As we had posted a while back, the Dayton Canoe Club has been around for almost a century and had been trying to gain historic status - well finally they got their wish! Now we just need to get more people aware of this Dayton institution... (read about some of the cool things happening on the river here - all right here in Dayton!)
Link: City gives Dayton Canoe Club building key status.
DAYTON — The two-story building seems to emerge naturally from the banks of the Great Miami River.
The Dayton Canoe Club building, part of the city's riverscape for nearly 100 years, gained protective status as a local landmark from the Dayton City Commission on Wednesday.
"I can see the Canoe Club from my house. It's a wonderful thing for my Riverdale neighborhood," Clyde Collins said.
Details are still sketchy, but DMM has learned that there are plans in the works to transform 5th Street in the OD into a true Arts District. We will be talking to those who are behind this venture very soon and will hopefully be able to fill you all in on the details. You heard it here first...
 Here is some promising news and proof that there is indeed demand for more luxury downtown condos. And this announcement has nothing to do with Ballpark Village - the project is to be located near the Dayton Art Institute - an area that I've always felt is ripe for investment. It is also nice to see that this project is being proposed by a Pinnacle Architects = a local firm whose offices are in downtown at St. Clair and First Street. Yes, there are companies that believe in Downtown and continue to invest here, despite what is typically printed in the local news media.
Dayton Daily News
By Joanne Huist Smith
Monday, November 19, 2007
Link: Firm seeks to build luxury condos downtown.
DAYTON— A local architectural firm wants to build a luxury condominium tower that takes advantage of Dayton's great river views. Dayton-based Pinnacle Architects met with the land use committee of the Fair River Oaks Council Priority Board Monday evening asking for their positive nod for three zoning variances for construction of a 15-story condominium tower at 15 Central Avenue overlooking the Great Miami River.
The residential tower would have 124 units with a design that compliments other architecturally significant institutions in the area, including the Dayton Art Institute and the Masonic Temple.
Historic South Park, Inc. & Jazz Advocate are excited to announce the upcoming collaborative one-day 1st annual Historic South Park Jazz Festival. The FREE event will take place in the Historic South Park neighborhood on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th from NOON until 9pm. This inaugural edition is a Celebration of LOCAL musicians, featuring six Dayton-area ensembles. The line-up includes Razzamatazz & Jazz, The Mario Abney Quintet, The Jazz Central Band, The Archie McPherson Sextet, Rick Evans & The Masters of Jazz and, wrapping up the schedule, Deron Bell & the Jazz for You Band.
 
The organizers are planning the event to have a 'block-party' atmosphere, as it will take place in the gazebo on Park Drive, in Dayton's Historic South Park Neighborhood, on the west side of Wayne Avenue, one block North of Wyoming Street. The festival will be surrounded by the renovated historic homes overlooking the boulevard.
Free parking is available at Hope Lutheran Church and Emerson Academy on Hickory Street. In case of rain, the event WILL NOT BE CANCELED, but rather will be moved to the Emerson Academy Auditorium, 500 Hickory Street. Maps & information are available online at www.jazzadvocate.com or www.historicsouthpark.org, or you may call (937) 648-0627 with questions.
Festival-goers are asked to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Food & beverages will be available, thanks to such vendors as the Pizza Factory, Roscoe Ribs & Heidelberg Distributing (Michelob). This event is free, thanks to corporate sponsorships from Krogers, Chase Bank, Culture Works, City of Dayton, Miami Valley Hospital & Heidelberg Distributing Company. Additional support is from Dayton City Paper, The 88 Club, Jazz Central, Pam Miller Howard RE/MAX Resources, DMA Local 101-473, The Kent Group, Pizza Factory & South Park Tavern.
It has just been announced that the owners of the Fairway Inn Restaurant at Kitty Hawk Golf Course have plans to reopen the Breakfast Club - the very popular breakfast joint on South Main just south of Downtown Dayton. According to WDTN, the new owners plan to keep things close to the same, with some added signature items. Unfortunately because the previous owners still own the name (and another restaurant by the same name in Lebanon), this downtown staple will have a new name. Don't worry, Tanks - we won't be replacing you as our favorite spot for Sunday breakfast - there is room for more than one!
