generation dayton

Flip Your City, Flip Your Life

June 7, 2017 By Nikki Nett

Live here, work here, play here.

And Invest here?

That’s the goal of Real Estate U

Headquartered in Beavercreek, Real Estate U is a nationally recognized Real Estate training company. The owners, Bonnie and John Cochran, lifelong residents of the area, are taking the knowledge from their online products and getting hands on with local Real Estate investors…and those who want to be.

John Cochran gives tips and systems to new Real Estate Investors

The Miami Valley is one of the most affordable areas in the country for Real Estate and that’s a blessing and a curse. Yes, it’s affordable to live here, but it also makes us a target. We’ve all seen the ads for “house flipping classes” where you visit a ballroom in a hotel, hear the spiel and run to the back of the room for a chance to buy a few spots in a class. It may start out as $97, but it quickly turns into thousands. And who does that go to? A salesman who flies in for the day, and is gone once your payment is in hand.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The folks over at REU live by the “talk about it, be about it” mantra. They are taking what they have learned in a few decades in the business and sharing it with the community for free. FOR FREE. Tried and true lessons learned in THIS MARKET, Dayton and surrounding areas, with partners equally as familiar with the Gem City.

Who is this for?

Veterans – were you a lifer? One and done? Either way, you have the attention to detail, honor and commitment to successfully use the tools given to you. REU has your second career all lined up.

Newbies -You want to buy the block, you watch a lot of HGTV and it really seems like something you could do, right? Don’t run willy nilly into buying up properties – they’ll show you the ones worth looking for and how to find them.

Experienced investors – you’ve flipped a few houses, maybe won, maybe lost, but you know the process. Real Estate U will hand you best practices and proven systems to grow your business with no guesswork.

Contractors – you’re already doing the work why not keep it all in house?

SAHMs – you could pay a fee to sell a product for a commission (we all love leggings and want to lose weight) OR you can take the same amount of time (about 10 hours a week) and create serious generational wealth without having to recruit.

The entrepreneurial spirit, the “I can’t even deal with the college profs”, the young and hungry and live-by-my-own-rules crew – you make your own schedule and dictate your own income. Time freedom which leads to financial freedom is right at your fingertips.

And yes, the “I’m so over this 9 to 5” group. We see you and we want you to know there is life beyond the breakroom. (but grab that snackpack of Little Debbies from the vending machine on your way out!)

So, mark your calendars for June 15. The staff at Real Estate U is creating a workshop / networking group experience that you’ll want to attend.

Imagine a setting where the curious could interact with the experienced. Where they take stock of everyone’s unique abilities and allow them to shine. Somewhere that REAL ideas, REAL methods, REAL proven systems were implemented in REAL TIME – with everyone leaving knowing something new and making some money along the way.

And everyone there is on the path to becoming a successful Real Estate investor.

You don’t need money to invest.
You don’t need good credit.
You don’t need to know a single thing about how to flip a house.
You just need to want to learn. That’s it.

Priceless and also price-less. Real Estate U is putting this together in Dayton for free.

Save your spot today: http://bit.ly/DYTJunegroup it’s free!

Find them on fb: REUDayton

Double tap them on Insta: @therealestateu

The real Estate U training center in Dayton Ohio

What Does It Mean To Invest In Community?

September 27, 2016 By Nikki Nett

So, I’ve done some research and I should probably share it with you. Look, I know it may be shocking, but hear me out.

As it turns out, binge-watching Flipping Out With Jeff Lewis, HGTV, and Rehab Addict does not make one a real estate expert. No matter how much you love those sassy Joshes from Million Dollar Listing, they may not be the best teachers of success in the real estate market, though I sure do like their parties. Tarek & Christina, Jonathan & Drew, et. al are probably not the ones to consult about real estate in the Dayton Ohio market. There is no amount of Shark Tank that sets you up for financial security, right here, right now. Yes, I know, I am just as surprised and disappointed as you are.

