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downtown

The Litehouse Development solves a few of Dayton’s housing problems

September 11, 2010 By Teri Lussier 3 Comments

… but probably not what you think.

You know that the city of Dayton has a vacancy problem, and there has been a lot of discussion about what to do with vacant, abandoned properties. Tearing them down is one option of course, and probably the one that gets the most discussion, and there is a problem with tearing them down because then you have an empty space, and what do you do with that? I believe that the vacancy problem is two-fold. Not only does Dayton have too many homes, Dayton has too many of the wrong type of home.

Yes, Virginia, there really are people who want to live in Dayton Ohio. They want to experience all that Dayton has to offer- celebratory and inexpensive stuff to do, vibrant arts community, not-so-big city life. They want to be home owners, not renters, but they can’t find a house. Oh I know we have plenty of homes- too many homes in some neighborhoods. But for a certain type of buyer: young or creative or entertainment-seeking types who would be a perfect fit in the downtown area, Dayton doesn’t have what they are looking for because the housing stock that exists, is simply not a good fit for everyone. Downtown Dayton’s housing stock is plentiful, but it’s old, and the truth is that not everyone loves a historic home. Not everyone wants to live in or care for a historic home, and that’s okay, except, if you want a brick ranch, mid-century modern, vintage 20’s bungalow, or modern dwelling, then you have to live elsewhere. So the solution might be to mix things up a bit- not only tear down the unwanted housing stock, but build property that people want: Affordable, low maintenance, cool, hip, modern spaces that appeal to and attract a new breed of owners into the Dayton market.

I visited the Litehouse model home site last week during their Open House and was intrigued by what I saw. The exterior is modern and unlike anything else in the Dayton area. The interior is unusual as well, being a vertical stacked space that packs amenities onto a tiny physical footprint. This should appeal to a very specific buyer, but more than that, it’s going to add to the presence of residents in the direct downtown area, and that’s a cool thing, good for all the city residents.

The Litehouse townhomes focus on greener living, with local manufacturing, Leed standardization, Energy Star appliances to keep these homes as efficient as possible. This is going to be a growing trend and it’s nice to see a builder using proactive solutions for those buyers who are already looking in this direction. They are also looking to attract buyers who want an affordable home. This is going to be key for getting more buyers into Dayton: Affordable, modern, green properties that give buyers another downtown living option. The plan is to create a community of approximately 40 homes, and once a few more are occupied, you’ll see them attract more buyers- most people don’t want to be the first in a new development, although, you do get a nice view of Patterson Blvd right now.

These are sexy properties with a new attitude about how a home can function and what a home can be. Take a look at the couple to the right. Standing on the unfinished roof-top terrace of one of the Litehouse units, you can see the natural response to the possibilities this space might afford- the body language says it all. This is the type of housing that Dayton needs more of and it’s good for the entire Dayton area that we have the opportunity to watch this development add to our real estate options in Dayton Ohio.

So, how do you buy a new home? You can plunge ahead and contact the developer yourself if you’d like, or you can have a Realtor take you to a developer if you want a little extra guidance through the process. It’s similar to buying any home, except, as one developer told me, there is no other person’s dirt to wonder about.

The question is, can majestic historic beauties live in peace and camaraderie with ultra-modern clean cut lines? For all the talk about not wanting to live in little boxes that all look just the same, most people like a sense of continuity and similarity within their own neighborhood. With the Litehouse development, we can begin to integrate the new and old while we adjust to the future of Dayton real estate.

Photo credits: Teri Lussier

Filed Under: Real Estate, Urban Living Tagged With: downtown, LEED, Litehouse Townhomes, Real Estate

Two-Way Streets Equal All-Way Confusion

July 25, 2010 By Dayton937 11 Comments

Photo by jamestraceur on flickr

So, if you haven’t noticed, construction crews are busy messing up converting 18 blocks of downtown Dayton’s one-way streets into two-way streets.

Am I the ONLY one who doesn’t like this idea?? (Don’t answer that, no one asked me anyway.)  But seriously.  WHO are they doing this for?  If you already live, work, or frequent downtown Dayton, like moi, then you already know which streets are one-way and you drive accordingly. It’s not that hard.  If you don’t already live, work, or frequent downtown Dayton, GET A MAP or a GPS!  Again, not that difficult.  I mean, were there a HUGE rash of crazy traffic accidents downtown because people didn’t know which side of the street they should be driving on???  If so, there must be a cover-up because as you know the local news around here covers every fender-bender and flat tire in the region.

2nd Street in the good ol' days. *Sniff* Photo by DDFic on flickr

So, my dear City Commissioners or whoever the heck decided this was a good idea – here’s what you have done.  I, Jenny Rapson, a life-long resident of Dayton who drives through downtown several times a week, NO LONGER KNOW WHERE THE HECK I AM GOING.  At 32 years old, I am already set in my ways, and one of my ways was ONE-WAY streets downtown.  Now, we may have a rash of fiery traffic accidents because the routes I have been driving my whole life are now totally different. AND?  MY GPS DOESN’T KNOW IT YET, EITHER!

Let me reiterate: you have confused and irritated the people who were already frequenting downtown.  Good luck luring all those new customers with your shiny two-way streets.  I’m sure your really good idea will work.