 Here is some good news for the Old North Dayton community and historic preservation folks who would like to see the Duncarrick Mansion be brought back to its original glory... not to mention a huge win for the Dayton Corps of the Salvation Army - who will be receiving about $66 million from the Ray & Joan Kroc foundation to build a new community center and completely rehab this spectacular piece of Dayton's architectural history.
Dayton Daily News
By Margo Rutledge Kissell
Link: Salvation Army nears $7.5 million goal for community center.
The Dayton Corps of the Salvation Army is trying to raise the final $200,000 in its $7.5 million fundraising campaign for a Kroc Community Center.
...Duperree said an Oct. 7 ground-breaking ceremony has been set and the campus is slated to open in May 2009.
The center will have a strong educational component including an early childhood center and a technology cafe. It also will feature a worship center, food pantry, movie theater, dance studio, piano lab, athletic fields and banquet center. It will be open to everyone and no membership will be charged, Duperree said.
UPDATE: Jerry Bowling from the McCook Field neighborhood contacted us to let us know that the Kroc Community Center is in fact in the McCook Field neighborhood, not Old North Dayton. Sorry for the mixup (I was close but no cigar!)
 If you haven't had a chance to see the local documentary "Oregon Stories", you'll have a chance to see it at home tonight (8/2/2007) on ThinkTV Channel 16 at 8pm. This inspirational story about the history of Dayton's first historic district shows what it looked like in the late 1800's when it was first built, the steady decline in the first half of the 1900's, and finally the revival of this unique neighborhood from a desolate no-man's land (that came close to being bulldozed) to a charming and eclectic urban neighborhood that stands today. Even if you have heard stories about the enormous work that was put into saving this neighborhood by the city's first "urban pioneers", you will still be shocked when you see exactly how enormous the challenge was.
As a new "urban pioneer" (will they still be calling us that 30 years from now?), I was reminded by this film of the value that a true community brings. And at least for me, it is that feeling of community that I find the most appealing about living in an urban neighborhood. Check out the film tonight if you can, and if not then be sure to visit Gem City Records and pick up the DVD.
Many if not most people in the Dayton region consider the Oregon District as part of Downtown Dayton. Those of us that live downtown know that the OD and CBD (Central Business District) are actually two separate districts. Not to mention that if you are at a Dragons game, Canal Street Tavern show or Cannery Art Gallery event - you are in yet another district - Webster Station. While I believe these three distinct neighborhoods deserve their own identities, I along with many others have often wondered why these three downtown districts (along with Wright Dunbar, Grafton Hill and McPherson Town) aren't marketed together. One main reason: the downtown S.I.D., or Special Improvement District, and the boundaries that have dictated who pays the S.I.D. tax and gets included in the overall marketing that is provided by the Downtown Dayton Partnership. This organization was formed in the early 90's and is responsible for the bi-annual Urban Nights event, Holiday Festival, Street Ambassador program, First Bloom downtown beautification program (along with Wegerzyn Gardens), and various business retention programs, etc.
The following article indicates a major shift in thinking, as the DDP appears to have convinced the OD to join forces. I agree that this new partnership can be mutually beneficial (as long as they play nice together), and the potential for a longer-term consolidation means more bang for the marketing buck. And as the region struggles to consolidate even the simplest things like emergency dispatch, the urban core of Dayton is coming together to build the synergies necessary for growth - all while maintaining the individual neighborhood identities that define our city.
Link: Partnership to provide services in Oregon District - Dayton Business Journal:.
The Downtown Dayton Partnership will start providing services to the Oregon District Aug. 6.
Members of the Oregon District Business Association -- composed of businesses on Fifth Street and within the historic neighborhood -- entered into a one-year contract to receive services from the partnership, according to a release issued by the partnership Tuesday.
Here is an interesting website I came across while catching up on UrbanOhio.com - www.WalkScore.com. I tried it for where we live in Downtown Dayton and we scored a 94 out of 100. And yes, that is one of the reasons we enjoy living here - we can walk to places and leave the car in the garage!
What is YOUR score?
