No work is taking place right now where a future CHQ Transit Hub was scheduled to be constructed. P-J photo by Gregory Bacon

On East Third Street is a small plexiglass building where public transportation riders sit to get out of the rain while waiting for the bus.

There was supposed to be a new building there, but after spending nearly a half a million dollars, county officials are back to square one.

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 using state funds.

County officials had planned on remodeling the building, but apparently it was in too poor condition and last year the county tore it down.

The county purchased the property for $158,256 and spent another $44,400 on designs.

It then started remodeling the building before the decision was made that it was going to be too costly.

By the time the county made the decision to stop remodeling, it had spent $212,708.

The county shifted gears and looked into designing a new building. Those design costs topped $74,000.

Combining the original purchase price, first construction, and new building design, the county has spent $489,597.

So far the county has collected more than $1 million to go toward a new building.

It received $765,612 from the Accelerated Transit Capital Grant, which is administered by the state Department of Transportation. The county used $100,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act funds for a new building there. That money was provided to the county from the federal government following the COVID-19 pandemic. The county also used $155,258 of its own budget.

Those amounts total $1,020,870. The county currently has around $533,000 left.

During the Public Facilities Committee meeting, DPF Director Tim Card said the bids for a new building came in at $813,000.

Because the bids were well over budget, Card said they’re exploring other options, including placing a prefabricated building there.

Card said there may be more state grant funds available for the Jamestown CHQ Transportation Hub. They’re applying for a $250,000 grant. He feels confident they will get at least $125,000, but he’s not sure about the full $250,000.