The strategic focus of the Gebbie Foundation is to revitalize downtown Jamestown, New York through investments in community and economic development initiatives. To guide decision-making, the Foundation works collaboratively with public and private partners and primarily refers to the Jamestown Urban Design Plan as a guide to prioritize investments.

Construction of the $21 million Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena in 1991 led revitalization efforts in the west-end of the city. As a result, Best Western Hotels built a new $3 million facility and a public-private partnership erected a $7.25 million professional office building adjacent to the Arena. Concurrently the Foundation invested in building façade restorations. The program met with great success and resulted in the renovation of over 30 downtown building facades.

Private developers took notice. The Wellman Apartments, completed in July 2012, was a $7.4 million restoration of two vacant buildings and resulted in 44 market-rate apartments available in the downtown. Most recently, the city celebrated the ribbon-cutting for the Gateway Station, a $14 million restoration project of the historic Erie-Lackawanna Railroad Station.

A Renaissance is underway in Jamestown.