Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Special Improvement District Annual Meeting

The Downtown Dayton Partnership (DDP) hosted its annual review of progress in the Special Improvement District (SID) at the White House Event Center on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Property owners, business leaders, and community partners gathered as DDP staff and guest speakers took to the stage to highlight progress in the urban core.

Highlights from the event included brief presentations from Pam Plageman, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Convention Facilities Authority, and Jason Woodard, President of Woodard Development. Retail Lab participant Kia Wilson from Kia Cake & Co. shared an update on her new shop that will be opening in the Biltmore and Sarah Hackenbracht, President & CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, provided an update on the organization’s new space in the Fire Blocks District.

“Downtown progress was strong in 2021,” said Sandra K. Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “More than $1.65 billion in projects have been completed in the greater downtown since 2010. There are $600 million in projects in the works – things are definitely not slowing down, and the progress we have seen this year, despite the pandemic, is remarkable.”

From this year’s presentation, big numbers came out of the SID:

• Public and private-sector investments completed in greater downtown Dayton total $1.65 billion with $600 million in the pipeline.
• The Rediscover Downtown Dayton Action Plan engaged more than 100 community volunteers in identifying 11 priority recommendation areas for downtown’s pandemic recovery and future growth.
• Investments in downtown’s housing continued, with a 66% growth in downtown housing since 2015, and 80% growth since 2010.
• Despite the pandemic, new businesses opened their doors. 29 new first floor businesses in 2021.
• 20 new Black-owned businesses have opened downtown within the last 18 months.
• More than $200 million has been invested in projects within two blocks of Main Street. Since 2015, 75% of the total greater downtown investment has been in the core.
• 80 businesses are participating in Downtown Dollars, an e-gift card program that supports small businesses.
• The Downtown Ambassadors continue to earn high praise from downtown businesses and property owners for their roles in keeping the city clean and safe.