Ok then, we’ve established that we’ve gotta do more than build our Pinterest boards while binge watching. Reality tv isn’t making me a professional investor, flipper or rehabber (for real, keep me away from the spackle & grout), I don’t know about the housing market, but I DO know about Dayton. I know about marketing and how that works a little differently here in the Miami Valley. Most importantly, I know that we are protective of our communities around here.

So why the hell is any of this connected or relevant??

Frankly, I didn’t think it was until recently. I just started working with Real Estate U in Beavercreek. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in their branding, mission statements, processes, classes and more for the last few weeks. The more I am immersed in all things REU, the more I begin to understand what similar companies from out of town do.

As someone who has spent the majority of my life in the Dayton area, that pisses me off. As someone who, over the years, has been involved in all the Daytonish things, that really really pisses me off. Why, though? Because their investment in Dayton is not a long term investment in the residents of Dayton. Because they breeze in, make some promises and breeze out with our assets. Nah, no thank you.

We’ve seen the lists that Dayton appears on, and we get a little braggy when we hear that people all across the nation are talking about how affordable it is to live here. This is amazing! Right???

Wellllllll….yes and no.

Dayton is prime real estate right now. But that means more than just high income creatives moving into all the cool, historic neighborhoods. It means that investors across the country are sweeping in and buying up foreclosures. It means that Joe & Suzy Suburbs from Nebraska are looking at some of the older areas and seeing opportunities for a DIY house flip. It means that available money going into these homes, is ultimately leaving the area.

But we want to keep it here. Locally. In the Miami Valley where it can benefit our entire community. How’s THAT for Return On Investment?

Cool. So now what?

If you are interested in learning about real estate investing, rehabbing, flipping, rentals, and beginning to build generational wealth, then you have to attend one of Real Estate U’s FREE Real Estate Investing classes. REU is a nationwide company headquartered here in Dayton. At their free classes, REU teaches you how to find great deals, what areas in Dayton to avoid, where the sweet spots are, and even coaches you through the day to day activities of flipping a house.

There are classes this Thursday & Friday night, and they have added 2 more classes for Saturday. I added the Eventbrite link below so you can choose your time slot.

Maybe this isn’t your thing, that’s fine, but if you know someone of any age (over 18) that would like a jump start into this market, feel free to pass this along. Everyone is welcome, you don’t have to be a Wall Street banker to make this work for you. You just have to want to work…for you.

RSVP to this weekend’s classes by clicking here.

Find REU on Facebook by clicking here.

Double tap on the ‘Gram here.

See what the heck REU is all about here.

Entrepreneurs- Deadline Extended For Activated Spaces

July 25, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail, service, and office businesses to open downtown this fall as part of the seventh phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers or office space seekers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded here:Pop-up-Project-RFP-Fall-2014, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected] The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, August 8. Tenants will be selected the week of August 18.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers and office businesses with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first five phases. Ten of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.;Peace on Fifth, 234 Dutoit St.; American Pi, 41 S. St. Clair St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave..; Green Baby, 2nd Street Market; Spice Paradise, 16 Brown St.; Hicks’ Barber Shop, 16 Brown St.; Catapult Creative, 133 N. Ludlow St.; Studio Meco, 46 W. 5th St.; and Confetti, 42 W. 5th St. Since the inception of the project in 2011, more than 13,000 square feet of vacant space has been filled and 29 new jobs have been created.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to Pop-Up Shop owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Participating property owners are on the Activated Spaces website. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team for such purposes as offsetting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space or other necessities for making the space operational.

The Pop-Up Project is driven by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton with support from the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the City of Dayton, the City of Dayton Neighborhood Mini-Grant program and community volunteers. Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Apply Now for Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Fall Project

June 11, 2013 By Downtown Dayton Partnership Leave a Comment

For those who have dreamed of opening their own business, now is the time to give it a try and the place to try it is downtown Dayton.

