Application Template - Government of New YorkNine (9) projects characterized as Placemaking will enhance the connectedness of the downtown neighborhood and the value of properties,

2017 WNY DRI SGCF – Olean NY 1 | P a g e

Western New York Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) & Smart Growth Community Fund

Application Template

BASIC INFORMATION

Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Region: Western New York

Municipality Name: City of Olean

Downtown Name: Downtown Olean

County: Cattaraugus

Vision for Downtown. Provide a brief statement of the municipality’s vision for downtown revitalization.

Olean’s vision is to make our City vibrant and our residents optimistic about opportunities to work, to learn and to thrive in Olean – including, importantly, younger and college-educated residents who are selective about where they settle and start their families. Our DRI priority projects will catalyze a virtuous cycle of private investment and population growth in our downtown neighborhood. The projects include adaptive reuse of historic structures, catalytic business expansion projects, placemaking, and in-fill development to include affordable housing for downtown workers, college students and senior citizens. These projects will accelerate the vibrant renewal of downtown Olean and they will ensure the growth of a diverse population of additional residents.

Justification. Provide an overview of the downtown, highlighting the area’s defining characteristics and the

reasons for its selection. Explain why the downtown is ready for Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI)

investment, and how that investment would serve as a catalyst to bring about revitalization.

Olean’s “Downtown Neighborhood” includes the Central Business District plus adjoining residential districts along with the recreational assets of Bradner Stadium and W.O. Smith Recreation Center and hockey arena. This neighborhood also includes our Medical Campus with Olean General Hospital. By focusing investments on people, and places for people, we will make Olean’s revitalization sustainable and equitable. The newly completed “Walkable Olean” North Union Street Restoration Project has already catalyzed investment toward this vision. By adding this Downtown Revitalization Initiative, we will accelerate projects that are “on the cusp” and leverage our current momentum. Our approach could serve as a role model for other rural cities and villages that require transformational investment in public places in order to prompt private developers and residents to invest capital and their life choices. You will see through this application that Olean has the capacity to deliver projects and to achieve our “extreme makeover” within the five-year scope of the DRI program.


DOWNTOWN IDENTIFICATION

This section should be filled out with reference to the list of desired attributes for participation in the DRI as set

forth in the DRI program description.

1) Boundaries of the Downtown Neighborhood. Detail the boundaries of the targeted neighborhood,

keeping in mind that there is no minimum or maximum size, but that the neighborhood should be

concentrated and well-defined. Core neighborhoods beyond a traditional downtown or central business

district are eligible, if they can meet other criteria making them ripe for investment. Attach a map that

clearly delineates the downtown neighborhood.

The Olean Downtown Neighborhood encompasses 480 acres bounded by Olean Creek and the Allegheny River. Olean is a compact city where our General Hospital and shopping mall remain downtown and many major manufacturing employers are walking distance from the Downtown Neighborhood.

Projects are planned for the Central Business District (CBD) and the surrounding Downtown Neighborhood because we know that the key to sustainable redevelopment is to activate the downtown with a 24-hour population. Olean is lucky in this respect; we have residential areas all around our CBD – including the National Register “Oak Hill” Residential Historic District. Our DRI projects will catalyze


further investment by residents in these neighborhoods, thus sustaining the power and efficacy of the public investment in downtown revitalization. 2) Catchment area. Outline why the downtown, or its catchment area, is of a size sufficient to support a

vibrant, year-round downtown, with consideration of whether there is a sizeable existing or increasing

population within easy reach for whom this would be the primary downtown destination.

The Downtown Neighborhood has all of the elements for successful, sustainable revitalization with social and economic equity. This neighborhood includes diverse employment opportunities in services, retail, medical and industrial sectors. Jamestown Community College is central in our downtown and the newly opened Olean Business Development Center, opposite JCC, provides services to entrepreneurs. Our downtown is walkable, bikeable, compliant with ADA design standards and serviced by our Olean Area Transit System. In all of Cattaraugus County, Olean’s Downtown Neighborhood is the one place where one could live without a car and still access vital services, job opportunities, education and shopping. This is why we assert that Olean’s DRI will achieve equity. Olean’s downtown is also attractive to those who could choose to live anywhere and this is becoming an important recruiting tool for our elite employers. Young professionals, empty-nesters and itinerate specialists such as those working at our hospital desire apartments in our historic downtown buildings. Today, there are 4,000 people living within an easy walk to our CBD – many of them live in the Downtown Neighborhood. More housing is demanded but there remain gaps between construction costs and valuation that we must address in order to spur developers to action. That is why the Olean DRI includes support for both historic preservation, adaptive reuse, plus in-fill, affordable, and market rate housing, specifically targeted toward lower wage workers, non-traditional students at JCC and seniors seeking simplified living arrangements near medical facilities. Looking beyond Downtown, Olean is a City of 14,452 and it is the employment, education, shopping and medical center of a rural region with over 100,000 people. Olean has two exits on Interstate 86 where the next large settlements are Jamestown and Corning, 45 and 90 minutes away, respectively. These facts, plus the presence of St. Bonaventure University with its Division 1 sports and world class cultural offerings, makes Olean the “destination downtown” for Cattaraugus County and much of Allegany County plus the nearby northern tier of Pennsylvania. This DRI investment will reinforce Olean’s current attractions and retain population to a broad region of Southwestern New York.


3) Past Investment, future investment potential. Describe how this downtown will be able to capitalize on

prior or catalyze future private and public investment in the neighborhood and its surrounding areas.

