Billy@MostMetro

^ that's me in the yellow shirt on a bike ;) (not sure why they had to do the weird close up on me though)

We just got word that the City of Dayton has received a bronze designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists! :clap: :clap: Dayton joins Columbus as the only recognized cities in Ohio - an effort that began over 30 years ago when they started building the over 230 miles of connected trail in the Dayton Region and has continued with huge efforts by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, Five Rivers MetroParks, Miami Conservancy District and the City of Dayton. This is only the beginning as the forces that combined to apply for the BFC rating are now focused on pushing forward to gain silver status in two years. This is also great timing as Dayton is getting ready to open its new riverfront bicycle hub and pavilion at RiverScape - only the third such hub east of the Mississippi and first in a mid-sized city. Finally - those involved with outdoor recreational facilities are also working with area leaders on a regional master plan to make our rivers navigable and ultimately a magnet for economic development. Stay tuned...

Perhaps if we threatened to move out of Ohio if Republicans kill 3C? Help this FB Page go viral - join, and get your friends to join. Yes, it is just another FB page but perhaps its tone will get some attention...

From what I can tell (from talking to city planners and even going on driving tours of areas of the city targeted for significant demo), only neighborhoods that are already past the point of no return will see serious demo action. Dayton has several neighborhoods that look similar to the top picture that Jeffery posted, and I can tell you with certainty that those are not the types of neighborhoods that will see mass demo. Dayton has several neighborhoods that look like the bottom picture, and those are examples of where serious demo is going to occur, with large sections being turned into nature preserves. I agree that this must be done strategically, and that is the bigger question - what is the overall strategy?

^ wow, that is the most informative "insider" view of NCR I've read so far - thanks PrfctTimeOfDay! That is also an angle I hadn't heard before - moving NCR to Atlanta makes it more attractive to buyers. Thinking of it that way and considering the enormous amount of $$ Nuti would stand to personally make off a deal like that, the move really does make sense.

Does anybody have the article that the DDN did on Nuti back when he first became CEO? A reliable source (who actually met with Nuti at the beginning) tells me that Nuti was in fact receptive and accessible to local officials at the beginning, but the door seemed to close the day the DDN did a blistering column that trashed him. I had seen this rumor in some of the online chatter and didn't think something like that could have done it, but my source tells me that he really believes that was it. I don't know, could a tiny little local newspaper like the DDN actually have the ability to ruffle the feathers of a high-powered CEO from N.Y. to the point that he'd look at moving the entire company? Could it really come down to one man's ego?

Arena at Austin Pike is officially dead: http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2009/02/23/ddn022309arenaweb.html

I posted about the Dodge Arena at DMM as an example of an arena done for less than $16 million. I guarantee that a downtown arena will not look that ugly. The city planning department is pretty strict when it comes to new downtown building design. CareSource had to come back multiple times before the BZA approved their design, and the biggest sticking point was how the building design treated the adjacent pedestrian sidewalk on Main St. Same with Schuster Center. Both of those have glass exteriors that are complimentary to the urban environment outside. There is no reason to think that if an arena goes in at DHP that it won't have the same requirements. If it can't be done with an acceptable design and at a feasible price then it won't get built at all. Those of you (Jeffery) that keep insisting that this is going to end up looking like an cheap ugly blank box are really being quite a downer. At this point this is a proposal, nothing more. So try to have an open mind. We already have enough naysayers in Dayton without urban advocates here being negative about it.

Nutter Center has indicated that losing the Bombers will not be bad for them and will actually help them save a lot on operating costs. UD Arena has no ice capabilities (unless the retrofitted it like Nutter but from what I am told that was extremely expensive and has been full of structural problems). One could argue that Hara Arena fits the bill but is quite old; I've never been there but I'm told it is obsolete. A downtown arena would be a plus for the entire region. There is an online petition for people to show support for the proposed downtown arena and the Bombers - downtowndaytonarena.com. Even if you don't live near Dayton but support urban development over sprawl then please visit the site and consider signing it.

Another question that may be just as relevant is - how many bars/restaurants already existed near Toledo's Fifth Third Field, and how many existing buildings were there that had realistic potential to locate a bar/restaurant in? In Dayton's case, we have one lonely bar & grill that opened because of the Dragons (Brixx), and no empty buildings that would make sense for a bar/restaurant. So as much as people say the Dragons have been a huge success, I question whether or not those who decided on that location had any plan for subsequent development. I am guessing not. The proposed hockey arena at DHP in Dayton is within easy walking distance to several restaurants and bars in three directions (not much south of that location). And with more than just hockey happening there, the potential for a larger customer base for those existing restaurants and bars is greater than around Fifth Third Field. Not to mention that I'd guess hockey fans are more likely to go get drinks and food after a game than the typical family that goes to the Dragons game, has a couple hot dogs and gets back in the minivan and drives back to the burbs right after the game (if they even make it to the end of the game).