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail and service businesses to open downtown this fall as part of the fifth phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, July 19. Tenants will be selected the week of July 29, and retailers must be ready to open no later than Friday, Sept. 20, in time for the fall Urban Nights.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first four phases. Six of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 508 E. Fifth St.; American Pi, 37 S. St. Clair St.; Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.; Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St.; Green Baby, 31 S. St. Clair St.; and All Pilates, 27 S. St. Clair St.

Activated Spaces, a volunteer-led initiative spearheaded by young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton, has three main goals:

• reactivate and beautify vacant storefronts with creative displays

• encourage entrepreneurs, artists and community groups to occupy space for short- and long- term uses

• showcase downtown properties and increase interest and investment in available space

Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Experience the Best of Downtown at Urban Nights

May 8, 2013 By Downtown Dayton Partnership Leave a Comment

More than 100 downtown venues are offering special events, discounts and more for the May 10 Urban Nights.

Urban Nights is getting an updated flavor and feel. Entertainment now will focus on three “hotspots” located throughout downtown, allowing visitors to experience downtown’s biggest street party in a new way by visiting hubs of activity throughout downtown. The next Urban Nights will be held 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, May 10, in downtown Dayton, the Oregon District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village. A list of the hotspots at the spring event is below.

“We celebrated the 10th anniversary of Urban Nights last year and felt it was a good time to re-evaluate the event,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, which presents Urban Nights. “It’s clear the event has been extremely successful, as it brings more than 30,000 people to our downtown, many business owners report record sales, and we continue to receive a great deal of positive feedback from the community about Urban Nights.

“Still, we wanted to make sure Urban Nights more effectively meets its overall goal: to showcase all downtown has to offer and the places that only can be experienced in downtown Dayton,” Gudorf added. “We believe this new plan will encourage people to visit more places downtown during Urban Nights while giving us the opportunity to better highlight different areas in our center city.”

A map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, is available online. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook for regular updates and more information.

More than 30,000 people come downtown to experience this free event, when more than 100 establishments showcase downtown’s dining, nightlife, art, music, retail and housing options. The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event busses to help visitors get around.

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with support from Greater Dayton RTA, Bud Light Lime, Miller-Valentine Group, the Downtown Priority Board, Sinclair Community College, Mix 107.7-FM, WYSO 91.3-FM, Wright-Dunbar Business Village and the Ohio Arts Council.

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HOTSPOTS

International Street

Sponsored by Miller-Valentine Group

Second Street between Main and Jefferson streets

Enjoy dance performances from a variety of troupes and grab an import brew to go along with foods from many cultures.

Second Street will be closed by the Kettering Tower to make way for dance performances and more.

Dancing in the Street Stage Schedule

5-5:25 p.m.:        Troupe Roja
5:30-5:55 p.m.: McGovern Ceili Dancers
6-6:25 p.m.:        South Dayton Dance Theatre
6:30-6:55 p.m.: Grupo Caribe
7-7:25 p.m.:        The Beseda Dancers
7:30-7:55 p.m.: Vivian Zumba
8-10 p.m.:            Son del Caribe

The corner of Fourth and St. Clair streets will be a hub of arts-inspired activity.

Arts Corner

Sponsored by Sinclair Community College

St. Clair and Fourth streets

Experience the Urban Nights motto “Walk on the Creative Side.” Enjoy a range of entertainment hosted by nearby businesses, including live entertainment, art exhibits and special sales. The Dayton Art Institute will host a photo booth where you can transform your image into an Andy Warhol-style work of art.
Arts Corner Entertainment
5-7 p.m.: Sweet Betsy

7-9 p.m.: By Means of Words at CADC

9-11 p.m.: Miss Lissa & Co. at Serendipity Bistro

Rock out to local bands at the Live on Five stage in the Oregon District.

Live on Five

Corner of Fifth and Pine streets in the Oregon District

Grab a draft brew from the beer truck and rock out to a variety of live bands.