Olean and its partners have delivered the following major projects successfully in just the past few years (some ongoing), using public and private funding sources:

Within or bordering the Downtown Neighborhood:

Four Mile Brewing Private/Public 2014 $ 1.2 million Residential Street Reconstruction (N. 3rd St.) City of Olean 2015 $ 1 million Bradner Stadium Restoration City of Olean 2015 $ 1.5 million JCC Manufacturing Institute Public 2015 $ 6 million Walkable Olean North Union Street Reconstruction City of Olean 2015-16 $ 10 million Olean Business Development (Incubator) Private/Public 2015 $ 1 million Community Bank Private 2015 $ 1.8 million BOA Northwest Quadrant Revitalization Plan City of Olean 2016 $ 400,000 Holiday Inn Express Private 2016 $ 2 million Universal Primary Care Public 2016 $ 1 million Social Security Relocation Private/Public 2017 $ 1 million William O. Smith Recreation Center Project City of Olean Ongoing $ 2.5 million Olean Creek Bicycle & Pedestrian Path Project City of Olean Ongoing $ 663,000 Downtown Olean Farmers’ Market City of Olean Ongoing $ 1.25 million BOA Downtown Redevelopment City of Olean Ongoing $ 2.5 million NYS DOT TAP Walkable Olean Phase II City of Olean Ongoing $ 1.6 million Allegheny River Canoe & Kayak Launch City of Olean Ongoing $ 223,000 Restore NY DPW Site Demo. & Redevelopment City of Olean Ongoing $ 500,000 Allegheny River Public Access & Recreation Plan City of Olean Ongoing $ 76,000 NY Main Street Program City of Olean Ongoing $ 1.3 million DASNY Bradner Stadium City of Olean Ongoing $ 50,000 Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. Private/Public Ongoing $ 440,000 Outside the target area: East State Street “Road Diet” Reconstruction City of Olean 2012-13 $ 3.7 million Olean Airport Improvements City of Olean 2014 $ 3.2 million Sewage Treatment Facility Reconstruction City of Olean Ongoing $ 23.5 million Homeownership Assistance Program (Citywide) City of Olean Ongoing $ 400,000 Good Times of Olean Private 2013 $ 5 million Solean – Brownfield Solar Farm Private 2016 $ 1 million Homeridae Solar Project Private/Public 2017 $ 1 million Olean Gateway – Brownfield Redevelopment Private/Public 2016 $ 17 million Future Investment Potential There is still a great deal of opportunity and work to be done in Olean. Building on the momentum of recent investments, the City has identified 22 projects with catalytic potential as follows:

Five (5) projects characterized as Historic Preservation - Adaptive Reuse or New In-fill that will add residents and activity in our downtown while preserving architectural assets that are irreplaceable. These projects will require $6 million of DRI support to leverage $34 million of additional investment at a leverage ratio of 5.7:1.


Eight (8) projects characterized as Business Expansion which will add employment, educational, and entrepreneurial opportunities. $4 million of DRI support would leverage about $16 million of other investment at a ratio of 4.3:1 alongside job creation commitments.

Nine (9) projects characterized as Placemaking will enhance the connectedness of the downtown neighborhood and the value of properties, particularly in the residential areas. These projects will require about $1 million of DRI support to leverage over $6 million of additional investment at a leverage ratio nearing 6:1.

The City of Olean reached-out to investors and members of the community in order to develop this diverse but cohesive collection of projects with potential to yield catalytic effect. Project managers will include private property owners, not-for-profits and the City itself. Although some projects want for a designated developer at this writing, the City of Olean’s track record, listed above, provides proof that all of these projects will be performed within the five-year DRI implementation window.

Historic Preservation, Adaptive Reuse and Residential In-fill Projects: Manny Hanny Boutique Hotel. The Olean Urban Renewal Agency is working with a Buffalo developer to redevelop the vacant “Manny Hanny” building, Olean’s historic downtown anchor. The plan features a boutique hotel on the upper floors and approximately 7,000 sq. ft. of restaurant space in the two-story, historic banking floor. This seven story building located at the intersection of North Union and West State Streets would see a $9 million historic preservation and adaptive reuse makeover. The $1.5 million DRI investment will close the remaining feasibility gap and place a long-vacant but iconic building back into service, addressing the need for additional downtown hotel rooms while introducing visitors to our downtown and creating jobs.


Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse. Our Downtown Historic District features an additional large and complex adaptive reuse opportunity equivalent in size and scope to the Manny Hanny. This project would lend itself to market rate, upper floor housing. First floor retail is already successful here. The project development estimate is $9 million with a $1.5 million DRI “gap-funding” investment. Library & Children’s Museum at the Historic Carnegie Library. The Olean Public Library plans to expand their popular Children’s interactive learning area to include more elements found in a Children’s Museum. They want a larger, more central downtown location and remarkably, the original and very grand Carnegie Library could be adapted for reuse as… a Library! $1 million of DRI support could spur this project of about $4 million.

In-Fill Housing. There are few new and/or high-quality multi-family rental properties in Olean. Local educational institutions, manufacturing firms and Olean General Hospital especially, have noted the challenges to attracting and retaining employees, citing the lack of quality housing options. Olean General also employs a significant number of low and moderate earners with affordable housing and mobility needs.

Olean’s vision is to develop new apartments and townhouses (market rate and affordable) between the Medical Campus and our concentration of retail at the north end of Downtown. Sited along Olean Creek east of N. Barry Street, this location would feature pleasant views of the Creek and proximity to both employers, stores and medical facilities. The project budget is approximately $9.5 million where $1 million of DRI support is needed for “feasibility gap funding”. New York Main Street Grant for Downtown. Olean Business Development Corp. successfully deployed $300,000 in 2016 Main Street Grant funding to four projects in the Downtown Historic District. These projects include façade improvements, upper floor housing and building stabilization worth approximately $2.5 million. Olean would like two more Main Street Grants of $500,000 each during the 5-year DRI implementation in order to accelerate the renovations in our CBD.


Business Expansion Projects that would have Catalytic Effect: Market Café – Two Locations. We are fortunate to have a full service grocery store and a mini-grocery in our downtown neighborhood. Both of these stores mark the transition zones between CBD and downtown residential areas and in both cases, the blank walls of the stores with their large parking lots create a psychological barrier to walkability between the residential zones and CBD. DRI investment could make it feasible for these supermarkets to add indoor-outdoor market cafés thus activating street life and walkability. Importantly, both markets already have successful hot delicatessens so the market cafés will be extensions of existing business models. Downtown Brewpub. A private developer plans to redevelop an existing downtown building into a brewpub and restaurant. This establishment would create 8 new fulltime jobs plus part-time employment in the historic section of North Union Street. Brewpubs, featuring a wide range of microbrewery products have become destination attractions and Olean sits within a particularly rich concentration of original Upstate New York micros including Southern Tier Brewery and Ellicottville Brewing Company. These brands have already established awareness of unique (and delicious) regional products. This project would utilize $300,000 of DRI investment.

