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Rediscover Downtown Dayton Action Plan

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This spring, an effort was launched with public and private leaders to create the Rediscover Downtown Dayton Action Plan, with the goal of identifying short-term and long-term recommendations and setting a vision for downtown’s recovery following the pandemic shutdown. The Action Plan provides a series of targeted strategies and initiatives that will continue the momentum of growth that Dayton businesses, employees, residents, and visitors have worked on over the past several years.

“Coming out of the pandemic, it was clear that strategic actions would need to be taken by stakeholders from across the downtown Dayton landscape to ensure the blueprint for downtown Dayton success that began with the launch of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan in 2010 continues well into the future,” said Sandra K. Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “Our partners knew that we could quickly and proactively come together to make a plan that would leverage the opportunities that were created by the pandemic, including available relief funding and the community’s desire to rediscover life in the core of our city.”

The Rediscover Downtown Dayton Action Plan steering committee formed in early spring, led by co-chairs City of Dayton Commissioner Chris Shaw and Dan McCabe, Chief of Staff at CareSource and the CEO of the CareSource Foundation. The steering committee recruited 100 community volunteers and stakeholders who are committed to downtown’s continued growth and recovery. The team of diverse leaders, business owners, residents and stakeholders worked over a few months, and convened eight different subcommittees, including:

• Future of Office                                                 • First Floor & Small Business Relief

• Outdoors & Recreation                                    • Downtown Development

• Arts, Entertainment, Culture & Venues       • Public Realm & Transportation

• Residents                                                            • Marketing

Out of many meetings and discussions, each subcommittee outlined hurdles caused by the pandemic and then produced a list of recommendations that could  be addressed immediately or planned for in the near future, to ensure the success of downtown Dayton. The full Downtown Dayton Rediscover Action Plan and recommendations can be found at: www.downtowndayton.org/rediscover  

“We are inspired by the energy and enthusiasm that has shown through this planning process,” said co-chair Chris Shaw. “The proactive work that was done to form this plan, and the commitment we already have from stakeholders to bring recommendations to life, proves that the entire downtown Dayton community is in this together.”

“This Action Plan shows that not only our business network, but also the people who live downtown and who come to downtown to enjoy the amenities here, are on board to accelerate downtown’s recovery,” said co-chair Dan McCabe. “We are now inviting our entire community to learn about these efforts and to support our downtown community as we work to bring the vision to life.”

Some of the short-term action items have already been underway, including a Rediscover Downtown Dayton marketing initiative of downtown businesses, partners and stakeholders working to rally the core of the city out of the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown.

Office leaders who have begun to welcome employees back, or who are planning to soon reconvene their teams in downtown workspaces are also using tactics recommended by the Downtown Recovery Plan.

“Despite all the struggles that have come with the pandemic, progress continues,” Gudorf said. “There is much more work to be done, but the Action Plan can serve as a guide for how we can shape the future of downtown Dayton.”

The challenges of 2020 did not stop the growth and redevelopment in downtown Dayton that has been in the works for several years, and last year $90 million of projects were completed in downtown Dayton. Confidence in downtown’s momentum remains strong, with more than $200 million of planned projects in the pipeline.Throughout the pandemic, the community rallied around several relief efforts that were designed to help our independent small businesses that are the lifeblood of our city. Although commercial activity took a significant hit in Dayton and nationwide due to the pandemic, more than 20 new businesses opened in downtown Dayton in 2020.

More information on the efforts to grow downtown Dayton’s business and entrepreneurship network, attract visitors and residents, and create a community of vibrant arts, entertainment and culture can be found at www.downtowndayton.org.

DDP Revamps Strategy for Downtown Events

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first-friday-daytonFirst Friday seems like the right time for the Downtown Dayton Partnership to address the changing focus of their focus and strategy for promoting downtown Dayton as a premier place to live, work and play. Today, the landscape in downtown is changing – literally and figuratively – and the DDP, under the guidance of a team of downtown businesses, organizations, residents and advocates, announces a revised event strategy that reflects the evolution of downtown Dayton.