I’m just a *smidge* grumpy about the directional street changes downtown.  How do you feel about them?

Filed Under: Opinion Tagged With: downtown, One-Way Streets, Two-Way Streets

Wright State & Downtown Dayton

May 1, 2010 By Dayton937 1 Comment

Ohio State, University of Kentucky, and even University of Dayton are all located in the middle of a city. Clubs, restaurants, and bars are all in walking distance from the campus and students are offered much to do close by. Having a large number of non-traditional students, Wright State students seek different forms of entertainment. Being located in a suburb rather than downtown of a city, WSU students turn to downtown Dayton as an option to go out. I personally have been downtown numerous times to go out. I feel fairly safe with a group of friends and have a lot of fun at the local dance clubs. But, I wanted to see what other WSU students thought of downtown. So I turned asked some questions regarding downtown and got some answers. I thought that many people would not like downtown, but I was surprised by students actually going downtown.

Junior Caitlin Buenning, enjoys going down for the theater productions. “I generally like Downtown–I think it’s come a long way. The Schuster Center and Victoria Theater bring in a lot of business and really bring a rich variety of arts to Dayton.”  Along with theater productions the festivals and shows bring her downtown. “I’m pretty familiar with Downtown. I love Riverscape in the summers, and I really love going to the Schuster Center. There are some good places to eat, too.” Buenning doesn’t worry too much about the crime, she says that “there is some crime in some of the parts of the city, but mostly just in neighborhoods.”

Sophomore China Taylor has some thoughts regarding the crime downtown. “I really think that people should visit Downtown more. The crime rates scare people away, but in all honesty crime happens any where. Downtown is a fun place to hang out even as college students and I really think people and students should take advantage of all the events Downtown, Dayton.”  Just as Buenning, Taylor enjoys the festivals and shows downtown has to offer.

A fairly positive response to downtown if I do say so myself. From Dragons games to clubbing and theater performances to fireworks shows, Dayton really does have a lot to offer for college students to do. We just have to get up and go rather than expecting the entertainment to come to us. Some WSU students commute up for 45 minutes to come to class, we are all different students. The “traditional” student isn’t necessarily “traditional” for Wright State.  Downtown offers much variety for us when we need to close the books and have some fun.

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: Dayton, downtown, Wright State

Welcome to The Living City!!!

March 30, 2010 By Dayton937 1 Comment

The Living City Project is a club open to anyone who is actively working to make Greater Downtown Dayton a vibrant place, or who pledges to start. It is a network of the people and partner organizations who truly care about downtown, and it will soon be a physical place with a storefront office, lounge, and community room.Lecture

Click here to learn more about the concept.

The Living City is being revived from its original incarnation in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, when it was led by John Gower and other staff in the City’s planning department.

Click here to browse the archives.

Want to get involved? Please fill out our Membership Form to enter our database and tell us more about your interests. If you represent an organization that wants to help downtown Dayton thrive, we have a separate form for Partner Organizations.

The new Living City Project is being coordinated by Kate Ervin. E-mail Kate.

Check back often; we’re just getting going!

Filed Under: Community Tagged With: Dayton, downtown, Living City Project, ohio, urban planning

Downtown + Placemaking = Vibrancy

October 3, 2009 By Dayton Most Metro 11 Comments

Placemaking in Dayton“Placemaking is a term that began to be used in the 1970s by architects and planners to describe the process of creating squares, plazas, parks, streets and waterfronts that will attract people because they are pleasurable or interesting.” – Wikipedia

What is missing in this picture?

What is missing in this picture?

According to Project for Public Spaces (the foremost authority on placemaking), “you can tell a city is healthy if it has a vital downtown full of public activity.”  This concept goes against traditional thinking that has typically focused more on individual building design & use while paying little or no attention to the streets, sidewalks and other public spaces.  While iconic buildings, stadiums and convention centers can play a role in a downtown’s identity and economy, by themselves they often do little for increasing the vibrancy of a downtown and in some cases may actually be obstacles to making downtowns lively.  A few local examples would be the Dayton Convention Center, Fifth Third Field and the Schuster Center.  Activity at these venues is very limited, with only a small percentage of the time in a year that something is actually happening in them.  The majority of the time, these massive structures stand empty and do nothing to encourage activity around them.  So while these and other expensive downtown projects held promise of bringing vibrancy back to downtown, none were ever going to do so outside of a few hundred hours out of the year.

Proper Design Element = People & Activity

Proper Design Element = People & Activity

Placemaking takes a different approach to creating a vibrant downtown, as its focus is on public spaces where activity can occur every day of the year, at all hours of the day.  Public parks and plazas play an obvious role as their very purpose is to provide space for the public to congregate, socialize and even just relax.  However, these spaces require proper design and programming in order to become vibrant places.  Downtown Dayton has had some successes with placemaking in recent memory with Courthouse Plaza and especially Riverscape – a very good example of placemaking.  Other public spaces like Cooper Park and Dave Hall Plaza could be vibrant public spaces but because of lack of programming, minimal maintenance and utilitarian design approaches that make them look quite neglected and uninviting, they do not attract people like they should.  A great example of a formerly neglected park transformed into a vibrant public space is Bryant Park in New York.  Here in Dayton, a brand new group has formed and is busy working on transformational plans for Cooper Park.  Named the Cooper Park Alliance and working in conjunction with police representatives, city staff and downtown stakeholders, they are holding their first fund raiser on October 16, 2009 where they will also be presenting plans for the park’s new future.

