VANDALIA HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES GET FACELIFTS
Vandalia chooses Dixie Drive and National Road areas for visibility.
Businesses in Vandalia may be able to get a facelift with financial help from the city’s new facade program.
Eligible businesses include commercial and mixed-use buildings with commercial use on the first floor on South and North Dixie Drive, East National Road and Kenbrook Drive.
“We’re hoping to inspire investment in property and help businesses in those corridors,” said Amber Holloway, assistant city manager. “This is one way that we can make investments more tangible or realistic for some of our smaller businesses.”
Holloway said the areas of National Road and Dixie Drive were chosen because those streets have a lot of visibility. Many of the buildings on those streets are older, too. The city has also worked to improve those streets in recent years with new, decorative utility box wraps, streetscape and a comprehensive improvement plan, Holloway said.
The city is now accepting applications for the program.
Business owners or building owners can apply to the program for help with removing elements that cover architectural details, window replacement, awning replacement or repainting of facade or siding. The program will not cover interior improvements, landscaping, additions or projects already in progress. Priority will be given to projects with the highest visibility and impact on public streets.
Applicants must either own or be a business owner of an eligible building, improvements must be visible from the public right-ofway and the applicant must be current on property and Vandalia income taxes and show no delinquencies for the previous three year period. The applicant must also be able to show proof
encouraged to light a candle and reflect on the lives lost and why #DaytonShines.
Photo mosaic. This will be made of a collection of contributed pictures pieced together to create a memorial image. The final mosaic will showcase how the Dayton community continues to remember the people killed and how the community came together to make Dayton shine. The final design will be unveiled Aug. 4 at daytonohio.gov/DaytonShines. Everyone can participate in the community project, but the deadline to submit a photo is 5 p.m. Aug. 2.
To submit a photo for the memorial mosaic:
1. Take a photo of yourself, your family/friends, or something that represents how #DaytonShines (photos in a square format are preferred, but not required).
2. Text the photo to 937230-7547.
3. Reply “yes” to the automated text response to confirm the photo entry into the mosaic.
Remembrance Candles. They will be sold for use during the Nine Minutes of Silence. Candles are $10/ each from now until Aug. 2 at noon. They can be purchased at www.1880candleco.com/daytonshines. All
Dayton’s Darkest Summer: The Rise from Tragedy. This 17-minute documentary looks at the tornadoes and mass shooting that devastated lives across the Dayton region last year. “Dayton’s Darkest Summer” is the fifth documentary produced by University of Dayton media production students, with help of media specialists. The documentary premiered online in May, with screenings on three nights hosted by the Department of Communication via Zoom. A re-release is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug.
Contact this contributing writer at Cornelius.Frolik@ coxinc.com.