Car Dealership Owner Pulls Plan to Expand Business Near Chadakoin Park

JAMESTOWN – The Dave Warren Autogroup has decided to withdraw its plan to purchase a recently abandoned street in order to expand his Washington St. Business.

Jamestown City Councilman Rev. Alfonso Pagan announced Monday during the council’s monthly voting session that Warren will not be expanding his Washington St. business by way of using a portion of Lafayette St. the decision comes after numerous north side resident voiced their concern over the expansion, saying it would encroach on their use of Chadakoin Park and create a possible public safety issue by limiting access to the park.

City development director Vince DeJoys says that while Warren will not be expanding his business onto the abandoned section of Lafayette St – which is between 10^th and 11^th streets and runs parallel with Washington St – the dealership owner will be looking at other options for expansion..

“He is looking for other alternatives,” DeJoy said. “He sent an email that basically outlines his position – basically that out of respect for the concerns expressed by the neighborhood that he’s withdrawing [the plan]. He will eventually find another way of expanding his operation.”

DeJoy added that his department will continue to work with Warren to help identify other possible options for his expansion effort.

More than two dozen residents – primarily from the north side – attended both the January and February city council meetings to voice their concern over the expansion project. Councilman Pagan was working on holding a public meeting with the residents to provide more details on the expansion plan and that meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday. But now that the plan has been scrapped, the meeting has been cancelled.

Jamestown City Council President Greg Rabb said that the decision to withdraw the expansion plan was a good example of community-in-action.

“I think he heard loud and clear from the community, as did we, that they didn’t want him to do it. That they would hope that he would stay and expand his business, but that he would find another way to do it,” Rabb said. “I think it’s good for everybody involved. I think that Mr. Warren will hopefully still invest in the city and the neighbors will still have access to the park. I like that fact that all those folks came out two meetings in a row and talked to us to tell us what to do, and I think we all listened.”