One more thing - if this is built at Austin Road, it will have all of the charm that Nutter Center has - a big arena in a sea of nothingness. I don't know anybody that likes going to the Nutter Center.

^ actually the Dayton Bombers would be a tiny part of this as they only play 40 (?) home games a year. It is everything else the arena could be used for that have already been mentioned - concerts, youth and adult hockey leagues, basketball tournaments, winter guard - the list goes on. And consider that this would greatly expand the convention center - imagine the events that the convention center could draw with that added space that they can't currently attract. Compared to Austin Road, it is a no-brainer. This adds more life to downtown as opposed to spreading it further into sprawl land. And the fact that there are three EXISTING parking garages with well over 2,000 spaces - and existing infrastructure like streets, sewers, etc. - means this is in fact a sustainable development. Austin Road would require all new - not sustainable development and ironically much more expensive.

Dave Hall Plaza is probably the most underutilized city park I've ever seen. A couple of so-so music fests in the summer and that is it. If that area was booming with residential buildings and life, and if that park was full of people other than a few homeless folks more than a couple times a year then I could see being more opposed to losing that park - but honestly, that part of downtown is DEAD. If an arena helps bring more life to that block then IMO it makes sense to sacrifice DHP. I do absolutely agree, however, with the concern about this nice looking glass-rendering ending up looking like a big sterile box. But knowing many people at the city's planning department (including its director), I am confident that the city would not allow anything that diminishes the pedestrian experience surrounding any new building or arena in downtown. I was in the BZA meetings that made CareSource go back to the drawing board a few times before they finally came back with a design that was acceptable to the Main Street sidewalk environment. In fact, the building's relationship to the sidewalk was the most discussed issue. I wasn't around for those same meetings for the Schuster building but that too has an abundance of glass that compliments the walking environment outside. These renderings are just that - renderings. If (and that is a big if) this project is to get off the ground, the final product may end up looking much different. So don't take too much stock in those drawings - they are meant to inspire and show what it could look like. But I hope people keep a little more open mind to the possibility rather than assume it will end up looking atrocious.

Hi all, We broke this story on the DMM Forum last night - the DDN is getting quicker at getting news from our site as they put out a story this morning (and originally gave us credit until the changed they article to be more 'official'). I'm on the new Greater Downtown Dayton Planning Committee and we have been discussing this with the owner of the Bombers over the past several weeks. For the Bombers - they are struggling at the Nutter Center because of a terrible location and an arena that is much too large and feels way too empty for the typical audience. Moving downtown makes sense for them because it is a much smaller arena (5,500 vs 10,000) and it is within walking distance to several downtown bars and restaurants (including the OD). For Downtown Dayton, this makes sense on MANY levels. First, the addition of another minor league team sports team is always a plus for downtown. But ironically the Bombers would play a relatively small role when compared to the MANY other uses for the arena. The region has several youth hockey leagues and adult leagues, and ice is high in demand. (they also are known to rent ice time at times from 6am to midnight). The new arena could be used for basketball tournaments and other sports - and with the adjacent Crown Plaza hotel, imagine the state tournaments that could happen there. A 5500-seat arena makes for a perfect concert venue for medium-tier music acts; if promoted effectively, Dayton could get a few music acts that currently play in Cinci or Columbus - knowing that Dayton could draw an audience from both larger cities (there is precedent for this with smaller acts at Canal Street Tavern) There are three parking garages that surround this downtown arena location with over 2,000 parking spaces (Transportation Center garage has over 1,400) - not to mention many street meters that are free after 6pm and all day Saturday and Sunday This arena would be connected to the Crown Plaza Hotel - which could actually supply food for events This new downtown arena could serve as an extension to the Dayton Convention Center across the street and connected by an existing skywalk This would be an example of Sustainable Development because it uses existing infrastructure as opposed to building all new parking garages, hotels, sewers, streets, etc. The same can not be said for the proposed Austin Road arena. Finally, while many have expressed disappointment in losing Dave Hall Plaza, the Greater Downtown Dayton Planning committee is working on developing alternative green space in several downtown locations, which could more than make up the loss of DHP. Also, DHP was actually originally planned for development, not a park - but that development fell through and nothing else ever happened. So this has always been available for development. You can see renderings of the new arena here.