Four Mile Brewing Expansion. Four Mile Brewing Company opened its doors in May 2015 and its products were instantly successful. Now on-tap in Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh, they have brewed and delivered over 2,000 barrels of beer. The owners are ready to expand but they need capital support. A $1 million DRI investment will activate a now-dormant second building at their historic, pre-prohibition brewery along the Allegany River at the southern edge of Downtown. Their expansion will include increased brewing capacity and a canning line which will enable them to reach retail markets. Employment will rise from 20 to more than 30. Additional features of their plan include two loft-style apartments overlooking the Allegheny River and a retail space for a kayak rental firm which will further provide job opportunities.


JCC Student, & Affordable Housing. Student housing is needed in order for Jamestown Community College to draw from Olean’s full geographic service area. JCC in Olean has no dormitories and today, many students are non-traditional which means they are returning to college after having started their families. They need to be able to live with their young families very near the college and other services in order to focus on study. We envision a new, affordable housing development on East Avenue, along Olean Creek, east of the JCC campus tailored to the needs of students and students with families. This is a unique location with beautiful water views just three blocks from the CBD. New housing at this site will strengthen the adjoining downtown residential neighborhood and provide high-quality housing choices for students and even some lower wage workers in our downtown.

This will leverage recent investments including a soon-to-be-built pedestrian & bicycle trail funded by a NYS TEP grant. This will connect JCC to War Vets Park, the WO Smith Recreation Center and Bradner Stadium. The new trail will complete the trail system connecting east Olean with the Allegheny River Valley Trail through our downtown (see Trailhead Park). New housing units with modern amenities will attract more students to JCC and enable non-traditional students to improve their skills without sacrificing their families. A $500,000 DRI investment will spur this $7 million project that could have transformational impact on our downtown residential community and, indeed, the lives of many of our residents. Jamestown Community College Cutco Theater Improvements. Round I of the City’s DRI identified the need for an arts and entertainment venue to increase economic activity by attracting people who would not otherwise visit downtown Olean. Having lost our two downtown theaters, we will collaborate with JCC to utilize their Cutco Theater for college and community programming.


Cutco Theater is a multipurpose facility that includes a 190-seat theater for music, performances, lectures and film. The adjacent Magnano Reception Room, with kitchen facilities, makes the area ideal for events. Plans call for improving and expanding the Theater to allow for additional programming and for outdoor live performances. A kiosk marquee on North Union Street will announce events and create a direct connection from the street to the theater doors. A $150,000 DRI investment will trigger a nearly $800,000 catalytic investment.

Downtown Incubator Community Kitchen. Olean Business Development Corp. has observed our large food products cluster in the Olean area and identified the potential for additional food business incubation if we could provide a “community kitchen”. Food business incubation works when entrepreneurs can affordably rent a fully-licensed, shared commercial kitchen and receive technical assistance to build their businesses. A food incubator can also assist more-established businesses to process, package, store, and ship products without disrupting the businesses’ primary operating sites. Additionally, a food incubator can be an integral part of a workforce-development program by training food-service workers. Products from a food incubator may be sold locally at farmers’ markets, gift shops, and community events, or regionally/nationally through wholesalers and online platforms. We plan to construct a community kitchen/food products incubator at 1st Street and Whitney Avenue in our CBD. This is near both Olean Business Development Corp. and our Farmers’ Market. Entrepreneurs will be able to test market directly from the Community Kitchen which will also provide comfort facilities for Trailhead Park at Whitney Avenue and N. Union St., in the Center of Downtown. A $200,000 DRI investment will jump-start this $1 million catalytic project. Multiplex Theater at Olean Center Mall. Round I of the City’s DRI prioritized a multiplex theater on North Union Street at the entrance to the Olean Center Mall. Currently, the Olean area has just one cinema and it is old, in poor maintenance, and far from our downtown. A DRI investment of $500,000 for a modern multiplex, walkable to bars and restaurants will enliven our downtown during evenings and weekends and it will reinforce the Olean Center Mall as a regional shopping and entertainment destination. Handicap Accessibility Projects. The City has partnered with Directions in Independent Living (DIL) to provide technical assistance on several capital projects, including “Walkable Olean”. DIL has been in existence for 25 years and their mission is, “To create limitless opportunities for all people with disabilities”. We propose to fund a program to assist building owners to make handicap accessibility improvements in the Downtown Neighborhood because we feel that the secret to durable success is to make every element of our downtown easily accessible to, and inclusive of all persons.


Improvements could include door entrances, ramps, lifts, etc. The project development budget is $1 million with a $200,000 DRI component. Placemaking Projects that will Generate Activity and Improve Connectivity: South Union Street Walkable Olean Phase III. Plans to extend the “Walkable Olean Transformation Project” south to the Allegheny River include streetscape improvements, bike lanes, striping and intersection upgrades. South Union Street is partially owned by NYSDOT and it is the major corridor in the neighborhood occupied by Ried’s Food Barn and Four Mile Brewing. The project will improve property values and enhance connectivity to Allegheny River public access plus Olean neighborhoods south of the river. A DRI investment of just $100,000 will jump-start this roughly $2.8 million placemaking project. Franchot Park Master Plan. Located between the Allegheny River and the neighborhood of St. Mary’s Basilica, Franchot Park could be for Olean what Hamlin Park provides for East Aurora – a signature playground that is central to the neighborhood and easily accessible by children. Right now, Franchot Park has 9.5 acres including modern playground equipment, a wading pool and bathhouse, two picnic pavilions, baseball and softball fields plus access to the Allegheny River Valley Trail. There are scenic views of the River and hills south of Olean and our Master Plan calls for a fishing beach or boardwalk on the broad flats beyond the levy. This park is the main play area for the nearby low-income neighborhood but it lacks accessibility. Current entrances, on S. Union St. and 4th St. are car-friendly at the expense of bike-ability and walkability. The Master Plan will add a neighborhood gateway to Franchot Park at 2nd St. & Greene which will improve the attractiveness of the entire neighborhood. A $200,000 DRI investment will launch this $900,000 placemaking Master Plan. Lincoln Park Master Plan. Lincoln Park is Olean’s town square located across East State Street from the Municipal Building. This street was improved at North Union during Phase I of our Walkable Olean Project but at the eastern end of the Park, East State is still 72 feet wide and unsafe, especially for pedestrians and bicycles. This Master Plan includes a road diet for East State Street with the installation of ADA compliant crosswalks. Lincoln Park will also receive new park furniture to welcome pedestrians. This important traffic-calming, placemaking project calls for $100,000 of DRI support.


