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By Jeffrey, on March 31st, 2009
The mid-block connector and transportation center re-work concepts continue to intrigue.
As excellent as the Rogero-Buckman design is, it drops the ball with the mid-block connector concept. It seems the idea of working in a continuation of the Riverscape/Third Street walkway was not developed too much by most of the schemes.
Here is a take on how to maybe work this into the Rogero-Buckman desing, playing on the “neon district” concept by putting in an accent, maybe some sort of tower, that would be visible to streetcar passengers coming up north, and then a neon trestle or lighting feature crossing the street into the space between the Lofts @ St Clair and old Journal-Herald building, which would be the start of a walk to 3rd.
…and how that might work. The idea is to hold the walk close to buildings, and maybe develop a little plaza or parkette on the way to 3rd or 4th. Lighting could be part of the design. The chamfering the of the walk beyond the openings between the buildings would be to not take up too much parking.
..and another trestle feature over 3rd to show were the walkway might come out of the David Building, since that would be less obvious. The idea is to do various design features to act as visual cues that there is something happening across the street or at the other end of a vista or scene, so you follow the walk via path of spatial or architectonic “events”.
It’s an interesting solution to the big blocks of downtown.
By David Esrati, on March 31st, 2009
While everyone seems excited about getting Federal Stimulus dollars, spending them on existing infrastructure doesn’t really stimulate much for very long. Real change means changing the infrastructure to make Dayton a more desirable place to live.
The idea of the free bike isn’t new, and it’s not out of reach. It’s working in Paris, and it’s
…continue reading the article Pave more roads or free bikes? Stimulus for the future
By Mike Bock, on March 31st, 2009
I received a prompt reply from Zach Schiller to the e-mail I sent to him yesterday as reported — Question For Policy Matters Ohio, Zach Schiller: Was Tax Data Used In Your DDN Article Incorrect?
Schiller had written in a DDN article that if Ohio’s 2005 Tax Reduction Law was modified, to reinstate the top income tax rate of 7.5% on incomes over $200,000, that Ohio would gain $375 million each year in additional revenue. I objected to this statement because I’ve been posting that that correct amount of additional revenue would much more than $375 million. I estimated
…continue reading the article How Much Revenue Would Ohio Gain, If Ohio’s 2005 Tax Reduction Act Was Rescinded For Top Incomes?
By David Esrati, on March 30th, 2009
It was going to happen, in fact, just like the implosion of AIG, the only thing that would have saved the Dayton Bombers was a government stimulus check in the way of a new arena- and that would have had to have happened a few years ago.
Today, the Dayton Daily News reports that the Bombers
…continue reading the article The final detonation of the Dayton Bombers
By Jeffrey, on March 30th, 2009
The Downtown Dayton Partnership released it’s downtown building re-use study last week. 10 designs for for various buildings and sites, mostly focused on east of Main Street.
The Partnership’s website has the details, with full coverage of the graphics and narratives and pix of buildings. Link here and be inspired (or depressed, when one realizes the good design talent here that is going to waste)
Probably the least do-able (due to lack of program and money) is Rogero-Buckmans Transportation Center re-do. This is “Ballpark Village” as a mini-Times Square, building out the transportation center to fill out the intersection, and replacing Arbys with what used to be there…a mid rise loft building.
 This is an excellent design. It creates an urban corner, and is the missing link or node connecting downtown with the Oregon District. And the design even incorporates a train station and streetcar loop to address the buzz about rail-based infrastructure.
And note that it closes St Clair Street, which makes the Patterson/5th intersection less of a vast expanse of pavement. Apparently this street closure is being seriously considered.
 Another thing that is being seriously considered is a mid block walkway connecting with Riverscape. The connection would be with “Merchants Row” , AKA 3rd between St Clair and Jefferson. I’ts shown in this proposal:
An unusual aspect of this is that it proposes to cut through the “David Building” on the north side of Third (which used to be open as a market back in the 1920s/30s and as a bank drive through in the recent past).
Yer humble host was curious about this so took some snaps. Here we are in the big parking lot looking north, seeing how this walkway makes use of open space between buildings (and snags Carousel Beauty Colleges’ parking lot).
 Turning around and looking south at the David Building, one sees how this walkway would take out one of Dayton’s more popular gay bars, blowing out the bar to pass under the building to Third. Isn’t that special.
 Apparently the city is enthusiastic about this plan too, and is seriously considering building this walkway. Which would also take out a part of this parking lot, which serves this and three other gay bars either facing it or backing up to it.
Urban renewal as homo removal? Or just a coincidence?
By Mike Bock, on March 30th, 2009
I sent the e-mail below this morning to Zach Schiller of Policy Matters Ohio.
Zach Schiller: I am glad to see that the Dayton Daily News published your article “Ohio Needs Revenue It’s Lost Since Tax Cuts 4 Years Ago,” this past Saturday.
I am trying to understand the discrepancy between your data published in the DDN article and the data published in a Policy Matters article last April, “A Step Toward Fiscal Balance: Options for Ohio’s Income Tax,” written by Jon Honeck.
