JAMESTOWN — The Northwest Arena may get a state-supported facelift to make the building better suited for performances.

The top-ranked project in the application in Jamestown’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative application to the state is a $2.3 million project at the arena that will use $900,000 in DRI funding with another $1.4 million raised from public and private funding.

Arena and National Comedy Center officials say the project will transform Jamestown’s largest venue into a year-round performance and conference facility. Currently, additional programs are held back by what arena and comedy center officials say is an inefficient, show-provisional production cost that requires expensive rental and temporary installation. That means shows can only be booked as a grouping over multiple nights, which limits the opportunity to bring more shows to the arena. It costs about $75,000 to bring shows to the arena, according to the city’s application.

“This project transforms an existing venue into a flexible, fully equipped facility capable of hosting year-round live performances, cultural programming, educational experiences, and large-scale conferences,” the application states. “It represents a strategic investment in downtown Jamestown’s revitalization — enhancing cultural access, strengthening tourism, and supporting the city’s long-term economic growth.”

In total, the city’s DRI application includes 24 projects totaling $30,182,500 in proposed Downtown Revitalization Initiative spending – more than three times the $10 million the city received.

The second project would spend $2 million in DRI funding as part of a more than $40 million redevelopment of the Furniture Mart building in a partnership between the Gebbie Foundation and Meritocracy Venture LLC. Project costs include $1.9 million for acquisition and an optional $500,000 for an adjacent parking area, $3.3 million in masonry stabilization and $35 million in redevelopment costs. The project is scheduled to take 18 months to complete.

“The Furniture Mart’s redevelopment promises a transformative impact on downtown Jamestown,” the application states. “Restoring its architectural grandeur will visually enhance the streetscape.

Functionally, it will create a vibrant space for people to gather and catalyze further development by attracting investment. Its substantial size, flexible layout, and riverfront location position it to become a bustling center of activity, significantly

contributing to Jamestown’s revitalization and symbolizing the city’s resilience.”

The third project focuses on the expansion of Shawbuck’s, with $900,000 in DRI funding to be coupled with $1.235 million of public and private funding to renovate vacant upper floors in the restaurant building in a project taking between two and five years to complete. The project is one Johnson has talked about publicly over the past few years with indoor spaces for conferences, lectures, workshops, wellness programs and incubation for food-based businesses and health education; a rooftop garden and teaching space for urban farming, community gardens and seasonal produce growing; and accessibility and safety upgrades, mechanical and structural improvements that support increased occupancy and use.

Another $1.207 million of DRI funding is slated for the restoration of the Viking Temple at 318 Washington St. The project also includes $2,242,500 in public and private funding for a three- to five-year project that would upgrade HVAC, replace the roof, update the sprinkler system, fix an elevator in the building and $2.5 million in additional renovations. The first floor of the building is in use, with the rest of the building vacant. The project aims to restore the second floor of the temple building as a flexible gathering space and reinvigoration of the third-floor ballroom and mezzanine.

The Hotel Jamestown, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, is proposed to receive $900,000 in DRI funding as part of a $2.3 million project. The project would make exterior repairs to the historic building with acquisition of the Brick City Market at 101 W. Fourth ST. to create a specific and separate entrance for the general public to use when renting the Crystal Ballroom. The project will also retrofit the spae to include accessible entry features, enhanced wayfinding and amenities.

While those are the top five projects in the application, there are more than 20 projects listed. Not all will make it into the final DRI plan, but they are projects that are on the city’s radar. They are listed in order:

– Masonry stabilization of the Lucy Desi Museum, $525,000 in DRI funding for a $1.5 million project;

– $600,000 for a Historic Downtown Restoration Fund;

– $600,000 for a $900,000 Destination Jamestown campaign to attract meetings and conferences;

– $1 million for a more than $2 million downtown parking modernization program;

– $2 million as part of a $4.9 million project to improve streetscapes and circulation at North Main and Harrison streets and Washington Street. The project would reconfigure traffic patterns and intersection geometry at North Main and Harrison streets and North Main and Washington streets with traffic calming and pedestrian refuge islands, upgrade signals along North Main Street through downtown and make streetscapes at the Five Points gateway with new sidewalks, street trees, lights and wayfinding.

– $2 million in DRI funding for a downtown lighting project that replaces all remaining cobra-head fixtures across downtown streets that also includes new electrical infrastructure in the area. The total project cost is $5.675 million.

– $2 million in DRI funding that is part of a $4.117 million transformation of Tracy Plaza.

– $350,000 in DRI funding to refresh Jamestown’s brand and wayfinding. The entire project would cost $700,000.

– Redevelopment of First Street with $680,000 in DRI funding and $680,000 in public and private funding to improve infrastructure and move utilities underground, targeted building rehabilitation and upper floor housin conversions as well as preliminary engineering, permitting and phased construction.

– a $400,000 use of DRI funding that is part of a $500,000 project to stabilize the Arcade Building over a 6- to 12-month time frame.

– Activation of the Chadakoin River with $2 million in DRI funding and $1.6 million in outside funding to pay for a performance area for outdoor events, signature gardens, enhanced public art, a watercraft rental kiosk, a water taxi linking downtown Jamestown to Chautauqua Lake and new programs, signs and ADA accessibility;

– $1 million in DRI funding as part of a $3 million project to redevelop the Mayflower storage building into upper floor apartments, commercial spaces on the ground floor and building improvements.

– $2 million in DRI funding for a redevelopment of Brooklyn Square that includes reestablishing historic traffic patterns, creating new development concepts and other improvements. The project would cost $42.9 million and include $950,000 to demolish a building, $30,000 for site preparation, $2.385 million for utility updates and lighting and then $20 million to $40 million for reconstruction;

– $2 million in DRI funding as part of a $12.375 million project to extend the Jamestown Riverwalk to the west and east;

– $2 million ain DRI funding s part of the $17.5 million project in conjunction with Ramsey Agriculture’s hydroponics and anaerobic digestion PILOT project;

– $1.225 million in DRI funding as part of a $3.5 million project at the Fenton History Center that will include construction of a barn and repair of the building’s roof and windows;

– $1.75 million in DRI funding that would be part of a $3.5 million project to redevelop the former Tabone paving site at 145 Fairmount Ave. into a new waterfront destination that would include a kayak launch and docks, a connection to the city’s Riverwalk, restaurants and vendors with the potential for designated food truck spaces, a small stage for live music and entertainment, space for lawn games or bocce courts and seating areas with decorative lighting and fire pits;

– $1.5 million in DRI funding for a pump track at Jackson-Taylor Park. The total project cost would be $3 million.