The newest trend in placemaking goes beyond the public parks, squares and plazas whose primary purpose has always Placemaking Streets & Sidewalksbeen to serve as public gathering places.  Now streets and sidewalks are part of the placemaking equation, and in many respects they serve as the missing link to a completely connected and vibrant downtown.  Ever since the automobile became the main form of transporation in this country, the sole purpose for streets and sidewalks has been movement and transportation.  Utilitarian and automobile-centric design have done little to make these public spaces attractive to pedestrians in downtowns like Dayton, but vibrancy is simply not possible without a critical mass of pedestrians and human activity on our streets and sidewalks.  In order to attract more people to our downtown and create more life and vibrancy on our streets, we must begin implementing (and not just talking about) elements such as those featured in the interactive graphic on GOOD.is Livable Streets.  Things like street ambassadors (which we do have), proper pedestrian lighting, well marked & raised crosswalks, curb extensions, trees & flower planters, and bike lanes & bike parking are important basics.  Uniform yet interesting signage pointing pedestrians to various points of interest can be relatively inexpensive but have a large impact.  Programs that help encourage more outdoor cafes and street-level retail can make a huge difference.  And a concept not yet done in Downtown Dayton that could add much interest to our sidewalks and streets is actual programming.  The street programming concept could include an organized effort to attract street vendors and performers that serve as an attraction in and of themselves.

There are other significant ROI benefits to investing in placemaking that should also be considered.  Safety and parking are almost always near the top of any downtown survey as negatives, and the standard solutions to both (add more police and more parking garages) are extremely expensive with questionable effectiveness.  However, a vibrant downtown full of people everywhere offers a sense of security that is missing when you’re the only person walking down a dark and empty street.  And a vibrant downtown that is full of life and interesting things to see and experience makes a four or five block walk something to actually look forward to – making parking much less of an issue.

Placemaking is being looked at by one of the several sub-committees that make up the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan.  Hopefully this group can make a compelling argument for the importance of pedestrian-friendly streets and beautiful and active public spaces so that funding sources can be identified and these types of projects can go from being just ideas to actually being implemented.  What do you think?

(photo credits: Dayton Convention Center-Flickr/dcbprime; Riverscape-Flickr/ddamredhead )

Other placemaking sources:

Project for Public Spaces

Cool Town Studios

Filed Under: The Featured Articles Tagged With: downtown, Placemaking, Vibrant

Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival

September 1, 2009 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

lgbt_filmfestThe Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival (presented by the Downtown Priority Board) provides a space for voices to be heard that aren’t often represented in mainstream media.  The subjects range from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.  Generally, the festival highlights films that are made with smaller budgets.  These movies go relatively unnoticed beyond the LGBT community, but they’re strong pieces of work that merit being seen.

The Edge of Heaven, a selection from last year’s festival, went on to be named one of the “Top 10” films of the year by many critics.  Were The World Mine, last year’s opening night film, garnered a large following and won multiple awards around the world.  In 2007’s festival, the short film Freeheld went on to win an Academy Award.  This film was not screened anywhere else in the Dayton Region.

This year’s films include:

Friday September 25

  • Little Ashes 7:00 pm
  • The Big Gay Musical 9:30 pm

Saturday September 26

  • “Top Drawer Shorts” (9 short films) 3 pm
  • Prodigal Sons 7:30 pm
  • Shank 9:45 pm

Sunday September 27

  • Training Rules & One Summer in New Paltz 1:00 pm
  • An Englishman in New York 5:30 pm

This has become an annual tradition for both the Downtown Priority Board AND The Neon, and it brings people in from other cities like Cincinnati and Columbus.  As a priority board member I’m proud of our continued support for this film festival.

Check out this event on the DaytonMostMetro.com Event Calendar!

Filed Under: On Screen Dayton Tagged With: downtown, festival, gay, lesbian, lgbt, movies, On Screen Dayton

Attracting Business to Dayton – Start with Quality of Life

June 17, 2009 By Dayton Most Metro 23 Comments

magnetAs I read the latest DDN article about city, regional and state officials meeting behind closed doors to figure out how to “drawing NCR-like companies to Dayton”, I simply shook my head. I’ll actually give officials the benefit of the doubt since I saw nobody actually quoted as saying “NCR-like companies”; I’ll assume that was a DDN attempt to attract views by using the buzz-word de’jour – NCR. Still, I can’t help but wonder what ideas were shared between all of these powers-that-be.  Specifically – how many times was the phrase “tax incentive” tossed around?

It actually wasn’t what was said that I’m that concerned about, but more importantly – what wasn’t said. Did anybody talk about improving Dayton’s services and quality of life that would help attract young talent and ultimately the businesses that follow that talent?  While I agree that we must be looking at ways to directly attract businesses to our city and region, I would argue that it is every bit as important to improve our city’s environment and transform it in a way that attracts people.  Without doing the latter, it is a waste of time to bother trying to attract any businesses, let alone Fortune 500 corporations.