Entertainment Schedule:

5-5:45 p.m.: The Broken Lights Band

6- 6:45 p.m.: Meghna & the Majority

7-7:45 p.m.: Cherry Lee and the Daddy Katz

8-10 p.m.: Magic Jackson

MAY 10 URBAN NIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

Tours and Exhibits Commemorating the Great Dayton Flood of 1913

Great Dayton Flood of 1913 Bus Tours

Presented by Dayton History, Generation Dayton and Greater Dayton RTA

Get around Urban Nights while learning about our city’s largest natural disaster. Narrators on specially marked Flood Tour buses will detail factors that led to the catastrophe and recount survivors’ personal stories and those of heroic Daytonians from 100 years ago. The free 30- to 45-minute tour will follow the Urban Nights blue bus route and will stop at various locations throughout downtown Dayton. The tour officially begins at the corner of Monument Avenue and Jefferson Street, but visitors can get on and off the bus at any of the designated stops.

The Miami Conservancy District, 38 E. Monument Ave.

At its historical administrative building, the MCD will feature pocket park clean water tours and display 1913 flood inundation maps. The MCD also will host open-mic story telling about the flood along with other displays and giveaways.

The Great Dayton Adventure Race

Starts at the MetroParks Bike Hub at RiverScape MetroPark

This urban scavenger hunt will wind through the Urban Nights action. See how many clues you can answer in two hours as you navigate the city by foot for a chance to win prizes. Team up with friends or tackle the challenge solo. Racers can start anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. $20 per person. Register in advance at www.topoadventuresports.org or at RiverScape MetroPark the day of the event. Call 937-274-0126 for more information.

RiverScape MetroPark will be a hub of activity, including live entertainment and activities focused on green living. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

RiverScape MetroPark: Plaza and Pavilion Stage

At the RiverScape Plaza, visit DRG3’s Green Fest: Spring into Green!, featuring green displays and exhibits, recycled arts and crafts, a thrift shop runway, basketball with recyclables, extreme hop scotch, hula hoop, solar race cars, energy bikes and martial arts demos. Also at RiverScape at the nearby MetroParks Pavilion, enjoy live entertainment:
5:30-6 p.m.:        The Dayton Poetry Slam Showcase
6-7:45 p.m.:        New Vega
7:45-8:15 p.m.: Howard School of Dance
8:15-10 p.m.:      The Ark Band

Live entertainment, food and activities will be part of the Urban Nights experience in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village.

Wright-Dunbar Business Village Entertainment

Enjoy live entertainment, cultural arts, creative and tasty cuisine, and other festivities in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village. Special events include:

• Gospel and R&B Plaza, Third & Williams streets: Featuring live entertainment and four food vendors.
• Dance Tent, 1133 W. Third St.: Featuring entertainment by DJ Master G, three food vendors and a spirits bar.
• Jazz Plaza, West Third Street: Featuring live jazz entertainment and food stations.
• The Lounge, 1100 W. Third St.: Presenting a ticketed event at 8:30 p.m., a tribute to The Ohio Players by D-Funk All Stars. Call 443-0249 for tickets and information.

Self-Guided Architectural Tour

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dayton Chapter has organized a self-guided tour for those intrigued by the architecture of Dayton and the history behind it. Refer to the Architectural Week brochure (distributed with Urban Nights program books) for more details or start at any of the buildings that are on the tour, where more information also will be available. The tour highlights the exterior architectural features of buildings, and not all buildings will be open to tour the interiors.

• Kuhns Building, 45 S. Main St.

• The Arcade, Third Street across from Courthouse Square

• The Old Courthouse, corner of Main and Third streets

• Kettering Tower, southeast corner of Main and Second streets

• Schuster Center, northwest corner of Main and Second streets

• Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St.

Sideshow 8

Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.

The Dayton Circus Creative Collective again will kick off its two-day celebration of music and art in Dayton during Urban Nights. This event showcases the work of more than 60 artists and more than 20 musicians, and it hosts an event after-party until 1 a.m. Food and refreshments available. Visit the event website for a complete entertainment schedule and list of participating artists.