Events are an important part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a public-private partnership that supports key initiatives to revitalize Dayton’s urban core. “We know the DDP will continue to host events as a way to encourage people to visit downtown, and we enlisted the help of a special committee to review our existing event structure and determine how we can best use events to showcase downtown,” explained Downtown Dayton Partnership President Sandra Gudorf.

The Downtown Events Steering Committee is made up of a diverse group of downtown residents, business owners, arts organizations, nonprofits, and other engaged individuals. Dayton Business Journal’s  Carol Clark and Vectren President Colleen Ryan, both of whom live and work downtown, chaired The Downtown Events Steering Committee. The group reviewed existing DDP events and measured their performance against specific goals: Events must bring fun and excitement to downtown Dayton to attract visitors of all ages and backgrounds, create an economic generator for downtown businesses, and showcase downtown amenities, including music and culture, active lifestyles, dining and nightlife, urban living, and shopping.

“Downtown is seeing progress, and it’s crucial for us to continue the momentum,” Gudorf said. Housing is hot with hundreds of residential units under construction and millions more dollars invested. There are more independent retailers and restaurateurs throughout downtown. More small businesses are opening, and construction on renovated spaces and new projects continues to roll ahead. “We need to make sure our efforts reflect the changing downtown landscape,” she said.

Dayton-Urban-Nights

No more Urban Nights twice a year

The revamped event strategy calls for enhancing programming during First Friday and The Square Is Where, and breaking up the biannual Urban Nights events into more frequent, themed events. “The feedback we’ve collected from downtown businesses, residents, galleries and performing arts organizations, and other past Urban Nights participants indicated we needed to look at how we can use the content of Urban Nights and make it a more sustainable experience,” Gudorf said. “The purpose of Urban Nights—showcasing downtown’s arts, music, dining, shopping, nightlife and housing options—will still be part of the new event strategy. The nature of those events, the specific locations and the types of activities will be presented in a fresh, new format.”

“Look at everything that’s happening downtown: RiverScape River Run, bike share, the new Dayton Metro Library campus – how can we showcase everything our downtown has to offer, particularly to those who are unfamiliar with downtown or who haven’t visited in a long time?” asked Clark. In addition to assessing the impact of events on small businesses, the committee also evaluated downtown events hosted by other organizations, and existing and upcoming amenities to determine how DDP-sponsored public programming and events might best create long-term, sustainable growth.

“Public perception is changing, and we should be prepared to capitalize on that,” said Ryan. “Downtown’s small business owners need people coming through their doors more than a couple times a year. We reviewed best practices in other cities, worked with our partners, and listened to our downtown constituents to come up with ideas for events that meet those goals and generate lasting impact for businesses, residential units and cultural organizations.”

square-is-whereOther recommendations in the new DDP event strategy include nurturing partnerships and developing resources for businesses. Partnerships call for combined efforts in promotional efforts (such as the upcoming Wicked Deals that offers incentives for Wicked ticket holders to patronize downtown businesses), joint programming (such as building off existing or new events to enhance the visitor experience), and empowering advocates by offering a process for creative individuals and groups to apply to host a program or activity in conjunction with an event, supported by the DDP. “A successful events strategy will showcase the best attributes of downtown and engage the public on a number of levels,” Gudorf said.

The DDP and the steering committee are in the process of developing a calendar of events and reaching out to partner organizations for activity suggestions. Today, the schedule includes kicking off the summer season with an arts event on May 8, in conjunction with special events planned at the Dayton Visual Arts Center, K12/Tejas Gallery, RiverScape MetroPark and Sideshow X at the “Old” Yellow Cab Building. Coming up in June, the focus will switch to active living. “We will continue to showcase our downtown amenities, like our vibrant arts scene,” Gudorf said. “Focusing on a couple amenities at a time will stretch the activities out over the course of the summer, which will extend the economic impact for our businesses, creating sustainable growth.”

Gudorf stressed the importance of using events as tools to connect people to the city center, and the new event strategy will help achieve those goals: “Regardless of what an event is called, how often it takes place, or the precise location of the activities, DDP events will still put downtown’s best foot forward and provide one-of-a-kind experiences for newcomers and frequent guests alike,” she said.

 

If you’ve got an idea  for an activity or program you’d like to suggest to the DDP, use this link to fill out their online form.