In your DDN article, you wrote, “Restore the previous 7.5 percent top rate of the state income tax on income
…continue reading the article Question For Policy Matters Ohio, Zach Schiller: Was Tax Data Used In Your DDN Article Incorrect?
By David Esrati, on March 29th, 2009
I’m a huge fan of high-speed rail. I’m a huge fan of trains in general. When I travel for business from Tampa to Jacksonville, I take the train—$29 one way—and it’s a wonderful way to travel. However, it doesn’t go much faster than a car either—and still takes 5 hours for the trip (when everything
…continue reading the article The slow train may as well be no train.
By Jeffrey, on March 29th, 2009
From 2007/2008/2009, Colonel Glenn continues to evolve as a suburban business center. One example is the recycling of real estate. In this case an old gas station in the “New Germany” reach of Colonel Glenn is replaced by a Sonic drive-in. This chain has just entered the Dayton market.
The old gas station originally at the interesection of Zink, New Germany-Trebein and Colonel Glenn, north (upper) side of Colonel Glenn, just off the cul-de-sac
 And the new Sonic
The rest of the new development is happening on empty parcels, as there is still open land on the highway. Example is this hotel under contstruction in th vicinity of the Fairborn-Wright Office Park, directly across from WSU….
…and this little strip center on the Meijer property, between Meijer and WSU. The first Starbucks Coffee in this area is here.
And the new Texas Roadhouse chain restaurant, at the highly visible Colonel Glenn and North Fairfield intersection across from the Nutter Center. This is interesting as it is next to the University Shoppes strip center but I think is an example of intensification of use, as it doesnt appear to have been orginally intended as a pad, but was converted to one to take advantage of the optimal visibility here.
 Back to the western end of Colonel Glenn, at the county line where it turns into Airway Road, is Mission Point, a very large planned development by Miller Valentine, who is returning to the area after a hiatus. Recall M-V was responsible for the very sucessfull Wright Executive Park.
For now, one lone building. This western end of Colonel Glenn is somewhat weak when it comes to development, with things being more intense east of National Road/Grange Hall Road. So this is maybe more speculative and risky than it appears. It is, however, quite convenient to Wright-Patterson. So a possible site for defense contractors.
It’s fitting that one of most recent buildings to go up here is an office, since the first spec commercial development from the 1970s was also offices. We have come full circle.
By David Esrati, on March 28th, 2009
I spent the morning at another community group-think fest. 200 people there- including a boat load of city staff.
I tweeted the whole she-bang to keep others informed (reverse chronological order- read from bottom up):
Closing with mayor McLin brief speech. Future events thru September. They want to use electronic comms.(bout time)about 2 hours ago from TwitterFon
…continue reading the article From Vacant to Vibrant- only if you squint real hard.
By Jeffrey, on March 28th, 2009
Meijer is a USA version of the European “hypermarket” concept, which mixes big box retail and supermarket under one roof, sort of like merging a K-Mart with a Kroger. The firm started up in the Grand Rapids area and expanded into different markets in the Midwest.
In 1989-90 Meijer expanded into the Dayton market. One of its last stores here was on Colonel Glenn. Announced in 1990 and opened in 1991 or 92, it did pick up NIMBY static from the condos behind it (in Fairborn, the store is actually within Beavercreek city limits).
The site in 1989, outlined in yellow, across the street from the 1996-1999 AutoNation car lot and some “New Germany” fuzz. The diagonal of Zink Road to the west and WSU to the west:
 The site today. The site planning is what’s notable here. Meijer paid for some road realignments and connections, integrating it into the surrounding street system. And one can’t really tell where WSU ends and Meijer property starts. Note that Meijer also sells gas; gas station to the left (west), along Colonel Glenn. Fairly good access control here, with entrances to Col Glenn being fairly limited.
 The big box. Later Meijers (like the ones that opened in Chicago’s western suburbs) have a more interesting facade treatment. In this case the left hand side is the supermarket and the right hand side is electronics and garden.
One of the more interesting features of the site planning is how the store integrates with WSU. The access drive to the store from the east also acts as a secondary access and back circulation for the very large WSU parking lot to the north. And a connection is made to Executive Boulevard (south of Colonel Glenn develoments) via a signalized interesection.
The Meijer retention basin is also the headwaters of the watercourse that eventually flows into WSU’s “Valley of the Dorms”
WSU access road and WSU buildings in the distance, cleverly disguised as another suburban office park. Open space is either WSUs or being in held in speculation. One of the parcels here was very recently developed into a little strip center, visible in the aeriel above.
Meijer paid for the relignment of Zink Road as part of the zoning agreement with Beavercreek. Zink now works as parking access and access to the Meijer Gas station. One can also see the new apartment developments. Zink Road is probably one of the higher density areas in the Dayton region as it is nearly all apartments, condominiums, and dorms.
 Old Zink Road has nearly disappeared, being replaced by an oversized cul-de-sac. This lone bungalow and neighboring frame ranch represent the some of last of old Zink Road and New Germany when it was an outlying settlement and perhaps early commuter suburb.
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