Join hundreds of cyclists on a ride through the night’s action at Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, which will start at Courthouse Square. (Photography by Josh Mayes)

Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights

Start at Courthouse Square, Third and Main streets, at 6 p.m.

Get a preview of Urban Nights from the seat of your bike. Join hundreds of cyclists on this police-escorted ride through downtown. Riders are encouraged to wear a helmet and should be able to ride at a decent pace. This is not a ride for young children on their own bikes. From 5 to 8 p.m. on the Square, GetUP Montgomery County will present an event with live music, fitness demonstrations and other interactive activities focused on active, healthy lifestyles.

Sample New Food and Drink Establishments

Several downtown dining destinations either will be newly opened or open during Urban Nights to offer samples from their menus and preview their soon-to-be-open spots:

• Agnes All Natural Grill, 135 E. Fourth St.

• The Barrel House, 417 E. Third St.

• Lily’s Bistro, 329 E. Fifth St.

• Salar Restaurant and Lounge, 410 E. Fifth St.

• Toxic Brew Co ., 431 E. Fifth St.

Mosaic City Photo Show

St. Clair Lofts building, 39 S. St. Clair St.

Cityfolk presents an exhibit that includes entries from a recent Cityfolk photo contest and work by artist Glenna Jennings, who will present her project “Looking at Looking.” Her photographs depict residents and visitors to downtown Dayton observing historic images from the National Cash Register archive.

Watch large-scale prints being made with a steamroller at the third Steamroller Printmaking event.

Steamroller Printmaking: Flat-Out Fun!

Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St.

Printmakers from the Dayton Printmakers Cooperative and students from Stivers School for the Arts will print large-scale linoleum blocks using a real steamroller as a printing press. Anyone can carve a smaller version of the linoleum blocks prior to the event (available for purchase at the Dayton Visual Arts Center for $10), called “Parking Prints,” and have it printed the night of the event. At DVAC, 118 N. Jefferson St., view large-scale and parking prints from the previous two Steamroller events.

Light My Fire & Brilliant Trash Competition

K12 Gallery for Young People and TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.

More than 100 hand-crafted mosaic lanterns will be lit in front of and inside the gallery as part of the Light My Fire exhibit. The lanterns will be for sale, with proceeds benefitting programming at K12 and TEJAS. K12 also will host the Brilliant Trash Competition, featuring upcycled works of art by local artists vying to be named Craft Master 2013, along with the exhibition “Can I Get a Witness?,” featuring abstract paintings by Rebecca Sargent and Erika Hess. Enjoy light refreshments, music and salsa dancing.

Newest Pop-Up Shops Announced Downtown

April 25, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Two new businesses will open downtown on Friday, May 10, as part of the fourth phase of the Pop-Up Project.

Peace Pilates will offer small group and private Pilates classes in their new studio space. Owner Vanessa Corrigan has been teaching Pilates for 12 years, including private lessons out of her home loft and is looking forward to starting a storefront. Workouts are custom created based on clients’ needs and goals. Peace Pilates will be located at 27 S. St. Clair St. in the St. Clair Lofts.

Green Baby’s philosophy

Green Baby will offer environmentally friendly products for the family, including cloth diapering, baby carriers, and products for holistic approaches to health and healing. The store also plans to host classes and community events. Green Baby will be an advocate for local businesses and producers, as 100% of their products are made in the U.S., many being developed in the Dayton area. Green Baby will be located at 31 S. St. Clair St. in the St. Clair Lofts.

The opening of Green Baby and Peace Pilates builds on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first three phases, launched in November 2011, May 2012, and September 2012. Two of the initial three businesses in the pilot are still thriving: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 508 E. Fifth St. American π, 37 S. St. Clair St, and Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St., are both still open from the second and third phases of the project.

Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project, which has helped fill 10,285 square feet of first floor retail space during its four phases, is led by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and UpDayton. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local businesses while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, a past chair of Generation Dayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional destination for shopping for one-of-a-kind items and retail services.”

“This project also supports local, creative entrepreneurs as they take a risk and test out their business concepts while bringing renewed life to downtown storefronts,” said Scott Murphy, past chair of UpDayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “Visitors who support these pop-up shops will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Pop-Up Projects Seeking Entrepreneurs to Open Businesses in Downtown Dayton

January 25, 2013 By Downtown Dayton Partnership Leave a Comment

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail and service businesses to open downtown this spring as part of the fourth phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Jen Cadieux at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15. Tenants will be selected March 8, and retailers must be ready to open no later than Friday, April 26, in time for the spring Urban Nights.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

American Pi

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s first three phases. Four of the businesses that have opened as part of the Pop-Up Project are still open: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.; Peace on Fifth, 508 E. Fifth St.; American Pi, 37 S. St. Clair St.; and Sew Dayton, 16 Brown St.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to interested Pop-Up Shop owners should contact Jen Cadieux at 937-224-1518. Participating property owners will be listed on the Activated Spaces website. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team for such purposes as offsetting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space or other necessities for making the space operational.

Activated Spaces, a volunteer-led initiative spearheaded by young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton, has three main goals:

• reactivate and beautify vacant storefronts with creative displays

• encourage entrepreneurs, artists and community groups to occupy space for short- and long- term uses

• showcase downtown properties and increase interest and investment in available space

Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

Volunteers for Dayton! Opportunities: September 11-18

September 11, 2012 By Kate Ervin Leave a Comment

Welcome to our new column for urban volunteer opportunities! I’ll be posting all kinds of ways to get involved in city neighborhoods – from hand-on service to crowdfunding to fun community-building events – so if you have items for submission e-mail me or add them to our Facebook group!

Spotlight on: Garden Station

Have you driven on Wayne Avenue downtown and wondered what that raucous splash of color was by the railroad tracks? Or maybe you’re a regular at the many frequent events occurring at this two-acre community art park, such as the weekly Sunday Market or ‘Free Music First Friday.’ Launched in 2008 as an initiative of the Dayton Circus Creative Collective, Garden Station is now a stand-alone organization led by Lisa Helm with a small crew of volunteers. It is an “urban hub where the Dayton community can come together to enjoy art, campfires, festivals, movies, concerts and community gardens.” They always need help on Saturday work days throughout the growing season, and this week, they are holding Wine and Weeding Wednesday to get spruced up for Urban Nights. The garden’s current fiscal sponsorship agreement expires on September 14 and its estimated monthly costs are $300, so they’d love if you made a tax-deductible donation before Friday! Or if you don’t fancy yourself a philanthropist, you can still give by eating at Blind Bob’s on the first Monday of the month and mentioning Garden Station Night. For more information, follow their page or e-mail Lisa.

Some of the 170 K12 & East End volunteers installing the mosaic

Get Involved!

