Latest Ballpark Village News - Part I

Though nothing has been signed, properties have yet to be acquired and shovels have yet to hit the dirt, this latest news article is positive news.  Unless of course you don't think this is a good development for Dayton and/or you don't think the region can support yet another restaurant/retail/condo development.  I have some mixed feelings about it myself - afterall, I am pro-local business.  The last thing I would want to see is another Greene to come in and put all of our local restaurants in Downtown/Oregon District/Webster Station out of business.  But that doesn't necessarily have to happen; if the right decisions are made by both the developers and decision makers, Ballpark Village could mean an even larger customer base for our existing businesses.  And that is the scenario I choose to believe in.

Mandalay and Bear Creek Capital don't seem to be dummies, and I doubt they haven't missed the fact that yes - The Greene just opened a few miles away and is already attracting a large number of people.  So it isn't likely they will bring the same exact restaurants and shops to Ballpark Village, nor is it likely that any of those retail and restaurant companies would choose to open additional stores in an already over-saturated market.  So that would mean that this would be something totally different from what you find at the Greene. The question is:  what will you find at the new Ballpark Village?  And what will it mean for the city's existing restaurants, bars, and few remaining retail stores?  In the Part II of this post, I will show you what these developers have done in other cities as well as what kinds of businesses I think you'll find at Ballpark Village.  In the mean time, let us know what you think...

Link: Ballpark Village could be ready for shoppers in '09.
By Joanne Huist Smith
Dayton Daily News

If all plans come together, customers could begin shopping in June 2009 at new retail stores where a public housing project now stands. A first wave of development — offices, restaurants and shops — also could open to the public that same summer at Ballpark Village, a proposed downtown waterfront development.

Comments

[Jeff]

Bear Creek is working on a big suburban strip center with outlot pads, east of Wilmington Pike and north of Feedwire/Whipp.

So it's interesting that they are doing this plan, too, right in town.

[Bill Pote]

Jeff - yes, it is very interesting that they are involved with both developments. Perhaps they know that only one will pan out so either way they have something. And whereas Ballpark Village has promise to be something completely different than what already exists in the burbs, the Feedwire development is most likely more of the same. I am very surprised that there is still so much interest in developing that land, especially with such a major project ($300 million?). I doubt there is anybody that wants that development besides the developers...

[metromark]

I'm not of the adage, "If you build it, they will come." That may have worked in "Field of Dreams," but business looks at numbers. If the people are there, retail will follow. Obviously, Mandalay and Bear Creek see critical mass building downtown and perhaps they intend to add to it. The housing mini-boom probably has something to do with the need for services, but the people living downtown still aren't at critical mass. The Dragons have done an impressive job bringing people downtown, but that's limited to the summer. We have great venues for the creative arts and theater; but again, not enough yet to bring critical mass. We need a 365/24/7 attraction or set of attractions to make it worthwhile for people to make downtown a destination, and we don't have that yet. Perhaps Mandalay has something in mind, like an aquarium or sports/entertainment/convention/hotel complex similar to what's been done in Chatanooga. Perhaps another attraction would be an exploratorium much like COSI, but with a Dayton flavor, commemorating the inventions, innovation, and creativity this region had and still has. Where to put it? How about one of the old DELCO buildings owned by Sandy Mendelson? Once people have a reason to come downtown the year round, there will be retail to support them.

[Phillip Ranly]

I fully agree special attractions could be a nice addition to downtown but getting more businesses and particularly more residents should be our bread and butter.

[Bill Pote]

Phillip - I agree with you that we need more business and residential. As a downtown resident, I can tell you that we now need more amenities down here before we can attract a higher number of residents. As for businesses, hopefully that first Tech Town building will be starting to get built soon, and an announcement that Ballpark Village has the green light will attract even more businesses with high-paying jobs. The whole Business-Resident-Amenity thing is very a interdependant balancing act and we have to have each segment growing in synch with one another. I believe this is going to be a great year in Dayton, and perhaps we'll be successful in bringing people like you back here from Cinci!

[DM]

Link: Ballpark Village could be ready for shoppers in '09.
By Joanne Huist Smith
Dayton Daily News

"If all plans come together, customers could begin shopping in June 2009 at new retail stores where a public housing project now stands. A first wave of development — offices, restaurants and shops — also could open to the public that same summer at Ballpark Village, a proposed downtown waterfront development."

The "Public Housing" site is going to stay. As a matter of fact, the latest agreement is that it will not only stay, but become a new home for the "chronically homeless" population in Dayton, much to the surprise of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The "chronically homeless" population consists primarily of single men with alcohol and or drug related problems.
Seems like a great mix ....retail, upscale housing and the homeless.

[Bill Pote]

DM - Parkside Homes are definitely getting demolished, with or without Ballpark Village. That hasn't changed. Yes, the city and county have a plan to create permanent housing for the chronic homeless that will be near the old Parkside Homes (and proposed new "big-box" retail site), but that is not very close to the residential and entertainment portions of the proposed Ballpark Village project.

As for the homeless housing coming "much to the surprise of the surrounding neighborhoods" - I would suggest those who are concerned contact residents of South Park, who have a lot of experience with living close to homeless shelters. It should be noted that despite the high concentration of homeless shelters nearby, South Park is one of the most prolific and active neighborhoods in the city these days. Yes, it is unfortunate that the rest of the region chooses to keep letting Dayton deal with the homeless problem alone, but I'd rather be somebody that deals with the problem than somebody that simply chooses to live far away from the problem and pretend it doesn't exist. I happen to live in so-called "upscale" housing across the street from Cooper Park - where you will often see homeless people (though not nearly as much these days as more people are using the park). While it bothers me that people are homeless in this day and age in the richest country in the world, it is not something that bothers me from a personal quality-of-life standpoint. It comes with living in an urban setting...