The following is a 30 minute video that I strongly recommend you view when you have the time.  It is a piece about Portland, OR – and it could very well be used as a call to action for Dayton.  Note – Portland continues to attract residents from across the country DESPITE having an unemployment rate of 11.8%.  The idea:  transform our entire downtown area (and beyond) into an uber-pedestrian and bicycle friendly environment, start Ohio’s first bicycle-share system, add a 3C/D rail station, and implement the first of many streetcar routes as has already been recommended.  It is all about “sense of place”, and it can do more to attract residents, business and investment into our city than any corporate welfare check could ever hope to do.

Filed Under: Cycling, Urban Living Tagged With: Bikes, downtown

Renaissance Rescinded in Santa Clara: The Orphaned Arts District Of Dayton

June 27, 2007 By J.T. Ryder Leave a Comment

“The architecture of our future is not only unfinished; the scaffolding has hardly gone up”

~George Lamming

Standing amidst the broken plate glass shards on the northeast corner of North Main St. and Santa Clara Ave., you can look across the street and see the fading promise of a once vibrant art scene reduced to a few tattered awnings stretched over abandoned storefronts. What could have possibly happened to take a profitable, progressive and thriving arts community that was flourishing in the nineties disappear, leaving us with just panorama of mostly empty buildings and memories less than decade later?

The 1900 block of N. Main St. was developed in the 1800’s with an architectural integrity that spoke of affluence. Business and residential development flourished well into the 20th century, but was marred by a sudden decline starting in the 1960’s. The seventies brought yet another sharp decline that mirrored the steady change in demographics of nearby urban neighborhoods. Property owners and businesses became increasingly absentee and the area fell into disrepair.

In the early nineties, Joe Dierkers and the partnership that comprised The Third Realty Co. acquired most of the commercial buildings that was soon to become the heart of the Santa Clara arts district. They were unsure at first as to what direction the area should take, but that issue was soon resolved when Joe attended an event where Jeff Rutledge was a guest speaker. In the course of several conversations, the two agreed that the area was a perfect site to create a center for the artistic community. They modeled their vision on the greatly successful Short North arts and retail center that sits just north of downtown Columbus. The Color Purple Decorating Service, owned by James Hankins, was already located on Santa Clara Ave. when Jeff moved Rutledge Gallery from it’s Front Street location directly onto N. Main St., becoming an anchor for the area. The renaissance of the Santa Clara area began.

Jeff Rutledge remembers the area as it was when he first moved there. “At the time there were mostly empty buildings . Nothing bright or cheerful, no identity, no direction. I could envision what this area could be, though, having lived in Oakland and  Mendocino, California. and the north side of Chicago, seeing what urban gentrification and neighborhood revivals that were started by artists, musicians, and restaurants, and risk taking entrepreneurs could achieve.”

Other artisans and small retailer soon followed and within a short time, the district boasted over forty shops, giving birth to the Santa Clara United Business Association (SCUBA).

“The formation of SCUBA was grassroots…organic, democratic, and totally voluntary in our own self interest to gain influence with the city.” Jeff Rutledge reflected.

The area quickly became an unofficial arts district and in 1993, the City of Dayton designated the Santa Clara area as a “Town Center.” This program, now defunct, opened up city resources, as had been done for the Oregon District and the Belmont Business District in the past. The resources were earmarked for marketing, promotion and research for the burgeoning art district and hopes were high that the partnership between the district and the city would flourish as it had in the Oregon District.

Steve Nutt, who was the Dayton City Planner at the time and very active in the developing scene says “the ‘Town Center’ designation was made by a staff recommendation that was approved by the city commission. The ‘Town Center’ was made by geographical location and targeted those business districts. There was never really a contract made because there was no real entity to make an agreement with. It was more of a working agreement wherein the city worked with the business district…it was an informal partnership with the city and the business district.” Steve had left the area over a year before the ‘Town Center’ project finally shut down. He works as Director Strategic Development for CityWide Development now.

The ‘Town Center designation was comprised of several components that applied to every ‘Town Center’ locale; façade grants, incentives for new businesses, such as free rent for the first month or two and promotional and marketing funds. The money was made available to the districts on a first come, first serve basis and available through an application process. One of the first initiatives that were taken was to unify the district through the installation of matching storefront awnings and a linked lighting scheme. Neon lights were to be installed along the district giving the area it’s own distinctive flair. The first attempt at this ended somewhat anti-climatically. The bid was granted to a contractor who was apparently wholly unprepared for the task. Wiring insulation was sub-standard, causing a fire on one of the buildings and just outright inoperable on others.

Parking for the newly christened arts district and ‘Town Center’ was established when Joe Dierkers offered the city two houses that his partnership owned.

“I donated two buildings and the city tore them down to provide a parking lot.” he remembers, “They (the city) were supposed to acquire the, third (house) but that never materialized.”

Joe Dierkers kept the integrity of the area in the forefront with his ability to deal with potential tenants on an individual basis. He would scale the rent for those who planned to open an arts based business, knowing that they would be unable to pay a higher lease and also that another artisan establishment would add to the overall ambience of the area. He also turned away some prospective retailers that wanted to open businesses that did not fit in with the district’s sweeping vision. This business acumen paid off when in 1996, the area was at around 93% occupancy and, by Joe’s accounts, rose to 99% by 1999.