Last evening I had the pleasure of attending a fantastic neighborhood party in South Park, thanks to an invite from our friend Maureen (a contributing blogger on MostMetro). I met a lot of great people, and I could tell right away that this was a tight-knit community. Conversations about each others rehab experiences could be heard all around - a subject that seems to be the common denominator that unites this diverse and eclectic group of urban enthusiasts. And a remarkable thing I noticed was the fact that the owners of the two development groups who are busy rehabbing dozens of historic homes (Theresa Gasper of Full Circle Development, LLC. & Michael DiFlora of The Home Group LLC with their respective spouses Dave & Holly) were right there with everybody else, and they too were very much a part of this community. If one didn't know any better, it would have been easy to assume that these two couples were simply fellow neighbors who lived next door.
This is exactly what it means to live in a vibrant urban community. People invest in the neighborhood not to simply flip a quick buck but because they are passionate about the neighborhood. Neighbors don't just know each other - they look out for one another and form tight friendships. People are tolerant of each other's differences, and diversity is considered an asset. And neighborhood parties are not rare but common. In fact, last night's party was the second of three scheduled for this summer!
Thanks to everybody I met last night - especially Kathy (who hosted the first half of the party at her house) and Kevin & Amanda - who hosted the second half at theirs). It was great meeting all of you and I look forward to the next time...
 The following is from Donna - one of our Five Oaks neighbors...
On Sunday, June 10, 2007 2PM to 5 PM :
The Five Oaks and Mt. Vernon neighborhoods in partnership with the City of Dayton ORION Project will be sponsoring their first Porch Tours as a community building and neighborhood promotion effort.
These walking tours through Five Oaks and Mt Vernon will showcase the two neighborhoods most unique and eclectic housing including Craftsman, Georgian, Sears Kit Homes, Tudor, Foursquare, Cotswold Cottage, and a wide variety of Revival Architecture.
We welcome visitors to stroll along the tree-lined streets, sit for a spell on the featured porches, partake of refreshments and chat with the neighbors.
Starting location: Corpus Christi Parking Lot, 200 Homewood Avenue (across the street from Mary Queen of Peace School).
Maps and brochures will be available at the parking lot.
Contact:
Verletta Jackson
Verletta.Jackson@cityofdayton.org
(937) 333-2333
Continue reading "Porch Tours in Five Oaks & Mt. Vernon" »
Ok, I know South Park has been hogging the DMM Spotlight lately... but for good reason - this neighborhood has A LOT going on! So it came as almost no surprise when news came out in the Dayton Business Journal yesterday that the owners of Coco's Bistro are planning their next restaurant (already?) in the Blommel Sign Co. building they recently purchased at 735 Wayne Avenue. This is great news for both South Park as well as those of us who enjoy Coco's and the many other fantastic independent restaurants we have here in Dayton. But this new restaurant's location could mean much more than just another independent restaurant opening...
Continue reading "Coco's Owners to open South Park Eatery" »
 It was recently announced that this summer, Downtown Dayton will be the new home to a public art exhibit called City Life. This is a first for Dayton, and it should be a lot of fun! It is a series of life-sized bronze sculptures that will be on display throughout downtown. Created by J. Seward Johnson, these sculptures will bring a whimsical feeling to Downtown Dayton and may be the first of many pieces of public art to come.
Continue reading "J. Seward Johnson comes to Dayton" »
In a follow-up to our previous post (Latest Ballpark Village news - Part I) we discuss this development in more detail, including similar projects completed recently by the developers which may give us an idea of what to expect here in Dayton...
Continue reading "Latest Ballpark Village news - Part II" »
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.
Continue reading "Latest Ballpark Village News - Part I" »
As we continue to follow the new CareSource office building project, here are some photos from an hour ago of the demolition-in-progress of the old parking garage and old Avis building (now gone). Also, some pics of the new Avis building on First Street. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress - stay tuned...