East State Street Road Diet. Olean rebuilt East State Street from the entrance of Bradner Stadium at Front Street all the way to the eastern City line. This project included a road diet and safer pedestrian facilities. Between Bradner Stadium and North Union in our CBD, East State Street remains too wide and unsafe. The Lincoln Park Master Plan will solve one block of this problem but we want to extend the road diet and traffic calming treatment to Bradner Stadium. Bradner Stadium is a local success story, having been renovated with an outpouring of community donations of both money and effort. Today it hosts two minor league teams and Olean High School Football. It is the second most popular Pony League baseball stadium in the State with average attendance approaching 1,000 per game. This has necessitated parking. An East State Street road diet will replace a broad signalized intersection at Front Street with a modern roundabout in order to improve pedestrian access to Bradner Stadium. The roundabout will make the left turn lane obsolete thus making on-street parking feasible. On-street parking will alleviate the need to expand a surface lot in War Vets Park and the presence of parked cars will also cause drivers to use caution on this long stretch of East State where people are tempted to speed. A $200,000 DRI investment will launch this traffic-calming project and extend the Walkable Olean transformation to our iconic downtown sports and recreation area. A Pedestrian Chicane Crossing from JCC to the Olean Center Mall. This will provide a safe route for students and residents near JCC to walk to the Olean Center Mall’s main entrance, cutting about half a mile off of the round trip. It’s a simple little project ($50,000 DRI Investment) but it would serve to reconnect the walkable street grid on the Barry Street axis, and it would help the Mall attract customers while making it easier to access shopping from the downtown neighborhoods south of the rail tracks. Trailhead Park. At the intersection of North Union and Whitney Avenue the Allegheny River Valley Trail meets the JCC college pathway system and then continues on to the East Olean Trail Network. This derelict and odd-shaped property will be improved with landscaping, park furniture, a kiosk bearing a trail map, and compact playground furniture. Adjoining the Community Kitchen, public restrooms will be provided. This is a key pocket park connecting our historic downtown to the transitional shopping district. A $50,000 DRI investment will enable this important public space.


Complete Reed Street. Reed Street is an important east-west residential street that crests Oak Hill between Olean’s High School and Intermediate Middle School. By completing Reed Street we will provide a safe route to school and improve pedestrian access from the Oak Hill neighborhood to the CBD. By adding on-street parking, we can relieve parking pressure in the residential neighborhood around the school. This is a $1 million project needing $200,000 of DRI support to launch.

Olean Creek Access Park at the Medical Campus. The proposed plan is to create a public space for walks and relaxation along Olean Creek across the street from Olean General Hospital. It will be used by employees, hospital visitors and neighborhood residents. The project development budget is approximately $150,000, of which about $50,000 would be from the DRI.

Wayne “Complete” Street. Wayne Street is a main arterial into our City from I-86 and it connects Olean’s most populated central neighborhoods with our CBD. It is also where you’ll find Siemens Dresser-Rand, our largest manufacturing employer, our Middle School, our YMCA, and the new $17 million Olean Gateway development in our former Brownfield. Follow Wayne Street to Constitution Avenue and you’ll be led right to the main entrance of St. Bonaventure University. This geography means that many visitors experience Olean for their first time on Wayne Street. This project will add and enhance sidewalks, add bike lanes, and bring green infrastructure landscaping to Wayne Street in order to make this a safe and inviting connecting corridor to our downtown. The project budget is $1 million where DRI funds would supply $200,000.


4) Recent or impending job growth. Describe how recent or impending job growth within, or in close

proximity to, the downtown will attract professionals to an active life in the downtown, support

redevelopment, and make growth sustainable in the long-term.

Major employers in the City include manufacturers, banks, professional services, health care, institutions of learning and government services. Below is a list of those employers and their proximity to our DRI neighborhood:

Employer Type Employees Proximity Olean General Hospital Healthcare 1,500 In DRI Siemens Dresser Rand Division Manufacturing 1,000 In DRI Cutco Manufacturing 750 1 mile Cattaraugus All. BOCES Education 600 > 1 mile Rehabilitation Center/Subcon Service/Manufac. 530 .10 mile St. Bonaventure University Education 500 3 miles Other Downtown Olean Retail & Services 500 In DRI Olean City Schools Education 350 In DRI Olean Center Mall Retail 250 In DRI Olean Wholesale Grocery Food Service 230 > 1 mile Community Bank Banking 195 In DRI Jamestown Community College Education 180 In DRI Olean City Hall Government Services 150 In DRI Olean Medical Group Healthcare 150 In DRI Walkable Employment Opportunities – Estimated Total ~7,000 1.5 miles

The Walkable Olean North Union Street Reconstruction Project transformed Olean’s downtown creating a surge of renewal. Below is a list of new businesses located on the North Union Street corridor (some expansions) showing prime examples of recent and projected job growth resulting from this transformative, pedestrian-friendly, placemaking project: Jamestown Community College (JCC) Manufacturing Technology Institute. This $6 million, 20,000 sq. ft. facility opened in 2016 to address the growing need for education and training in high-demand manufacturing technologies in Western New York. 10 FTEs were created as a result of this addition to the downtown campus. Olean Business Development. (OBD) In 2015, OBD purchased a 20,000 square foot vacant office building in downtown Olean, and invested over $1.5 million into the creation of a one-stop business development center and incubator, offering business startup assistance, advisement and mentoring, educational seminars, incubator space, and other related programming to expand the region’s entrepreneurial pipeline and small-business development. Union Tea Café is a new tenant in the OBD incubator building that offers 90 blends of traditional English high tea, a farm to table menu and full retail shop. The business employs 4 FTEs. Ravyn & Robyn Lounge. Owners of the business purchased a former downtown furniture store and repurposed the building into a restaurant serving traditional Italian cuisine with an expansive wine bar. This establishment has created 12 FTEs.