Things started to fray around the edges when a local branch of National City Bank decided to close its branch at the corner of Ridge Ave. and N. Main St.

Joe Dierkers says that “the businesses in the area felt like having a neighborhood bank was a stabilizing influence. We went to the City Council to oppose the closure, but we weren’t even allowed to voice our concerns or make our presentation. We felt that there was a lack of commitment from National City to the inner city.”

Around 1996, the local businesses began to feel as if the support from the city was being slowly withdrawn.

“The focus of the city’s efforts went elsewhere, which is not a criticism. There were times when there could have been some support, but there almost seemed to be an abandonment.” says Joe Dierkers. “The city made an effort in the beginning. They installed the awnings, lighting, parking lots and improved the sidewalks. They started a community based policing program. I even provided an office for them to use, rent-free. We had a community-based officer who really got to know the business owners and the neighborhoods. She got rid of the panhandlers, who were one of the main problems in the area at the time. A year later, they (the city) switched from supporting it to giving it lip service. The community officers were pulled off and placed elsewhere. I took back the office that I had let them use because nobody was ever there.” In an almost despondent tone, Joe finished by stating that, “In retrospect, the support probably went away much quicker then we realized, but at the time, it seemed like a slow distancing.”

Jeff Rutledge remembers the slow retreat of support as, “…ending very quietly and with no warning and no explanations, like a thief in the night. They didn’t want to admit that they were changing directions. It was rude and very unprofessional and sneaky. They didn’t want to talk or explain it to us. That was the killing blow and we lost momentum and morale. I don’t trust the city anymore.”

Jim McCarthy, the owner of ‘Q’ located at 1966 N. Main St. reflects that, “The City had a good thing going when they were encouraging small businesses to move into the district and made funding available to assist the businesses with signage, awnings, and other amenities that made for a more attractive, walk-able business district. But then all of that funding dried up…”

There were other issues that the area was dealing with besides the slow withdrawal of city support. The residential neighborhood itself was changing radically. There were more and more abandoned properties, absentee landlords and a pervasively negative element moving in. Violent crimes and crimes against the properties became more of a day to day issue for the local businesses. Our very own paper once resided in the corner building at Santa Clara Ave. and N. Main St., but were forced to move from the area do to the increase in criminal activity.

According to the current publisher of the Dayton City Paper, Kerry Farley, “The reason we left the district was pretty simple. Three incidents of theft… an office load of computers stolen each time in less than two years. Police quite simply told us it was the work of local crack addicts. (The) insurance company simply refused to allow us to continue filing these claims as, at some point, it becomes sheer irresponsibility on our part to continue staying there.”

Jim McCarthy explains that, “…the “usual suspects” of any area that is struggling with high poverty rates crept in; including prostitution, petty crime, vandalism, and drug trafficking.”

Jim Haskins, the owner of The Color Purple sums up the overall feeling with, “What ultimately caused the complete demise within the area was the crime and the decline of the residential neighborhoods.”

Currently, the ORION Solution Project is targeting the Santa Clara, Riverdale and Wolf Creek/Old Dayton View neighborhoods. The program is being met with well earned praise and support from the local communities. The ORION Solution has allocated more police officers to identified problem areas and initiated walking patrols for the officers. They are boarding and securing the abandoned properties and have developed youth mentoring and skill building programs. In deference to all that is being done by this project, one has to ask why the community based policing program initiated and effectively proven in the early days of the Santa Clara Arts District was abandoned. From all accounts, it was a program that worked and had the endorsement of the local businesses and neighbors.

There are other programs that various city offices and development groups are working on in adjacent neighborhoods. There was a recent survey and identification of historical properties in the Five Oaks area. There is the Great Miami Blvd. Connector which is proposed to create a business corridor along the lower section of N. Main St. Dayton Public Schools plans to invest 20M in a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school at the site of the old Julienne High school, which has just been recently added to the National Historical Register. While all of these projects and plans are fantastic news, the spillover effect may not even be felt in the Santa Clara area.

Joe Dierkers related this story to me, which seems to sum up the propensity for the city to take up a project, only to abandon it in midstream in favor of a new project. There was a store owned by Mel Smith located on W. Fairview Ave. Business had been slow for Mel lately and Joe offered him a large storefront in the Santa Clara area. Mel’s Fine Furniture and Interior Design’s business picked up substantially. Shortly thereafter, the city, in an effort to bolster a shopping center development on N. Gettysburg, offered Mel certain incentives to move his established business there.

“They (the city) paid for the move and made him some type of deal concerning the rent, but he was unable to maintain his business in (that market) and soon went out of business. Now it seemed that the city was not just ignoring us, but working aggressively against us.”

With the recent coverage of Dayton being ranked 84th in America as a desirable place to live in the latest edition of Cities Ranked & Rated, there are a few questions that enter my mind. With the most outstanding ratings being in the “arts & culture” area, I wonder if the city is planning to capitalize on this fact. They could start an arts district, replete with galleries, restaurants, and unique boutiques. I know just the place.