 

Bike Share to Roll Into Dayton Spring 2015

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Community leaders gathered at Second Street Public Market today DSCF0919to announce the required $1 million in capital funding has been secured to launch a bike share program in Greater Downtown Dayton in 2015.  Earlier this month, Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) approved 2014 funding from the Federal Highway Administration Surface Transportation Program to cover capital costs for 22 bike share stations.  Mayor Nan Whaley announced that the City of Dayton has committed to providing $250,000 which includes a needed local match to secure the capital funds and partial operating support to launch the program.

bikeshareDayton’s bike share, which will launch in spring 2015, will feature 22 strategically located stations, all within an approximate two mile radius of downtown Dayton. Each station will contain six to ten bikes, totaling more than 200 bikes. Stations will be placed within 1/4 mile of one another so it users will not have to walk more than 5 minutes to find an available bike. All bikes are securely locked, require a membership or credit card to access and will allow for GPS tracking. Customers – who range from one-day users to annual subscribers – are able to take unlimited trips on the bikes. Trips may be up to 30-45 minutes in length and may go to any other station or back to the original location.

Brian Martin, Executive Director of MVRPC shared, “The role of alternative transportation modes—such as bike share—in enriching their communities is extremely important, and our own bike share program will enable Dayton to keep pace with similar cities who already enjoy the benefits of bike share.”

The Downtown Dayton Partnership has seen evidence that that bike share programs bolster urban vibrancy, are a major factor in downtown livability, and maximize the connectivity of existing public transit infrastructure. Dr. Michael Ervin, DDP Co-Chair said, “Advancing Dayton’s cycling culture is an important strategy in the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan.”  But it’s not just the Downtown Dayton Partnership who want to see this happen. Ervin continues, “Organizational partnerships have been crucial to the establishment of a viable strategy for Dayton’s bike share program, and they are a testament to the community’s enthusiasm for this initiative.”

The organizations that have stepped up to implement the bike share program include Greater Dayton RTA, Bike Miami Valley and MVRPC. Bike Miami Valley be securing staff over the next year to oversee customer management, sponsorship outreach, customer memberships, organizational partnerships, and marketing and promotions with plans to hire an Executive Director in late summer or early fall. Once the program is launched, RTA will maintain the bike share equipment and balance the distribution of bikes across the station network.  MVRPC identified the capital funding source and will provide additional support, including office space for bike share staff. Combined, these partnerships will lower the annual bike share operational costs by more than $135,000 each year.  Immediate next steps will be to issue an RFP (a required step since bike share will be run by a public agency) to select an equipment vendor and develop the program branding and name.

Mark Donaghy, Executive Director of Greater Dayton RTA sees bike share as a “last mile connector” and a long-anticipated asset DSCF0938in better serving RTA patrons and promoting bus ridership. Users can ride the bus into downtown and pick up a bike to get to their exact destination with fewer transfers and more convenience; bike share adds to a system of transportation options within the downtown area. Donaghy says, “We look forward to seeing this important community asset grow.”

Andy Williamson, with Bike Miami Valley shared, “Bike Miami Valley is excited that Dayton will join the collection of more than 25 cities across the U.S. with bike share transportation systems.”

Although bike share is growing in popularity across the nation, Dayton is the second city to announce that they’ve completed the process of securing the needed capital funds. An appropriate fit since Dayton was designated in 2010 as a bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists (with the goal to reach platinum level by 2020). Cincinnati is currently fundraising with hopes to launch Cincy Bike Share in the near future, and both Cleveland and University of Toledo are in research/planning modes with hopes to create their own bike share program.

But is Dayton ready? Scott Murphy with Bike Miami Valley says yes. Murphy explained, “We set out about a year and a half ago to study the feasibility of bike sharing in the Dayton region by benchmarking our community against others of similar size who have done bike sharing successfully. We looked at factors that correlate to actual bike share usage in other cities; things like population density, job density, where young people are clustered in our community.  What we found surprised us; not only does Dayton measure-up to these communities, we actually outpace other bike share cities of similar size for key bike share design factors.  The community is ready to do this.”

The idea is there, the plan is set, the money is confirmed: the reality of bike share roll out for Dayton in spring of 2015.