LET’S GET TO WORK
Interesting projects in downtown Dayton
Construction season is well underway, and workers in hardhats are banging hammers and whirring drills at sites all across the city of Dayton.
But a few projects in downtown’s inner-ring neighborhoods so far have flown under the radar, even though they potentially could add interesting new housing, amenities and destination options to Dayton.
Patterson-Kennedy school site
A group called RENVC Dayton II LLC has purchased the former home of the Patterson-Kennedy school at 258 Wyoming St. near Miami Valley Hospital and the University of Dayton.
The company bought the nearly 3.3-acre site at auction and took ownership last month. RENVC Dayton II took out a $715,000 mortgage for the acquisition.
“We hope to develop the site and hope to get started in the next six months,” said Robert Fiorita, principal of Dublin-based New Village Communities, the parent company that specializes in property development and management. New Village Communities developed Bishop Square in Oxford, which is a mixed-use development at a former Walmart property featuring Marco’s Pizza, Tim Hortons, Oxford Lane Liberty, Great Clips and other businesses.
Fiorita declined to discuss his plans for the Patterson-Kennedy property at this time, but said he expects to soon appear before the Dayton Plan Board to share details. Fiorita said RENVC Dayton II recently had a good meeting with the city.
“They’re excited, we’re excited and we can’t get started soon
enough, as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
The property is zoned campus institutional, which means the property needs a general development plan that is approved by Dayton’s Plan Board and city commission, said Tony Kroeger, Dayton’s director of planning and community development.
Kroeger said he does not know what type of project to expect on the site, but he imagines the project would include residential units.
New homes in South Park
Less than half a mile from the Patterson-Kennedy site are a couple of new contemporary-style homes being built by the owners of the nearby Coco’s Bistro.
Located at Lincoln and Pulaski streets, the single-family homes are one story and have sloped roofs. They will offer about 1,178 square feet of space and open-concept kitchen, living and dining spaces.
“They are modern, energy-efficient,” said Kroeger.
He added, “Here we have market-rate housing, being developed by somebody who didn’t come asking for anything from the public first.”
Owners Jim Gagnet and Karen Wick-Gagnet have helped return vacant housing to productive use on the western edge of South Park.
Last year, Jim Gagnet told this newspaper he hoped to build as many as a dozen new homes in the area.
Proposed wine bar
In East Dayton, the owner of a residential property at 1619 E. Fifth St. proposes opening a new wine bar and delicatessen, according to a city of Dayton documents.
Owner Dan Lauricella proposes to create a wine bar that would occupy about 954 square feet of space.
In May, the Dayton Board of Zoning Appeals approved a conditional use request to turn a grassy lot into restricted parking for a new indoor dining restaurant.
The proposed business is one block east of the Gem City Catfé and just down the block from Fifth Street Brewpub.