Union Whiskey. Through a combination of the growing craft spirits category, savvy marketing, the cocktail culture sweeping the nation’s nightlife scene, and the rise in interest from millennials and women, bourbon is one of the fastest-growing categories in the beverage alcohol world. Newly incorporated, this business is a unique whiskey/scotch bar and eatery that will open this summer and expects to create 12 FTEs. My Old Time Bakery is a charming old fashioned bakery bringing baked goods, breakfast and lunch items into a formerly vacant storefront. This bakery has 3 FTEs. Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. is one of NYS’s first nonprofit rural health care networks that strives to improve the health and wellness of the 3 rural communities they serve. The corporation recently purchased a large, long-time vacant downtown building and are currently undergoing $440,000 in renovations for their new headquarters. Since 2004, the health care provider has grown from seven full-time employees to 20 full-time employees at its two locations. Modern Pain Solutions (MPS). A local developer purchased two abandoned buildings and renovated one of these buildings which currently houses this business. MPS formerly staffed by remote workers, fills doctor prescriptions for various orthotic braces and sells pain creams. This new business has 2 full-time employees at the site. UpCycle is open for business servicing bicycles and selling new and used bicycles. They market and have available the full line of Jamis bicycles to serve the needs of our bikeable community. This retail and repair store has 4 FTEs. Lavender Lotus Yoga is a new wellness service located on the second story of a downtown restaurant facility. This relaxing studio offers various types of yoga and Reiki and subleases space to other wellness providers. This studio has one FTE. Boundless Connections. When the GOACC relocated to the new OBD building, Boundless Connections purchased the property and opened a technology and service center that employs IT professionals offering technology services for area businesses and startups. This business currently has 3 full time FTEs. Rick’s Golf World, serving golfers in the Southern Tier for over twenty years, relocating to the downtown during the first construction phase of the Walkable Olean Project. This premier retail store has expanded sales via additional golfing products. This business has 2 full-time employees. Parent Education Program’s (PEP) offers strength-based family supportive programs and projects addressing different needs, interests and goals parents and families may have. Utilizing NY Main Street monies, PEP updated the building’s façade and created 3 upper floor apartments to serve their low-moderate income clients. PEP currently employees 11 FTEs. The Paper Factory is a certified woman owned business that has expanded its operations and inventory that ranges from office and art supplies to party, wedding and gifts with printing and banner services. The Paper Factory has recently completed façade work, new canopies and interior renovations. This retail business currently employees 10 FTEs.


Talty’s Irish Pub is currently finishing a complete overhaul of the building that includes new siding, windows, outdoor patio and deck, bathrooms, flooring and reclaimed barn wood walls. The investment into this downtown staple building has been $120,000. Holiday Inn Express has completed a $2 million dollar renovation and rebranding campaign. This business currently employs 13 FTEs. Creekside Properties purchased two downtown properties that were marked as condemned and on the road to demolition. A developer from Miami, FL purchased these dilapidated eyesores, and, using NY Main Street monies leveraged with private investment, is currently stabilizing and restoring both structures to bring them back to their historic character. The owner is currently negotiating with potential retail tenants. Sunny Olean, LLC purchased two buildings from the Urban Renewal Agency near the intersection of Union and State Streets. Renovations are underway for upper floor market-rate apartments with ground floor retail and a café. Located within the National and State designated Historic District, investment will be $1.5 million and over a dozen full and part-time jobs are forecast. Olean’s Nutrition is the newest business to open on North Union Street and is located next to the site of our planned-for Downtown Incubator Kitchen. Olean’s Nutrition offers Herbalife products including shakes, teas and aloes. Their mission is to change people’s lives by providing the best nutrition and weight-management products. The company currently employs 2 FTEs. Two new businesses are proposed for the North Union Street corridor. A restaurant currently located in Ellicottville, NY, Villaggio is working with a downtown property owner to open a second location, offering a similar menu. A spacious new downtown meat market will be worth a visit.

Olean Gateway Project. The City’s Northwest Quadrant Revitalization Area, a 904 acre brownfield redevelopment area designated by the State as a Brownfield Opportunity Area. Construction is underway by Olean Gateway to build a $17 million off-highway commercial project visible from I-86 and featuring a four-story hotel as well as retail space. The potential to revitalize additional parcels in the BOA is promising.

Several of these projects referenced above leveraged private investment with the City’s revolving and façade loan programs, supporting and strengthening Olean’s downtown historic fabric.

5) Attractiveness of physical environment. Identify the properties or characteristics that the downtown

possesses that contribute, or could contribute if enhanced, to the attractiveness and livability of the

downtown for a diverse population of varying ages, income, gender identity, ability, mobility, and cultural

background. Consider, for example, the presence of developable mixed-use spaces, varied housing types at

different levels of affordability, walkability and bikeability, healthy and affordable food markets, and public

parks and gathering spaces.

Olean has a beautiful historic downtown with landmarks such as the Carnegie Library, the former Manufacturers’ Hanover Building, the Masonic Lodge and Community Bank Tower. Assets such as


Bradner Stadium where the sun sets over the outfield wall and the Nationally Registered Historic High School make Olean a classic, authentic American small city.

The City lies within a flat bowl surrounded by the Allegany Mountain foothills where Olean Creek falls into the Allegheny River. These natural assets yield beautiful vistas from every street and neighborhood. Outdoor recreation is steps away along the Allegheny River Valley Trail or at nearby Allegany State Park. Kayaking or tubing on Olean Creek and the Allegheny River was first popularized by St. Bonaventure students but now everybody does it.

In 2014 Olean was awarded a Federal TIGER grant to undertake a complete street makeover and restore the beauty of downtown with a traffic-calmed, pedestrian-scale main street. Construction of the “Walkable Olean North Union Street Restoration” is complete and the downtown is now a popular place for evening walkers and cyclists who have discovered the bike lanes. This was a part of downtown where previously, nobody walked unless they ran out of gas! Today it’s accessible to everyone and our goal is to make equality of accessibility a key point of attraction of Olean.