 

Filed Under: Street-Level Art Tagged With: abandoned, crime, Dayton, disuse, downtown, J.T. Ryder, politics, Santa Clara Arts Dsitrict

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5:00 pm
The Market

Yoga – Arcade Arts & Wellness

5:30 pm
Dayton Arcade

Skeeball Tournament

7:00 pm
On Par Entertainment

Trivia Night at Alematic

7:00 pm
Alematic Artisan Ales

Live Trivia

7:00 pm
Star City Brewing Company
+ 1 More

Lebanon Farmers Market

4:00 pm
Bicentennial Park

3rd Annual Crab Rangoon Eating Contest

5:00 pm
Loose Ends Brewing

Grapes & Groves

5:00 pm
Heather's Coffee & Cafe

Middletown July 3rd Fireworks + Festival

5:00 pm
Smith Park

Centerville Americana Festival

5:00 pm
Benham's Grove

Member’s Group Crit Night

5:30 pm
The Contemporary Dayton

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

Open Collage Night

6:00 pm
The Contemporary Dayton

Vandalia Star Spangled Celebration

6:00 pm
Vandalia Rec Center

Fun Trivia! Prizes!

7:00 pm
Bock Family Brewing

Coral Moons

7:00 pm
Levitt Pavilion

THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD

7:30 pm
The Neon
+ 4 More

West Milton Red, White & Run 5k

8:00 am

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

4:00 pm
Rip Rap Roadhouse

Kevin Sonnycalb Memorial Fireworks Festival

4:00 pm
Shawnee Park

What The Taco?!

4:00 pm
Fairborn July 4th concert & fireworks

Wheel Fresh Pizza

5:00 pm
Centennial Park

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

6:00 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

Kettering Go Fourth!

6:00 pm
Delco Park

Star Spangled Boom – Moraine

6:00 pm
Wax Park

Beavercreek’s 4th of July Celebration

6:00 pm
Rotary Park

Dave’d and Confused

7:00 pm
Heather's Coffee & Cafe

Honoring our Veterans concert ft. The Scotty Bratcher Band

7:00 pm
Levitt Pavilion

Midnight in the City

9:00 pm
Flavor House Event Center
+ 5 More
Ongoing

Boom Bap in Belmont

9:00 pm
belmont billiards

Cars and Coffee

8:00 am
Austin Landing

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

8:00 am
John Bryan Community Center

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

8:30 am
Franklin Farmers Market

Oakwood Farmers Market

9:00 am
Oakwood Farmers Market

Greene County Farmers Market

9:00 am
Beavercreek Farmers Market

Shiloh Farmers Market

9:00 am
Shiloh Church

The Buzz about Bees

10:00 am
Cox Arboretum

Farmers Market at The Heights

10:00 am
Eichelberger Amphitheater

New Carlisle Farmer’s Market

10:00 am
Downtown New Carlisle

6888 Summer Marketplace

10:00 am
6888 Kitchen Incubator

Beginner Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga

2:00 pm
RiverScape MetroPark

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

 Voices of Vision: Karaoke Fundraiser for the Arts 

6:00 pm
Cosmo Joe's Atomic Lounge

Land of the Free Home of the Jokes

7:00 pm
Laugh Zone House of Comedy

Sinkane

7:00 pm
Levitt Pavilion

Moonlight Bike Ride

7:00 pm
Greene County Parks and Trails Headquarters
+ 9 More

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

9:00 am
Downtown Troy

Filled Pasta Class

11:30 am
Grist

Mozzarella & Mimosas

12:00 pm
cheese class

Montgomery County Fair – Red White & Bloom

12:00 pm
Montgomery County Fairgrounds

Matilda: The Musical

6:00 pm
La Comedia

24K Magic: #1 Tribute to Bruno Mars

7:00 pm
Stubbs Park

Dayton Poetry Slam

7:30 pm
yellow cab tavern

Becca’s LOTD Dart Tournament

7:30 pm
Miami Valley Sports Bar

Weird Al BIGGER & WEIRDER 2025 Tour

8:00 pm
Fraze Pavilion

Chicago Plays The Rose

8:00 pm
The Rose Music Center At The Heights

Sunday Funday Karaoke

9:00 pm
The Barrel
+ 3 More

Week of Events

Mon 30

Tue 1

Wed 2

Thu 3

Fri 4

Sat 5

Sun 6

10:30 am - 11:30 am

Community Clothing Swap

June 30 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Community Clothing Swap

Come join us at the Russ Nature Reserve for a fun day of swapping clothes with your neighbors! Bring your...

Free
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

June 30 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Recurring

Color Our World – The Art of Stories

Each session of this freeform art class will focus on a different children's book illustrators' works and provide children an...

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Rolling Easy

June 30 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Rolling Easy

Mobile food trailer w/ freshly made street food: crispy wonton rolls filled with fresh ingredients, prime rib sliders, grilled cheese...

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

June 30 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

$3 Burger Night

From 5-10pm you can choose from the following: for $3 - it's a plain burger on a bun, $4 -...

$3
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Mommy and Me Yoga

June 30 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Mommy and Me Yoga

You asked for it, and here it is- EVENING Mommy and Me Yoga at The Well! https://bit.ly/mommyandmeyogathewell But it's not...