Continue reading "CareSource Location Begins Demolition" »
In my quest to become even more connected to the Dayton community, I was recently given the opportunity to take part in Dayton's 25th Annual "Neighborhood Leadership Institute" program. This twelve-week workshop gives Dayton residents a chance to learn about their city - including Dayton's History, The Role of City Government, The Criminal Justice System, and Cultural Diversity; skill-building components such as Public Speaking and Small-Group Dynamics; and a day-long bus tour of Dayton neighborhoods. Last week our group of 25 met for the first time, and yesterday was our first official session. In this and future posts, I will be chronicalling our class's experiences. I welcome all comments and especially encourage my fellow NLI classmates to add their thoughts.
Continue reading "Neighborhood Leadership Institute" »
Another example of our history getting torn down. This particular building appears to be in very poor shape, and would require a major investment to bring it back to life. Anybody out there know somebody who can help?
By Joanne Huist Smith
Dayton Daily News
Link: Dilapidated building faces demolition despite history.
Designation on the National Register of Historic Places may not be enough to save the time- and weather-beaten Women's Christian Association building at 800 W. Fifth St.
The city of Dayton's Division of Housing Inspection declared the building a structural nuisance in April 2006. Now the city has asked the city's Landmark Commission for permission to bring down the building, which has been vacant since 1975.
This building at 800 W. Fifth St. in Dayton is on the National Register but the city of Dayton division of housing inspection says the building is a nuisance and needs to be torn down. It is the former Women's Christian Association, organized to provide services to black women who were excluded from the YWCA. Dayton's Landmark Commission plans to hold a hearing March 15 regarding the city's request to demolish the building.
"We've got to stop destroying our history," said Margaret Peters, a retired Dayton schoolteacher, author and local historian. "I'm adamantly opposed to this."
It seemed like a long shot, and ultimately the efforts to save Building 26 were not enough to save it from the wrecking ball. What are your thoughts on this - do you think UD is making a mistake? Or is progress and new development more important for this area near UD?
Visit the Codebreakers-Building 26 website to see more info on the history of this building.
Dayton Business Journal
Link: UD to tear down 'codebreaking' building - Dayton Business Journal:.
The University of Dayton said Friday it will demolish Building 26, which served during World War II as the top-secret site development of a code-breaking machine credited with helping to bring the war to a close.
The decision follows a study by the ASC Group Inc. that finds the building has lost its historical integrity and is ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
For those of you who cringe when you look at the giant Mendelson's Liquidation Outlet building on the edge of Downtown/Webster Station, and for the rest of us that have always thought "wow, that is a neat old building - too bad it isn't being used for something cool" - we may see a huge change in downtown's landscape as Sandy Mendelson just announced that he is moving out! While news of yet another company announcing plans to leave downtown for the burbs would normally be another punch in the gut, this time the outcome could be a very positive thing...
Continue reading "Mendelson Leaving Downtown" »
When I first heard about Flying Pizza having to find another location while
a new parking garage was being built for CareSource, I was sad and mad at the same time. I understood the need for the garage and I support the fact that CareSource building a new building is a good thing (despite all the squelchers complaining that there are already too many empty buildings). But Flying Pizza is a Dayton icon - the very kind of restaurant that adds to our city's identity. They can't just make them leave! Besides, they are building a new building for Avis - why not Flying Pizza?
Well, if things pan out the way this article explains it - somebody used some CREATIVE thinking and figured out that they can build part of the garage with a new store space on the ground floor that Flying Pizza can move into before they tear down the existing restaurant. Then they will tear down the existing restaurant and build the rest of the parking garage around the new restaurant space.
It is obvious that this will make the project more difficult and expensive, so I give kudos to the powers that be. Hopefully this is just one of many examples of this kind of cooperation that will occur as several new developments begin in our downtown.
Link: CareSource project uprooting Avis, Flying Pizza.
Good news for the Fairgrounds neighborhood. This area of Dayton will likely see much more development in the future...
by Yvonne Teems
Dayton Business Journal
Link: CityWide to hire private developer for Genesis - Dayton Business Journal:.
A new residential development will be part of the second phase of the Genesis project, which focuses on the redevelopment of the neighborhood surrounding the University of Dayton and Miami Valley Hospital.
Slowly but surely, it is coming down...
By Dave Larsen
Dayton Daily News
Link: Benbow demolition halfway done.