Guide our county’s future: Montgomery County is asking citizens to give input through a series of public forums. The topic for Tuesday, Sep. 11th is “Where Do We Stand vs. Other Communities?” Seen any great ideas in other areas that you’d like to bring back here? Chime in!
Show your art on downtown streets: Activated Spaces, the Downtown Dayton Plan’s joint project of Generation Dayton and updayton, is conducting a final call for submissions for art to fill downtown storefronts. Artists will appreciate that they’re printing the art on vinyl window clings this time, making installation much easier! Click here for more information and to apply by the September 14th deadline.
The November library levy (Issue 70) includes an “upgraded main library that will be a regional information, reading and cultural attraction for downtown Dayton.” Their online volunteer form asks for help with phonecalls, going door-to-door, endorsers, poll greeters, and public speakers.
Bike sharing for downtown was recently a hot topic of discussion in our group, and we learned that Bike Miami Valley is exploring the idea. Fill out their brief online survey to share your thoughts on a ‘smart bike’ system!
Which urban neighborhoods are on Facebook? Several years ago, DMM publisher Bill Pote and I led a training at City Hall to get more neighborhoods on social media. Let us know how far we’ve come by adding to my running list.
Urban Nights: Still a few more slots availablefor volunteers!
Monica Wirick-Schultz doing some park planting with other volunteers last Friday
Clean up North Main Street: Volunteer help is needed for cleaning up litter and overgrown vegetation; supplies such as gloves, brooms and bags are provided. Saturday, Sep. 15, 8:30am-1pm, 2141 N. Main St. For more information, contact FROC Priority Board Coordinator Verletta Jackson at 333-3288 or e-mail her.
Demo Day at the Fifth Street Brewpub: Meet at the community-owned brewpub (1600 E Fifth) at 10 am, Saturday, Sep 15 to demo the interior of the brewhouse. Email them if you can make it so they can plan accordingly (e.g: buy enough beer)
Community-Police Action Planning: Learn about community-police relations, give feedback, and sign up for volunteer opportunities at the Dayton Community Police Council’s Community Day Party. Saturday, Sep. 15 11am-3pm, Convention Center.
Help make peace in Dayton neighborhoods: The Dayton Mediation Center is looking for volunteer mediators to attend upcoming trainings and commit to helping with conflict resolution. More details can be found here.

Success!

Adding color to Xenia Avenue: Over 170 volunteers participated in the year-and-a-half long mosaic mural project led by K12 Gallery for Young People in partnership with East End Community Services Corporation. The finished project can now be seen at 504 Xenia Ave. Like K12’s page to get involved in future projects! The new mosaics decorate the facade of the future location of the Corner Cupboard Charities thrift store, a volunteer-run organization that raises money for other local nonprofits. Check them out!
One of the many streetscape transformations underway in the South Park neighborhood
DDR volunteers rocked it!: Over 200 volunteers came out to support the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Fest this past weekend and a good time was had by all.
Invest in the city through real estate! Theresa Gasper of Full Circle Development, LLC recently shared some amazing before-and-after pictures of the homes she and partners have transformed in the Historic South Park neighborhood, an area which saw a 23% value increase in the last reappraisal. There are plenty of great urban realtors who would love to get you started!
First Friday Park Planters: A dozen volunteers organized through our Facebook group planted about 40 shrubs and perennials at a little downtown park on Friday night before exploring First Friday together. This was made possible by a grant that volunteer Brian Ressler obtained from Keep Montgomery County Beautiful. Thanks everyone!

New Businesses Popping Up Downtown

April 26, 2012 By Downtown Dayton Partnership 1 Comment

Peace on Fifth in the Oregon Arts District is a success story from the pilot phase of Activated Spaces' Pop-Up Project.

Three businesses will be up and running by May 4, the next First Friday art hop downtown, as part of the second phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown Dayton storefronts called Activated Spaces. The businesses selected for the second phase of the project are:

• American π, 37 S. St. Clair St.: This gift and accessories boutique will carry items made in the United States, including handbags, greeting cards, candles and food items. The store will be open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Arin, 27 S. St. Clair St.: Shop owner and jewelry designer Brooke Medlin will collaborate with Dayton artists and other creatives to showcase beautifully designed goods for self and home, along with Medlin’s line of jewelry that includes rings, earrings, personalized necklaces and more. Visitors will be able to watch the creation process in action in Arin’s on-site studio. Rotating guest artists will set up mini-studios in the store and spend two weeks working on a collection of products to be launched at every month’s First Friday art hop. The store will be open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call 937-640-0117.

• Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.: This old-school, classic barbershop will offer haircuts, hot steam towel shaves, facials and more. Haircuts will be $12 and shaves and facials will be $16, with special pricing for seniors. “Our goal is open a classy, professional barbershop while doing our part to make downtown a better place and trying to influence other businesses to follow suit,” owner Ron West said. The barbershop will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 937-321-6165.

