the Forum, located at the northwest corner of Second and Main Streets in Downtown Jamestown (Image courtesy of Google Street View).
JAMESTOWN – A downtown landmark that’s served as the location for a technology and science incubator the past few years could soon be entering the food and hospitality sector.
Earlier this month Galactic Systems LLC sent out a media release saying that the The Forum – located at the former Marine Midland Bank at the northwest corner of Main and Second Streets – is expanding its business plan to include a restaurant.
The current mission of the Forum is to offer the community a creativity-focused facility that not only is an outlet for the company’s own aerospace ambitions, but also provides opportunities for local artists and entrepreneurs.
Galactic Systems CEO Conor McGibboney says the facility currently provides the Creative Business services that are aligned with a downtown business plan commissioned by the Gebbie Foundation with an art gallery, broadcasting and media studios, crafting facilities for entrepreneurs, data processing workspaces, and software design services.
McGibboney said a 2015 study commissioned by Gebbie and conducted by AECOM suggests that downtown Jamestown needs more specialty restaurants. As a result, he’s been approached by local development officials about the prospect of turning The Forum into a brewpub, bar, or restaurant and has decided to start the process to transform part of the lobby into a restaurant.
McGibboney said that Galactic Systems will not be managing the restaurant directly and will be working with Premier Listings Real Estate of Jamestown to find a tenant for the new restaurant.
He said there is no timeline for opening a restaurant, but added he would like to have a tenant in place and ready to open the business by the time the National Comedy Center opens.
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