We're only using Facebook to get the word out and make announcements to the public; the public input and discussions will occur on the DMM Forum: http://www.dayton.mostmetro.com/forum/index.php?board=63.0

Hey ink - here ya go: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=59117517931

Hi all - sorry I've been absent from UO for so long. I'm actually part of this new effort in Downtown Dayton, and I can truthfully say that this is different than anything done here before in terms of who is involved, how broad the plan is (much bigger than the CBD), and the actual partnership between business leaders, government leaders, institutional leaders, and private citizens. Here is an "official" description: The public and private sectors in Greater Downtown Dayton have joined forces to create a bold, unified plan for the region’s center city. The City of Dayton and the Downtown Dayton Partnership have convened a group of business and community leaders to spearhead this community-wide effort to establish a blueprint ― called A Greater Downtown Dayton Plan ― to help guide the future of Dayton’s urban core. A Greater Downtown Dayton Plan will establish a very tactical, deliberate game plan for the future of our Greater Downtown. It will identify collaborative ― not competitive ― strategies for creating a more vibrant city. In addition, it will merge existing plans into one unified vision for our center city, allowing our community to work from the same playbook as we tackle clearly identified action items that lead to one goal: a vibrant, thriving center city. We're using the DMM Forum for public input, and I invite any of you here on UO to participate (especially those who have a connection to Dayton - that means you, ColDayMan!). In the mean time I'll also monitor this thread here and answer any questions or suggestions you guys might have. Cheers! :clap:

That is good, because the out-going house speaker Jon Husted - Kettering (who allegedly really lives in Upper Arlington) is probably not a fan of cities as he was quoted in the DDN as saying: “We have been trying to make downtown (Dayton) a destination site my whole life that I’ve been here and it gets worse and worse and worse, because people don’t want to go there,” in answer to his support of the Austin Road Interchange/Sprawl Development project. He pissed more than a few people off with his comment...

Ok, it is true... here is what my friend from the DDP told me: "Yes, it is true. The April issue was the last for the Downtowner. The Dayton Daily News decided to eliminate the Downtowner a few months ago since they are launching a new ActiveDayton.com publication. Declining ad sales also were part of the reason. The new publication will be out later in April, and it will be a free weekly that is distributed throughout the area. The DDP is working with the DDN to make sure that our downtown events and activities are highlighted in the new publication. "

^ damn, I didn't know about that being the final issue. I'll find out what is up....

PhillyEngineer - is the the paragraph you are referring to?: "The Downtowner is a free publication that's all about the things happening in your downtown. It's produced monthly by the Dayton Daily News in cooperation with the Downtown Dayton Partnership and is distributed at locations throughout downtown. You can also view the last issue online." If so, I believe what the mean by "last issue" is actually "most recent issue" (since you can't view previous issues online, only the most current one).

I second what Ronnie said - while I think it would be great to rehab that huge old building, if it doesn't make financial sense then so be-it. It isn't like that building is some kind of architectural gem - it is a freaking warehouse for Christ's sake. Same goes for Mendelsons. Yeah, I know - I just pissed off more than one UOer with that remark. But seriously, what do you honestly think could be a viable reuse for that building. It is something like a million square feet! Again, if they could figure something out for reuse then I'd be the first to celebrate. But what I don't want to see is another huge vacant building that sits vacant for another 30 years rotting away (and making the whole area look like hell) while people sit around and hope that somebody will figure out what to do with it. We already have an Arcade that will be lucky to be rehabbed - that building IS an architectural gem and is worth saving. "So then what makes tech town different from the Research Park or a spec development in Greene County? Because its in Dayton? whoop-de-do." Jeffrey - the difference is that Tech Town will be adjacent to other new and pedestrian-minded development in BPV (hopefully) and will be connected to a pedestrian/bicycle trail along the river where people can walk to the rest of downtown. Research Park is a big parking lot with some buildings and absolutely no pedestrian features at all (at least what I've experienced there). Again, I'll agree with Ronnie's assessment.

I agree that we certainly don't need 5 porn shops within a 4 block radius... my point is that they're there and people shouldn't stay away from downtown or the OD because they are there. Anybody that refuses to come downtown because there is a porn store here is probably not going to find downtown to their liking anyway. The porn shops don't bother me half as much as all of the vacant buildings do. As for people wanting the gay bars to go away, well I would tell those people to not come downtown because they are the ones not welcome here. I live across the street from Aquarius and Masque (yes, I've been to Masque and Ronnie is correct - best sound/light system in the region), and they don't bother me. I have two neighbors that are gay, and they are some of my favorite people here. Of course, people that live downtown typically don't have the same prejudices that many other folks from across the region have. Of all the places I've lived, the Dayton Region (and probably the entire midwest for that matter) has a lot of work to do when it comes to tolerance.