$18
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Recurring

Monday Trivia Night

June 30 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Recurring

Monday Trivia Night

Got a case of the Mondays?  Come in and enjoy a night of trivia, good food, drinks, and company. Join...

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Recurring

Chess Club!

June 30 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Recurring

Chess Club!

The club is open to players of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced players.

Free
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

LGBT AA group

June 30 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

LGBT AA group

The All-Inclusive Alcoholics Anonymous Group (AA) meeting was formed to be inclusive for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as...

Free
+ 2 More
12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

July 1 @ 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Schmidt’s Sausage Truck

12:30 pm - 7:30 pm Recurring

Next Up Taste & Grill

July 1 @ 12:30 pm - 7:30 pm Recurring

Next Up Taste & Grill

1:00 pm

Taste of Northmont

July 1 @ 1:00 pm

Taste of Northmont

Get ready for a summer of delicious discoveries and exciting chances to win fantastic prizes! The Northmont Area Chamber of...

2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

July 1 @ 2:30 pm - 9:30 pm Recurring

Bargain Tuesday: $6.50 Movie Day

Tuesday at the Neon in Downtown Dayton movies are just $6.50

$6.50
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Cloud Park Food Truck Rally

July 1 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Cloud Park Food Truck Rally

Get ready for a delicious summer in Huber Heights! Join us every other Tuesday starting May 6th through September 9th...

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Lazy Baker Pizza Maker

July 1 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Lazy Baker Pizza Maker

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Patio Pounders

July 1 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Patio Pounders

Enjoy a curated selection of wines that capture the essence of patios in every pour! We will be offering small...

$20
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

July 1 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Tai Chi & Qigong at the River

Offered by Immortal Tree Qigong. Each hour-long Tai Chi & Qigong session will start with breathing exercises, warm up, and...

Free
+ 3 More
9:45 am - 3:00 pm Recurring

ILLYS Fire Pizza

July 2 @ 9:45 am - 3:00 pm Recurring

ILLYS Fire Pizza

We are a mobile wood fired pizza company that specialize in turkey products such as Turkey pepperoni, Italian Turkey sausage,...

10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

July 2 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Fairborn Farmers Market

The Fairborn Farmers Market was established with the intent to provide the Fairborn community access to fresh and wholesome products...

Free
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

July 2 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Trotwood Community Market (presented by American Legion Post 613)

A celebration of locally sourced foods and products from small businesses in Trotwood and the surrounding communities! Stop by and...

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

July 2 @ 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Miamisburg Farmers Market

Miamisburg Farmers MarketAt Miamisburg Christian Church parking lot.1146 E. Central Ave in Miamisburg.Fresh Produce, sweet treats, food trucks and more..

5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

What the Taco?!

July 2 @ 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

What the Taco?!

Chipotle Chicken Taco GRILLED CHICKEN, SHREDDED LETTUCE, PICO DE GALLO, CILANTRO SOUR CREAM & MONTEREY JACK $10.00 Ground Beef Taco...

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Recurring

Yoga – Arcade Arts & Wellness

July 2 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Recurring

Yoga – Arcade Arts & Wellness

The 2025 Arcade Arts & Wellness Series is a rejuvenating journey with a variety of local yoga instructors amidst the...

Free
7:00 pm

Skeeball Tournament

July 2 @ 7:00 pm

Skeeball Tournament

**Skeeball Tournament – First Wednesday of Every Month!** J Welcome to the Skeeball Tournament at Level Up Pinball Bar! Get ready to roll...

$7.18
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

Trivia Night at Alematic

July 2 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

Trivia Night at Alematic

Grab some friends and join us every Wednesday night at the brewery for a pint of your favorite ALEMATIC brew...

+ 1 More
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

July 3 @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Lebanon Farmers Market

The Lebanon Farmers Market is open 4 pm to 7 pm every Thursday mid-May through mid-October.  We are located in...

5:00 pm

3rd Annual Crab Rangoon Eating Contest

July 3 @ 5:00 pm

3rd Annual Crab Rangoon Eating Contest

It’s back—and bigger than ever. Join us for the 3rd Annual Crab Rangoon Eating Contest at Loose Ends Brewing. Last...

$15
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Grapes & Groves

July 3 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Grapes & Groves

Join us every Thursday to Taste Wine at your own pace. Each Thursday we will have one of our highly...

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Middletown July 3rd Fireworks + Festival

July 3 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Middletown July 3rd Fireworks + Festival

5-10 PM: Free Kids Zone, including face painting and inflatables 6-7:30 PM: Live Music 7:30-8 PM: National Anthem Flag Jump...

5:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Centerville Americana Festival

July 3 @ 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Centerville Americana Festival

The Americana Festival Committee is excited to bring the Centerville – Washington Township community together once again for what promises...

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Member’s Group Crit Night

July 3 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Recurring

Member’s Group Crit Night

Thursdays / 5:30-7 p / Jun 12 / Jul 3 / Aug 7 Exclusive for Co Members / Become a...

6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

July 3 @ 6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

Winner of 47 International Awards! Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and special powers. She's unloved by...

$39 – $79
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Open Collage Night

July 3 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Recurring

Open Collage Night

Admission is $10 per person at the door / Free for Co Members / Become a Member at codayton.org/membership Join...