Demolition on the former 13-story hotel is 50 percent complete and ahead of schedule, said Dinh, the project manager. Vacant since 1986, the building is being torn down to make way for the RTA's new public transit pavilion, which will replace bus stops on Main Street within the central business district.
As phase one of the new development on the corner of First & Patterson begins this spring, the city is getting ready to buy the parking lot on the southwest corner from PMI which will eventually be phase two.
Phase One consists of expanding the WorkflowOne Parking Garage to make enough parking spaces for both the Miami Jacobs students as well as the new condo owners. Connected to the expanded parking garage will be thirty or so condos with possibly ground-floor retail or other business. Once that is competed, Phase Two will include 35 or so more condo/townhouses on the existing parking lot - each with its own garage (similar in style to the Cooper Place Townhomes that are adjacent to the property). Finally, the northeast corner of First & Patterson will be developed in Phase Three - but there are no current plans for what will go there. The developer for the project is Al Neyer, Inc. and the architect is local firm Rogero Buckman.
This neighborhood currently includes Ice Avenue Lofts (17 units), Cooper Lofts (24 units) and Cooper Place Townhomes (34 units) for a total of 75 units. With an additional 65 units, that means that there will be 140 housing units in this neighborhood. Hey Whole Foods - how many residents do you need to build a grocery store downtown?
Link: City to consider buying parking lot for downtown condos - Dayton Business Journal:.
A downtown parking, commercial and condominium project will move forward at the Dayton city commission meeting tonight if the city passes an ordinance to purchase a parking lot from Parking Management Inc.
The residents of the Oregon District have always had a strained relationship with the Fifth Street businesses, I've been told. While they enjoy living in a historic urban neighborhood where one can walk to many different restaurants, bars and local shops, they do not enjoy the problems that come with living within walking distance to those same bars and restaurants. There are parking issues, vandalism, loud bar-goers and even crime that sometimes occurs when residents and bars are so close to each other.
Continue reading "Urban Residents vs Urban Clubs - Oregon District Is Not Alone" »
Yes, Dayton's historic districts are getting more and more attention these days. On the heels of South Park's announced win in the "AIA 150 Blueprint For Your Neighborhood Award" (in which local area arcitects will donate their time and services to further revitalize that neighborhood), Grafton Hill is getting some fantastic news as well.
By Lisa Bernard
Dayton Daily News
Link: Picture this: Grafton Hill part of major urban renewal plan.
An effort to breathe new life into Historic Grafton Hill's Central Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods is gaining momentum. A group, which calls itself the Renaissance Alliance, says its plan to build homes modeled after notable estates once located in Grafton Hill could be launched this year.
Headed by St. Mary's Development Corp. and the Grafton Hill Historic District, the plan is anticipated to fuel investment in the neighborhoods of Five Oaks Riverdale, Jane Reece and Dayton View.
The Carillon neighborhood is home to Dayton's newest hotel - Courtyard By Marriott -University of Dayton. Could this mean that Dayton may begin to host some bigger NCAA Tournament games in the near future?
Link: New hotel to open next week - Dayton Business Journal:.
The Courtyard by Marriott at the University of Dayton, a four-story hotel, will open Wednesday.
The 2006 Edwin C. Moses Blvd. hotel is the first built in the city of Dayton in 20 years.
Back when I met the guys who created www.OregonDistrict.com in September 2006, there was a ton of buzz (at least locally within the O.D.) about the new website that was going to help people connect with one another and with businesses in their community. In other words, a localized version of MySpace.com. How are they doing now?
Continue reading "Is OregonDistrict.com fading away already?" »
This month, the architects for the new Caresource office building being built in Downtown Dayton will be presenting their plans before the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Plan Board. Assuming all is approved, construction should start at the end of the year (after demolition of the current parking garage structure that exists on the property now)
Here are some more renderings of what the building should look like - enjoy!
Continue reading "Caresource Update" »
If you've driven down Brown Street lately, you've surely noticed the progress being made on the new University Place development at the corner of Brown and Stewart. The picture below is a rendering of the finished product (click picture to enlarge).
Also, according to this website,there will be a UD Campus Store in the new building that sells UD gear and other retail items. Arby's is the only other official tenant in the new development. It is great to see progress in this booming area of Dayton!
