactly what would go in there other than the hub,” Card said.

In addition, Card said the owners of the pawn shop that sits next to Taco Hut reached out to him and asked if the county would be interested in their building.

“It’s a small building, roughly around 1,000 square feet. We looked at that probably at $190,000 and probably somewhere around $120,000 to renovate it to make it just into the hub,” he said.

Card said he has been in communication with the state to see what options are permitted, since they have already used state funding. Rothwell said he thinks a new building is too pricey.

“Personally, this is just my opinion, I think $500,000 for that little building is a lot of money,” he said.

Card said the 870 square feet would provide a waiting room, a break room, a bathroom and a maintenance closet.

Card also asked if the county needs to have a structure there at all. His department has placed a temporary shelter there so riders aren’t forced to stand out in the rain while waiting for a bus.

Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, R-Ellery, said years ago the Comedy Center had strongly encouraged the county to move their CARTS location elsewhere. Because of this, the state had offered funding for a new CARTS hub.

“That wasn’t something that we had to have, but because the state was offering money, then we were going to build a CARTS hub. … It’s that agreement for funding, we would have a structure,” he said.

Card said he understood and added they would continue to pursue a structure for the hub.

“We probably are tied to that because we have already spent some of that (state) money,” he said.

Card and Rothwell were asked about what other departments could be relocated if the county were to buy the Geer-Dunn building.

Ideas included the county’s Lead Prevention program and the Jamestown Department of Motor Vehicles offices. “The DMV, we pay $53,000 a year in rent for that property,” Card said.

In terms of parking, Card said the Geer-Dunn building has 22 parking spots available. Should the county not build a new structure at 215 E. Third St., he guesses another 20 parking spots could go there as well.

No formal decisions were made.