6) Quality of Life policies. Articulate the policies in place that increase the livability and quality of life of the

downtown. Examples include the use of local land banks, modern zoning codes, comprehensive plans,

complete streets plans, transit-oriented development, non-discrimination laws, age-friendly policies, and a

downtown management structure. If policies achieving this goal are not currently in place, describe the

ability of the municipality to create and implement such policies.

As stated above, Olean’s most recent revitalization efforts began with the introduction of Walkable Olean (www.walkableolean.org) and the implementation via the North Union Street Streetscape Project. This transformational project entailed traffic calming techniques to address many of the causes of blight and disinvestment by calming and civilizing the behavior of traffic as well as providing room for all of the other social and economic activities of the street.

Coinciding with this major streetscape project, the new Downtown Olean Form-Based Zoning Code (FBC) (www.cityofolean.org) was adopted in December 2015. A pilot project to enable the core of downtown Olean to develop with high intensity mixed-use development that supports livability, FBC has been used successfully for more than a year now to help us to: preserve and enhance the historic character of downtown Olean; allow for adaptive reuse of historic structures; and attain the economic, social and environmental benefits of a walkable downtown.

http://www.walkableolean.org/

http://www.cityofolean.org/


Simultaneously, businesses, community leaders and residents, acutely aware of the need to revitalize Olean’s downtown, funded the Olean Downtown Revitalization Initiative Study (www.cityofolean.org) dated June 2015. This study focuses on three key elements of a plan to revitalize Olean’s downtown and achieve the vibrancy the community envisions:

Demand for market rate housing intended to create an urban environment with “feet on the street” that will support the business sector

Targeted and strategically positioned properties for redevelopment Development of a successful business mix

The City of Olean Comprehensive Development Plan 2005-2025 (www.cityofolean.org) is committed to a revitalized central business district and enhancing the quality of life for citizens and visitors alike. Some of the goals highlighted in the plan that have been implemented include:

Encourage a pedestrian friendly atmosphere Increase the amount and types of cultural and nightlife activities Encourage downtown residential development Create and protect a distinctive appearance of the downtown Initiate a marketing and promotion program for downtown

In June 2011, the Cattaraugus County IDA adopted an Adaptive Reuse Policy (www.cattcoida.com/?Financial) as part of a downtown initiative to:

Incentivize and redevelop blighted sites and/or structures Promote infill development that utilizes existing public infrastructure Support the Framework for Regional Growth Plan Create new economic activity at difficult sites and buildings Promote green redevelopment strategies Help maintain neighborhood fabric and historic nature of area structure

This important economic development tool is helping to alleviate the present unique challenges to development of abandoned and deteriorating structures (commercial blight) in downtown that adversely impacts the economic viability of the neighborhoods and districts surrounding them. Complete Streets. Olean recognizes that streets are a vital part of livable, attractive communities. Through analysis of model policies in other communities, and lessons learned as a result of the construction of the East State Street “road diet”, citywide ADA compliant sidewalk projects and the completed Walkable Olean Streetscape Project, Olean’s Complete Streets Practice has continuously proven to be successful.

In April 2016, the City adopted an updated Fair Housing Plan to ensure that residents are aware of fair housing provisions under Federal and State law and of the processes and assistance available to obtain compliance with existing statutes.

Cattaraugus County Land Bank & City Blight Programs. The City is an important partner in the County’s new Land Bank Initiative. Along with Olean’s Blight Program these important tools will help



http://www.cattcoida.com/?Financial


us to return vacant, abandoned and tax foreclosed properties back to productive use. Blight efforts will focus on the downtown target area.

Tree City USA. The City of Olean has partnered with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation receiving Tree City USA designation for 30 consecutive years. In addition to providing shade, cleaning the air, and reducing storm water runoff, trees increase our quality of life by bringing natural elements and wildlife habitats into urban settings. Northwest Quadrant Revitalization Plan. The north and east portions of the DRI target area are included in a State-designated Brownfield Opportunity Area. Olean’s Northwest Quadrant Revitalization Plan and its community vision align closely with our DRI. “Recognizing the best way to retain and attract the employment base necessary to support the regional economy is to first provide a place where people want to live.” Goals include encouraging sustainable infill development, investing in public improvements such as streetscape enhancements, trails and other public amenities as they contribute to the overall quality of life, and infusing new, desirable housing types back into neighborhoods. Allegheny River Public Access & Recreation Plan. Olean is working with its partners to develop a multi-use recreational trail system along the Allegheny River. The project involves exploring opportunities to improve waterfront access, promote the underutilized river corridor, and attract recreational –based businesses to strengthen the local economy.

New Policies

Future Extension of Form Based Code (FBC). Feeding off the success of the FBC recently implemented in the downtown business district, the City will explore the feasibility of expanding FBC to the remaining areas of the City. More work needs to be accomplished to continue Olean’s efforts to increase the quality of life for its citizens and foster development of a vibrant downtown.

Bike Friendly Policy. Investing in bicycling is key to building the places that people want to live, work and visit. Several of our capital infrastructure projects, including two projects funded under the 2016 CFA and NYS TAP programs (both part of our Round I DRI), feature installing bicycle lanes that will connect neighborhoods north of downtown with the City’s Central Business District. Our infrastructure projects proposed in this DRI application and future publicly funded projects will also incorporate pro-bicycling policies.

Fighting Blight with Aggressive Code Enforcement. As in other rustbelt communities in the northeast, Olean has long recognized the need to address blight which adversely affects our neighborhoods. City officials are pursuing legislation that would require inspections and a certificate of occupancy for all rental properties in the City.

7) Support for the local vision. Describe the public participation and engagement process conducted to

support the DRI application, and the support of local leaders and stakeholders for pursuing a vision of

downtown revitalization. Describe the commitment among local leaders and stakeholders to preparing and

implementing a strategic investment plan. Identify an initial local lead for the program that will work with

outside experts to convene a local DRI Planning Committee to oversee the plan.


The development of this DRI application was guided and informed by a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the following City elected leaders and staff, JCC SUNY Executives & students, Olean Business Development Corporation and its Young Professionals Group, the CEO Executive Alliance, the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and various non-profit and community activist groups.

