RSS Post FeedDowntown's Latest Housing Project
It looks like the housing development at the corner of First & Patterson is steps away from becoming reality, and it will be different than anything done in the region so far...
The plan is to build 36 townhomes on what is now a big parking lot on the southwest corner of Patterson and First. These will apparently be modular construction and will also be LEED certified (between Silver and Gold level). LiteHouse Development Group (Rogero Buckman are the architects) are a couple weeks away from getting all of their ducks in a row with the city, financing, etc. and they plan to build a single townhome as a model on the corner of Ice Ave and Patterson - possibly in time for Urban Nights in May.
They will be three-story townhomes similar in scale to the Cooper Place Townhomes. One of the things I found interesting was that the streets that go through the development will be private property and they are planning to do them with brick paver-type surfaces as opposed to asphalt in order to give it a village feel. All materials will be long-lasting, environmentally friendly and come from manufacturers that have strong recycling/environmental processes in place (like Shaw that recycle all used carpet into new). Windows will be placed in a way to maximize light and roofs will include rain-capturing devices that will recycle rain water to irrigate all landscaping. There was also talk of solar panels.
They must pre-sell at least 40% of a "row" (6-8 or so) in order to complete the whole row of townhomes - there were like 5 or 6 rows on the plan. So as long as the market is there for these things, they're talking anywhere from 3-6 years for total completion. Price points will be from $170k for the smallest units (1000sqft) to $230k for the biggest (1800sqft) - depending on how many options the buyer gets. The buyer will also have the opportunity to upgrade the environmental aspects of the unit.
The other two parcels of land that were originally part of the overall development (adjacent to WorkflowOne garage and adjacent to Lincoln Storage on the other corners of First & Patterson) are not included in this plan but are not off the table - depending on how these sell those other parcels will be revisited.
See pics below (click each to enlarge) and let us know what you think...
First, let me say that Rogero Buckman Architects have been a great Dayton asset. Mary Rogero was the architect for our loft. In addition, I LOVE the idea of environmentally friendly housing!
BUT, I'll be surprised if these lofts make it. First, those of us who are lucky enough to be able to afford $170-$230K housing want 2 car garages! Typically, there are two of us in a "family." Two bedrooms with neither having a private bath? You've got to be kidding at $200K! At least they offer private outdoor space!
These units are unlikely to attract suburbanites to Downtown living. Which is unfortunate because IT'S GREAT LIVING IN DOWNTOWN DATYON!
Posted by: noumena12 | March 15, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Well, both bedrooms have a private bath, depending on how you look at it. Also, I think these are targeted to singles and empty-nesters rather than families, so the garage won't be such a big issue.
Posted by: Siquomb | March 17, 2008 at 02:40 PM
It's also true, as I understand it, that these units can be custom-designed, with many configurations possible.
Posted by: Siquomb | March 17, 2008 at 02:49 PM
Why just singles? Definitely not emptynesters. We don't want 3 story condos. noumena12 is right on.
Check other comments under the forum option.
Posted by: Steve | March 18, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Last night Mary Rogero aka Lighthouse Group gave an update on the Canal Housing. The renderings are radically different from the ones pictured on this blog. Units now are different sizes and also have different facades that give it a more edgy look.
The site plan has also changed with some parking added. The entrances to the units may "alternate" with one facing the exterior street while the next unit's entrance will fice the interior street.
Looks much more interesting, and the whole plan is still very fluid.
I will post the latest renderings when Mary emails me.
Posted by: Mr. Ice Avenue | April 03, 2008 at 08:23 AM
I'm puzzled by the pricing of this project.
$200K will buy nicer, larger condos in housing markets that are less distressed than Dayton. And I assume that existing buildings in downtown Dayton could be converted to condos at lower cost, as well. (Is that true? What might the minimum cost of a similar condo be in the Arcade or the Oregon District?)
These particular condos look super for a single work-from-home guy like me. But one of Dayton's selling points for telecommuters like me will be lower cost of living compared to coastal cities. If I spend $200K plus relocation costs, then what have I gained over buying a place in second-tier cities along the thriving coasts?
Posted by: Mike A | April 30, 2008 at 03:25 PM
Mike - I'm not a developer but I know some of them that are indeed doing things downtown and they will tell you that it is not cheaper to rehab. Sometimes it is more expensive because of the things that must be retrofitted to meet current codes.
$200k is cheap compared to coastal cities - what cities are you comparing too? And you must compare apples to apples - downtowns in established cities are always more expensive. And even compared to Columbus and Cinci, Downtown Dayton is a bargain.
Posted by: Bill Pote | May 07, 2008 at 12:44 PM