Task force to shape future of Oregon District

Dayton Business Journal - December 1, 2006

 

The Oregon District Business Association has entered into an agreement with the city of Dayton to create a task force that will draft a five-year plan for the future of the Oregon District.

 

The task force, to be created within the next month, will be made up of individuals from the city, the business association, the Oregon Historic District Society and Citywide Development Corp., said Tom Tornatore, trustee of the business association.

 

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This should be interesting.

 

You don't want to look like The Greene ...

 

...But the Greene wants to look like you (sort of).

 

 

 

 

With both businesses and residents participating in this, it will be interesting to see what consensus they reach on the liquor license issue...the businesses generally being supportive of liquor licenses and the residents generally opposed to additional ones.

I still feel that unless some more higher paying jobs comes to the Dayton area to replace the manufacturing jobs lost with Delphi and GM, retail and food will not be sustained. In turn, no business at the Greene will be able to employ and pay the outrageous rent there for a long period of time. IMHO

kdogg73 does have a point, but it is possible that developments like Ballpark Village and a revitalized Oregon District will help the city attract businesses that want to locate in a vibrant downtown area. 

 

Also, it is a classic chicken-egg dilemma...  The region needs a talented and educated workforce in order to attract high-paying businesses.  Talented and educated workers want to live in a region that has a strong vibrant downtown (Dayton is already losing many educated younger people to places like Columbus, a city ironically experiencing its own brain-drain).  So yes, there is logic to building the amenities first so that the talent and businesses will follow.  But if that is the plan, then they better figure out how to attract those bigger businesses quickly, or this region will soon experience a lot of very nice vacant retail space.

 

Getting back to the Oregon District - they need two things:  A parking garage (one already exists at the Greyhound Station less than a block away but isn't marketed properly), and the elimination of the liquor license limit.  That limit came about because of a small minority of vocal residents that don't seem to understand that the limit actually hurts them because it creates an inflated value to the liquor licenses that do exist.  Because of that inflated value, the "less-desired" bars that the residents don't want in the neighborhood will never sell, and there is zero opportunity for classier bars and restaurants to take their place.

 

I did see the plan for an improved parking lot behind Jay's, Thai Nine, Gem City Records, etc.  Though there is certainly alot that could be done to improve the asthetics, I really don't know how they can squeeze many more parking spots in there.  A parking garage would make much more sense.

They need to market the Convention Center/Gilly's parking garage, as it's *gasps* a block from the district.

State board votes for Oregon District deli in liquor license case

Dayton Business Journal - 10:04 AM EST Tuesday 1/29/2007

by Yvonne Teems

DBJ Staff Reporter

 

The Fifth Street Wine and Deli in the Oregon District is one step closer to obtaining a liquor license.

 

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control Jan. 26 overruled an objection to the shop's liquor license application by the city of Dayton. The city has 30 days to appeal.

 

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And the Oregon Arts District was born...