'Dream big': ideas for fairgrounds sought
‘This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,’ new owners say.
The public weighed in with hundreds of ideas for redeveloping the Montgomery County Fairgrounds site, including more housing, new restaurants, a grocery store and a wedding venue.
About 300 people gathered at the former fairgrounds Thursday to hear more about plans for the 38-acre site along South Main Street and share input with new owners Premier Health and the University of Dayton.
A common theme was findinga way to preserve the large Roundhouse at the site that dates to 1874.
Alison Kerlin, a recent UD graduate, said the developers could renovate the Roundhouse into
a large reception venue for events like weddings.
“There’s a lot of competition for event venues, but not any of them are unique as the Roundhouse,” Kerlin said.
Added Joe Meyers, a UD student at the same table: “The Roundhouse is great because it does preserve that Dayton feel. So it’s not just another Greene or an Easton Town Center.”
Premier and UD bought the property just south of downtown Dayton in April and are in the beginning stages of drawing up development plans.
UD President Eric Spina said input from the public will be an important part of shaping the best plan for the site, emphasizing that it is now a blank slate.
“We want people to feel they’ve been heard and we want good ideas,” Spina said.
Premier Health CEO Mary Boosalis told attendees that timing for the project is good because it will build on the momentum of other developments happening around the city.
“Let’s dream big,” she said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Attendees participated in small group discussions at the workshop and each table came up with prioritized lists of what they would like to see happen there.
The planning process will be led by Columbus-based planning NEXT, which works with communities on implementing their strategic plans. “Great, livable communities don’t just happen,” the agency says on its website. “They’re created.”
While the owners don’t have project specifics at this point, officials said they want the future development to be a safe, walkable environment that can help attract new businesses and young people.
Planning NEXT will use the input from the meeting t0 draft a development plan in December. The firm is aiming to have another public workshop in January before presenting its final proposal in February.
Amy Lee, a resident of the South Park neighborhood, said whatever is developed on the property should benefit the whole community, like with a mix of affordable and market rate housing.
“It has to be something that obviously makes economic sense, but this used to be public land and should be developed to serve some type of public purpose as well,” Lee said.