The women who participated in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project.

The entrepreneurs who participated in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Lisa Scott (far right) of Beaute Box extended her lease, as did London Coe (second from right) of Peace on Fifth.

These businesses have three- or six-month leases, although the hope is the business owners will extend those leases ― as happened in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Indeed, the second phase of the project builds on the success of its pilot, launched in November 2011 for the holiday shopping season. Two of the three business owners in the pilot extended their leases: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. In addition, Amore! Designer Consignment Boutique, 16 Brown St., which opened at the same time as the Pop-Up pilots, plans to remain open on a long-term basis, and Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, 521-523 E. Fifth St., opened in a space occupied by a Pop-Up retailer after becoming interested in the location due to the buzz surrounding the project.

Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project, which helped fill 2,300 square feet of retail space during its pilot phase, is led by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box and the Vintage Barbershop. Razauskas and other participating downtown property owners have supported the project by providing reduced rental rates. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

A kickoff event for the Pop-Up Shops will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. It will start at Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and end at Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St., with stops at all the Pop-Up Shops in between. Raffle tickets will be sold that night $5 each, with all proceeds benefiting Activated Spaces, and prizes will be drawn at each stop. Additional details will be available soon at www.activatedspaces.org.

Basho Apparel was attracted to open a downtown location in part due to the buzz surrounding the Pop-Up Project. (Photo courtesy of Carly Short)

“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local businesses while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, past chair of Generation Dayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional destination for shopping for one-of-a-kind items and retail services.”

“This project also supports local, creative entrepreneurs as they take a risk and test out their business concepts while bringing renewed life to downtown storefronts,” said Scott Murphy, immediate past chair of updayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “Visitors who support these pop-up shops will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information about Activated Spaces.

Pop-Up Project Seeking Business Owners to Open Downtown

February 16, 2012 By Downtown Dayton Partnership 1 Comment

Guests at Beaute Box, one of the businesses that opened downtown as part of the first phase of the Pop-Up Project.

Activated Spaces, an initiative to fill downtown storefronts, is accepting applications for temporary retail and service businesses to open downtown as part of the second phase of its Pop-up Project. The project matches business owners and entrepreneurs who want to try out a business concept with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy.

Interested retailers should fill out an application, which can be downloaded at www.activatedspaces.org, and email it to Sherri Wierzba at [email protected]. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 9. Tenants will be selected March 30, and retailers must be ready to open by May 1.

Lease lengths will range from three to six months. The spaces will have varying lease rates, but will be leased below market value. Activated Spaces volunteers will connect retailers with commercial property owners, help make the space move-in ready, and promote the business during such events as First Friday and Urban Nights. Selected businesses will negotiate leasing terms directly with the selected property owner, but flexibility for the tenant is a priority.

Activated Spaces volunteers hope to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s pilot phase, when three businesses filled 2,300 square feet of space. Two of those businesses ― Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. ― are looking to convert their temporary leases into traditional long-term ones. Another business, Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, opened a second area location at 521-523 E. Fifth St. after being drawn to the space when it was occupied by Comfort & Joy, which offered holiday gifts, during the Pop-Up Project’s pilot.

Commercial property owners interested in offering space to interested retailers should contact Sherri Wierzba or Erin Gillespie at 937-224-1518. Participating property owners will be listed on the Activated Spaces website. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed in $250 increments at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team for such purposes as offsetting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space or other necessities for making the space operational.

The grand opening celebration of Pop-Up Shop Peace on Fifth.

Activated Spaces, a volunteer-led initiative spearheaded by young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton, has three main goals:

• reactivate and beautify vacant storefronts with creative displays

• encourage entrepreneurs, artists and community groups to occupy space for short- and long- term uses

• showcase downtown properties and increase interest and investment in available space

Activated Spaces is part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown. Those interested in volunteering with Activated Spaces should e-mail [email protected].

For more information, contact Sherri Wierzba or Erin Gillespie at 937-224-1518.