^The streetcar project with an initial line going from UD to the OD/CBD is still very much alive; ironically Mike Ervin is involved in that one as well. It sounds like a $40million capital investment, but as other cities are proving - streetcar lines are responsible for many times their cost in new economic development. As for the XXX stores - all I can say is that the porn store business isn't what it used to be - now with people buying their "products" online. Don't be surprised if the OD's porn stores don't last too much longer. Btw - I've always found it amusing that so many people in this region are so put off by the XXX stores. Sure, we could stand to lose 4 out of 5 of them... but one would be ok. It is something else that can't be found at the Greene! :angel:

Oregon District - Using ART for Economic Development Once known for its seedy bars and seedier people (yes some are still there), the Oregon District has undergone a bit of a transformation over the past few years with places like Pacchia, Thai Nine, Cafe Boulevard, Jay's Seafood and John Henry making this one of the Dayton Region's only classy dining destinations for independent restaurant lovers. There have also been a few random art galleries to add to the urban experience, but nothing like what is being announced today.... At 10am today, community leader Dr. Michael Ervin and Dayton artist Mike Elsass along with the City of Dayton, City Wide Development and the DDP are officially announcing their efforts to transform the Oregon District's 5th Street into a unique and exciting urban arts district. The plan includes a significant subsidy for artists that wish to open galleries in one of several currently-empty spaces along 5th Street - enough so to make it possible for many artists to participate. You may have already noticed places like Gallery FiveOneNine, 510 Gallery (former Dolcessa space) and Visceral (across the street)... coming in March you'll also have a chance to see Elsass's own Color of Energy gallery behind Pacchia. At least 5 additional galleries are already in the works, with potentially many more yet to come. Dr. Ervin has kick-started this effort with $250k of seed money that will also go towards marketing the new arts district, implementing a design plan for 5th Street (see the PPS paragraph below), hiring an arts director for the district and directly helping the artists that are moving into the spaces. The plan includes more than visual art - one group is looking at bringing a holistic medicine center and yoga studio to the district. And this plan has sustainability in mind since it requires all artists to submit viable business plans before obtaining help with setting up their galleries. When it's all said and done, 5th Street will become the DEFACTO arts district of the entire region and may even give Columbus's famous Short North a run for their money. And as more and more people are attracted to this truly unique district for a taste of truly unique arts and culture (pay attention, Warren County) the district may finally become the interesting and authentic destination it has always striven to be. But wait, there's more! The folks behind this effort have a clear understanding of the challenges that the OD (and all of downtown for that matter) face in terms of attracting more people to visit here. Parking has always been near the top of those challenges, so the City of Dayton is stepping in and putting some serious money ($850k) into a total transformation of the parking lot behind Jays, Thai Nine and Gem City Records. The existing lot is to be completely torn out and then expanded (by over 70 spaces) and repaved with better lighting and landscaping. This lot will be FREE for OD visitors at night, and visitors will no longer be greeted with signs that say "Jay's Parking Only - Violators will be Towed!", etc. because the entire lot will be available to all. Yes, I know - we'd rather see a parking garage... but it is a start, people. And there are additional parking solutions on the drawing board to make the OD even MORE user friendly in the near future. Finally, Project for Public Spaces out of New York has been hired to come in and design some solutions for making 5th Street into a TRUE community place. Here is part of their mission statement: Imagine a town square bustling with people who are greeting each other, buying, selling, and exchanging ideas. For everyone striving to make public spaces better, PPS is that town square. Our vision is to act as the central hub of the global Placemaking movement, connecting people to ideas, expertise, and partners who share a passion for creating vital places. Since 1975, we have worked in more than 2,000 communities in 26 countries around the world, helping people turn their public spaces into vital community places, with programs, uses, and people-friendly settings that build local value and serve community needs. Yes, you read that right - 26 COUNTRIES... talk about a world class outfit! Hmm, sounds straight out of a Cool Town Studios post, doesn't it? Well I would not be surprised to soon see a post there about the crazy cool ideas being implemented right here in Downtown Dayton/OD District. All of this is coming from what we at MostMetro.com have been hyping here all along - not the city government or other bureaucratic agency, but a true grassroots effort spearheaded by people who passionately care about this community in which they live in and are a part of. Kudos to Dr. Ervin and Mike Elsass for having the vision to make this all possible. In the words of the great BTO (look it up, kiddies) - YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET!!!! From MostMetro.com