The O.D. is a step closer to having its liquor license limit lifted, starting with the possible granting of a
liquor license to the Fifth Street Wine & Deli, which has been sans wine since opening.
Continue reading "Fifth Street Deli may get permit after all" »
January 19, 2007
Progress on the Tech Town project received another boost this week with
$1 million being committed by Development Projects, Inc., a funding
agency of the Dayton Development Coalition...
Continue reading "Tech Town Project Receives Million Dollar Grant" »
The DDN printed an interesting article about Tech Town today. The article goes on to say that construction of the first building (48,000 sq ft) is scheduled to begin this spring. I personally would have preferred a little more positive title...
Link: Funding woes hinder Tech Town development
By Joanne Huist Smith
Dayton Daily News.
When city officials announced plans in 2003 to convert the former Harrison Radiator factory on Monument Avenue into a high-tech business park, they expected to have the work well under way in three years if funding could be obtained.
Today, Tech Town consists of a six-story factory riddled with broken windows, five other derelict buildings marked for demolition and 8.25 acres of ready-to-build-on land along Monument Avenue.
Have you been to the Second Street Market in Webster Station? If not, you are truly missing out on a unique experience. Even on cold days like we've had lately, the place is packed with people on Saturdays (they are open Thursday - Saturday) . Though small compared to public markets in other cities, it has all of the character that cannot be found in the typical big-box retail store. Numerous vendors sell everything from knick knacks to fresh produce to wine to fresh flowers to fresh baked bread to coffee to.....well, you get the point.
The following is an article about the farmers market in San Francisco. It feels good to say that we have something similiar right here in Dayton, and it is just as popular...
Link: Farmers' markets nurture a need for open space.
By Carol Lloyd
San Francisco Chronicle
In the mythology of the American Dream, it's the privacy of our sanctuaries that defines, comforts and nourishes us. Homes, we are told again and again, embody our innermost desires. But lately I've been feeling how other sorts of spaces -- public, free and accessible to all -- are emerging to show us what home really means. Perhaps home isn't where we feather our nest with fancy things but the place that feeds the soul of a community.
A city is much more than buildings, parks, restaurants, ball parks,
offices, theaters and fountains. Those things are nice but by
themselves offer very little to connect with emotionally. Not to say
that these things do not play a part in creating a vibrant city, but
they are just that - a part. What does make for a vibrant city? What
plays a much more important part? One word: People. And not just
people for the sake of people. I am talking about people that are
directly involved with their community. People that are not just
visitors that are casually passing by, but actually part of the fabric
that makes up the experience.
Continue reading "Community Involvement" »
...except it isn't ice cream. Dolcessa is the O.D.'s newest business, and their specialty is Gelato (or Italian frozen dessert). It is every bit as good as ice cream, but it is made with milk instead of cream. Don't get too excited if you're watching your calories - I don't think these would be called fat-free by any stretch.
There are a number of flavors to choose from and they all looked delicious. I tried the Oreo Mint and it definitely hit the spot. In addition to gelato, they also serve expresso and will soon be offering Panini sandwiches. The owners moved here last year from New York and are fellow urbanites. We wish them the best, and we urge you to try this great new independent business. You will not be disappointed.
Also, what used to be the Blue Moon (who just recently closed up shop
in the Oregon District) is about to become a new steak restaurant. The
concept is being developed by the owners of the Trolley Stop and will be called John Henry's. We're excited to see that space won't be empty for long.
It is nice to see growth in one of our more established and successful historic districts. Dayton MostMetro.com will be keeping an eye on this development and we will feature the progress in the coming months.
Link: $4M condo project set for district - Dayton Business Journal:.
By Yvonne Teems
Dayton Business Journal
An area developer is launching a $4 million condo project in the Oregon District.
Tom Tornatore said he plans to renovate the Chapel Electric Building on Sixth Street into 12 condominiums and penthouses by fall 2007.
The Excelsior Condominiums project is located next-door to Jay's Seafood restaurant, in the 20-block neighborhood of rehabilitated, historic homes and within reach of Fifth Street shops, restaurants and bars. The project's success will be a result of its location, said local Realtors.
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