6) Land Use Trends and Needs

Another factor in the eventual reuse of the Peter Cooper Gowanda site will be the supply and demand for property in the Village. The Village of Gowanda is basically at “build-out” condition, meaning that there is little property in the Village that is not in current use, or that has not been put to use at one time. New development, therefore, is most likely to occur on sites that have been previously used. Some of the land use trends and needs in the Village noted during the course of this project include the following.

Industrial Land Use - The 1999 Master Plan found little, if any, opportunity for industrial facilities to locate within the Village, noting that:

•  “The reality is that the Collins-Gowanda area is extremely low in usable industrial zoned land.  Serviceable land for industrial development in the Village is approximately 4-10 acres: and of that amount, neighboring residential uses could be limiting the assembly of land for industrial purposes. … Unless changes are made, the lack of serviceable and available industrial land will continue to be a major deterrent for attraction and growth of new or existing companies.”

Residential Land Use - It is clear that the value of homes in Gowanda is lagging behind other municipalities in the region.  For example, in 1990 the median value of owner occupied units in Gowanda was above the median value in Cattaraugus County as a whole by approximately 6.5%.  Ten years later in 2000 the median value in the Village was 11% below the countywide median value. Examined another way, in 1990 the median value of owner occupied units in Gowanda was 17^th highest among 50 municipalities in Cattaraugus County. By the year 2000, the median value in Gowanda has slipped to 29^th among other municipalities in the county. (The same inequity appears between the Village and some of its Erie County neighbors also.)

Commercial Land Use - The 2001 Downtown Revitalization Study found little demand currently in the general commercial land use market, however, among the study’s recommendations are:

• “A successful maintenance and strengthening of the Village’s commercial activity, combined with a growth in tourism, appears to offer the best opportunity for future growth.

• “Promoting the development of additional lodging facilities in Gowanda to support the overall tourism development effort.”

Recreational Land Use - The 1999 Master Plan identified only 14.55 acres of the Village being used for recreational purposes. At a Public Forum of the 2001 Downtown Revitalization Study, the need for additional recreational opportunities was described as follows.

•  “Recreational opportunities, however, were seen as critically limited. Several Forum participants commented on the lack of both indoor and outdoor facilities for soccer, basketball, skating, tennis, etc.  As a community which views itself as a regional hub and bedroom community, this represents a serious gap which could negatively impact commercial and residential growth, property values, and quality of life.”

A recent survey of recreational facilities in the Village by project personnel confirmed that Gowanda has several well-planned and maintained parks and sport facilities, however, there are a number of popular recreational activities that cannot be accommodated, such as skating (summer or winter); swimming; and any type of field sports (softball, soccer) if not school related.

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