The local lead agency for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative will be the City of Olean (headed by Mayor Aiello) and its Olean Area Executive Alliance partner. Should the City of Olean be selected as the WNY DRI community, planners from the State and private sector will be engaged with the below-referenced DRI Planning Committee to launch the DRI Planning Initiative. It is anticipated that this Committee may be revised and updated following DRI nomination and input from New York State. William Aiello Mayor, City of Olean Crystal Abers Catt. County Economic Development, Planning & Tourism Jeff Alevy CEO, Olean-Bradford Area YMCA Tom Barnes Southern Tier West Regional Planning & Development Board Jeff Belt President of SolEpoxy Don Benson President, Benson Construction Vicki Blessing Vice Pres., Park Centre Dev. - downtown real property owner Laurie Branch President, Iroquois Group - downtown business owner Tom Buttafaro Director, Operations, St. Bonaventure University Tony Capito Resident Fred Eade Landlord, Resident & Olean Homeownership Committee Member Brian Eddy Director, Sales & Marketing, Cattaraugus ReHabilitation Center Karen Fohl Vice Pres., Olean General/Upper Allegheny Health Systems Sondra Fox H & R Block - downtown business owner Mary George Program Coordinator, City of Olean Community Development Dr. Theodore Georgian St. Bonaventure University Brittany Jones Owner, Brittany’s Country Store - downtown merchant Keri Kerper Sr. Acct. Clerk Steno., City of Olean Community Development Travis Martin Industrial Director, Elantas Martin Maynard Owner, Ask Design Jewelers - downtown merchant Kylie McLaughlin General Manager/Manager of Compliance, WNY & PA Railroad Chris Napoleon President & Chief Engineer, Napoleon Engineering Services John Sayegh VP/Dean, Cattaraugus Campus Jamestown Community College Phil Smith City of Olean Planning Board Larry Sorokes CEO, OBDC (Business Incubator)/GOACC John Stahley General Manager, Siemens Dresser-Rand Chad Staniszewski Environmental Division, New York State DEC James Stitt, Sr. CEO, Cutco Corporation Dr. Kevin Watkins Public Health Director, Cattaraugus County Health Department Ken Magara Programs Manager, Rural Revitalization Corporation Crystal Wiech Sales Engineer, Scott Rotary Seals Corey Wiktor Executive Director, Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency Tom Windus Public Works Director, City of Olean DPW Eric Wohlers Environmental Health Director, Catt. County Dept. of Health Dennis Wright Owner, Wright Home Realty - local realtor


There is an extraordinary level of community commitment for the City of Olean’s application for the DRI as evidenced by the letters received supporting this endeavor (attached), input by our community leaders, and comments expressed by residents at a recent Community Participation meeting.

8) Readiness: Describe opportunities to build on the strengths described above, including a range of

transformative projects that will be ready for implementation with an infusion of DRI funds within the first

one to two years (depending on the scope and complexity of the project) and which may leverage DRI

funding with private investment or other funds. Such projects could address economic development,

transportation, housing, and community development needs. While such projects should have

demonstrated public support, it is recognized that projects will ultimately be vetted by the Local Planning

Committee and the State. Explain how the majority of projects proposed for DRI funding demonstrate their

readiness for implementation.

Because of Olean’s proactive approach to new economic principles, much of the DRI target area’s infrastructure, zoning and other requirements are already in place to implement the catalytic projects that we wish to accelerate through the DRI. This list captures the budgetary implications. We look forward to undertaking the formal DRI planning process in order to fine-tune, prioritize and launch the DRI.

State DRI Total Leverage

Manny Hanny Boutique

Hotel

Convert the Manny Hanny to a Boutique

Hotel with ~ 15 permanent new jobs

$ 1,500,000 $ 9,000,000 5.0

Historic Preservation

Adaptive Reuse

Convert a major iconic historic

downtown building to upper floor

Market Rate Apartments.

$ 1,500,000 $ 9,000,000 5.0

Library & Museum at

Historic Carnegie Library

Acquire, restore and add-on to the

original historic Carnegie Library for a

library and children's interactive

museum.

$ 1,000,000 $ 5,000,000 4.0

Worker Housing in-fill at

Main & Barry

Multi-unit residential and row houses --

affordable & market between Hospital

and retail.

$ 1,000,000 $ 9,000,000 8.0

NYS Mainstreet Grant for

the Downtown Historic

District

Façade improvements & historic

building capital maintenance -- we'd

like 2 x 500k

$ 1,000,000 $ 8,000,000 7.0

$ 6,000,000 $ 40,000,000 5.7

Infill, Preservation & Adaptive Reuse

Subtotal for Buildings - Adaptive Reuse & Infill


Business Expansion State DRI Total Leverage

Supermarket Café -- 2

Locations

On both ends of downtown we have

grocery stores, both with active deli

operations. This investment would

enable both of them to add a patio

market café. They will activate the

streetside facades and improve

business with ~ 12 more FTEs.

$ 800,000 $ 2,000,000 1.5

4-Mile Brewing Company

Expansion

Activate the old brewing house for

brewing, canning & upper floor loft

apartments ~ 12 FTEs

$ 1,000,000 $ 4,000,000 3.0

Downtown Brew Pub A traditional brew pub in an historic

downtown building on North Union

Street ~ 8 FTEs

$ 300,000 $ 1,300,000 3.3

Student and Affordable

Housing to support the

growth and success of JCC

Along Olean Creek midway between JCC

and the WO Smith Rec Center. This will

also stimulate the eastern downtown

residential neighborhood.

$ 500,000 $ 6,600,000 12.2

Cutco Theatre

Improvements, Marquee

and Trellis Walkway

Feature JCC's Cutco Theatre; with a

walkable connection to N. Union,

making this the premier downtown

showhouse

$ 150,000 $ 750,000 4.0

Community Kitchen & Food

Business Incubator

Kitchen and restaurant facilities for

short-term rent, including public

restroom facilities at the edge of

Trailhead Park on 1st St. Operated by

Olean Business Development as an

incubator.

$ 200,000 $ 1,000,000 4.0

Multiplex Cinema At the Olean Center Mall Entrance on N.

Union St. this will be a major attraction

to downtown restaurants and shopping

and generate direct jobs.