$10
+ 4 More
8:00 am - 9:00 am

West Milton Red, White & Run 5k

July 4 @ 8:00 am - 9:00 am

West Milton Red, White & Run 5k

Description The Red, White, and Run 5k in West Milton will be held on July 4th!  This fun and enjoyable...

$30
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

July 4 @ 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Recurring

Cruise In at the Roadhouse

Cruise In at the Roadhouse is taking place at Rip Rap Roadhouse, which is located at 6024 Rip Rap Rd. in Huber Heights....

4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Kevin Sonnycalb Memorial Fireworks Festival

July 4 @ 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Kevin Sonnycalb Memorial Fireworks Festival

The Kevin Sonnycalb Memorial Fireworks Festival is Xenia’s signature Independence Day celebration, held at Shawnee Park. This event is hosted alongside the Red, White &...

4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

What The Taco?!

July 4 @ 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

What The Taco?!

Chipotle Chicken Taco GRILLED CHICKEN, SHREDDED LETTUCE, PICO DE GALLO, CILANTRO SOUR CREAM & MONTEREY JACK $10.00 Ground Beef Taco...

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Wheel Fresh Pizza

July 4 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Wheel Fresh Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza Classic pepperoni, mozzarella, provolone and fresh-made sauce $17.00 Cheese Pizza Mozzarella/Provolone blend, and fresh-made pizza sauce $16.00 Sausage...

6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

July 4 @ 6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

Winner of 47 International Awards! Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and special powers. She's unloved by...

$39 – $79
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

July 4 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Recurring

LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark

Join us every Friday night at 6pm for Dayton's Best LIVE TRIVIA with Trivia Shark at Miami Valley Sports Bar!...

6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Kettering Go Fourth!

July 4 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Kettering Go Fourth!

Go Fourth! is Kettering’s premier Independence Day celebration, featuring live entertainment, food trucks, bounce houses, and a spectacular fireworks and drone show. Hosted...

+ 5 More
8:00 am - 11:00 am

Cars and Coffee

July 5 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Cars and Coffee

Join SW Ohio's most passionate car enthusiasts with this nationally recognized gathering. As the largest Cars and Coffee gathering in...

Free
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

July 5 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Yellow Springs Farmers Market

For over 20 years this market has been made up of a hardworking group of men, women and children, dedicated...

8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

July 5 @ 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Franklin Farmers Market

Join us every Saturday through Sept 13, 8.30 a.m. - 12 p.m. for local products including fresh produce, honey/jams, and...

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

July 5 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Oakwood Farmers Market

The 2025 Oakwood Farmers’ Market will be held Saturdays, June 7th thru October 11th, from 9 am until 12pm. The...

9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

July 5 @ 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Recurring

Greene County Farmers Market

The outdoor Farmers Market on Indian Ripple Rd. in Beavercreek runs Saturdays, 9-1 even during the winter months. Check out...

9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

July 5 @ 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Shiloh Farmers Market

The farmers’ market is located on the corner of Main St. & Philadelphia Dr, in the parking lot of Shiloh...

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

The Buzz about Bees

July 5 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

The Buzz about Bees

Dive into the fascinating world of bumblebees and bees as we explore the vital roles and ecosystem services that these...

$3
10:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Farmers Market at The Heights

July 5 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Recurring

Farmers Market at The Heights

Join us for the Farmers Market at The Heights Saturdays 10a-2pm. All products are either homemade or homegrown or support...

+ 9 More
9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

July 6 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Recurring

Downtown Troy Farmers’ Market

Downtown Troy Farmers' Market will run Saturday mornings 9:00 am to 12:00 pm from June 22nd, 2013 through September 21st,...

11:30 am - 5:00 pm

Filled Pasta Class

July 6 @ 11:30 am - 5:00 pm

Filled Pasta Class

Join Chef Casey in a hands-on culinary adventure and learn what makes our pasta so delicious! You'll try your hand...

$128
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Recurring

Mozzarella & Mimosas

July 6 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Recurring

Mozzarella & Mimosas

$30
12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Montgomery County Fair – Red White & Bloom

July 6 @ 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Montgomery County Fair – Red White & Bloom

Summer's biggest celebration is just around the corner!  This year's theme, "Red, White & Bloom," promises a week-long celebration of community,...

6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

July 6 @ 6:00 pm Recurring

Matilda: The Musical

Winner of 47 International Awards! Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and special powers. She's unloved by...

$39 – $79
7:00 pm

24K Magic: #1 Tribute to Bruno Mars

July 6 @ 7:00 pm

24K Magic: #1 Tribute to Bruno Mars

All concerts are free. Food trucks and beer sales will be available for guests to enjoy. Friday night Party in the...

Free
7:30 pm Recurring

Dayton Poetry Slam

July 6 @ 7:30 pm Recurring

Dayton Poetry Slam

Dayton's longest running poetry show is celebrating it's 24th year.  Open mics, competitions, and featured poets await you twice a...

$3
7:30 pm - 11:30 pm Recurring

Becca’s LOTD Dart Tournament

July 6 @ 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm Recurring

Becca’s LOTD Dart Tournament

Every Sunday night at Miami Valley Sports Bar -- a Luck of the Draw Dart Tournament hosted by Becca. $10...

$10.00
+ 3 More
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