$ 500,000 $ 2,500,000 4.0

At least 10 Handicap

Accessibility Projects

Work w/ Directions for Independent

Living to subsidize building owners in

downtown to achieve ADA compliance.

Make Olean's downtown "most

accessible".

$ 200,000 $ 1,200,000 5.0

$ 3,650,000 $ 19,350,000 4.3Subtotal for Business Expansion


Placemaking State DRI Total Leverage

S. Union St. curbing,

striping, crosswalks for

walkability & bikeability

Streetscape improvements, striping &

intersection design by NYSDOT & City.

$ 100,000 $ 2,800,000 27.0

Franchot Park Master Plan 2nd St & Greene Gateway + S. Union

Gateway w/ trail crosswalk; Boardwalk

to Fishing beach, Cap Imprvmnts to

Fields, Playground & Wading Pool. Key

point of water access to Allegheny &

underserved neighborhood park.

$ 200,000 $ 900,000 3.5

Lincoln Park Master Plan E. State road diet & safe crosswalks; park

& park furniture improvements in our

"town square".

$ 100,000 $ 500,000 4.0

East State Street Road Diet On-street parking for Bradner Stadium,

replace W. State & Front St. Signal with

roundabout; add on-street parking for

stadium & arena.

$ 200,000 $ 1,000,000 4.0

Pedestrian chicane

crossing: JCC & Olean

Center Mall

Along the Barry St. Axis to the Mall

Entrance -- improves walkability to the

Mall

$ 50,000 $ 200,000 3.0

Trailhead Park At North Union & Whitney Avenue

where the Allegheny River Valley Trail

crosses to the JCC and East Olean trail

system.

$ 50,000 $ 250,000 4.0

Complete Reed Street Construct Reed St. from 1st to 3rd w/

sidewalks & on-street parking. Relieves

parking at OHS & better connects the

schools to Dwntwn & JCC. OHS would

contribute funds for streetscape &

improvements to existing Reed St.

behind HS.

$ 200,000 $ 1,000,000 4.0

Olean Creek Park -- water

access

Create a public space for waterfront

walks and relaxation near the Hospital

and where we currently have scrub and

brush.

$ 50,000 $ 100,000 1.0

Wayne "Complete" Street Add sidewalks, stripe and landscape

Wayne St. in order to connect Olean

Gateway w/ Dwntwn, St. Bonaventure

w/ Dwntwn & make it easier for Dresser-

Rand employees to walk to work.

$ 200,000 $ 1,000,000 4.0

$ 1,150,000 $ 7,750,000 5.7

$ 10,800,000 $ 67,100,000 5.2

Subtotal for Placemaking

Grand total


9) Administrative Capacity. Describe the extent of the existing local administrative capacity to manage this

initiative, including potential oversight of concurrent contracts.

The City of Olean’s Department of Community Development (CD) is led by Program Coordinator Mary George who has 33 years’ experience with managing and overseeing the City’s community planning and economic development projects and programs. Ms. George also serves as the City’s M/WBE, EEO and Wage Rate Officer. Keri Kerper, Sr. Account Clerk Stenographer has 14 years’ experience in the CD Department. She assists Ms. George with writing, developing and submitting grant applications and also monitors programs and projects for compliance with Federal, State and local policies and regulations. The department also utilizes the consulting services of H. Sicherman/The Harrison Studio. In the last five years, the City of Olean has overseen projects and programs ranging in scope and purpose that demonstrate the organizational ability and experience required to implement the DRI, including:

$6.5 million in Federal TIGER Grant for Walkable Olean $990,000 EFC Green Infrastructure Grant Program $1,290,000 in CDBG & OCR Programs $850,000 yearly NYSDOT Section 5311 Public Transportation System funding $541,913 NYSDOT TAP $535,516 NYSDOT TEP $1,200,000 ESD $1,500,000 RESTORE NY $100,000 LISC $500,000 OPRHP $3,750,000 FAA $44,600 Market NY

$17,802,029 The City of Olean will partner with the Olean Area Executive Alliance, a network of executive leaders from the area’s largest employers, who support the Olean Business Development (OBD) Corporation. Founded by local employers, investors and various agencies, OBD is led by a dynamic board of directors and administrative team. OBD serves as a conduit between the City and private-sector businesses, and it supports City initiatives that improve the local business climate and quality-of-life. Since its inception in 2014, OBD has administered a $400,000 ESD grant which helped fund the downtown Incubator building, a $300,000 NY Main Street grant, a $100,000 energy grant from National Grid, multiple awards totaling $400,000 from the Cutco Foundation and an $800,000 grant from the Cattaraugus Community Foundation. OBD and the City of Olean team have a strong and synergetic relationship with a common mission and commitment to a sustainable downtown, which is critical to advancing the successful redevelopment and renewal of Olean.

10) Other. Provide any other information that informed the nomination of this downtown for a DRI award.

Olean was one of the first communities to embrace the WNY REDC Strategy for Prosperity. “We have implemented transformational projects for Smartgrowth, Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development and these projects are clustered in our downtown because we knew that downtown revitalization is a necessary component of any successful economic development strategy”.


A $10 million award for Downtown Revitalization would complete the Olean renaissance. These catalytic projects will turn-around our Downtown Neighborhood that is perched upon the cusp. We are moving forward but there are areas that continue to slide backward. Like pulling a plow through a wet field, we need to accelerate now or we risk losing momentum. Olean has demonstrated the capacity to deliver projects that even some of us thought impossible. Most dramatically, consider that our entire downtown streetscape was dug-up and replaced during two frantic summers of construction. Businesses hung-on and survived. Now businesses old and new are reinvesting and beginning to thrive. Olean people see their projects through and Olean will deliver a successful DRI as a victory for our community and as a role model for other hard-pressed small cities like us. We recognize that Olean is not the largest community vying for this $10 million award but we believe that Olean can achieve the greatest and most sustainable economic development result. Our projects are thoughtful, fine-grain, inclusive of all members of our community and specifically calibrated to help those who need opportunity the most. We believe that if awarded this DRI prize, we will demonstrate the wisdom of holistic and inclusive planning for economic development, just as the Regional Councils were intended to do.


Documents

Application Template - Government of New YorkNine (9) projects characterized as Placemaking will enhance the connectedness of the downtown neighborhood and the value of properties,