East Fifth Street Named One of “Great Places in America

The American Planning Association (APA) today named East Fifth Street in Dayton as one of five Great Streets on the organization’s annual Great Places in America list.

Dayton’s East Fifth Street, stretching a quarter mile through the city’s popular Oregon District, is lined with century-old buildings, shops, restaurants, taverns and attractions, making it one of the region’s premier destinations.

A brief ceremonial event will be held at “Trolley Stop Plaza” (530 E. Fifth St.) on Friday, Oct. 2, at 5:30 pm. The event will announce the Great Place designation and will kick off the First Friday celebration for October. Commissioner Matt Joseph, local business leaders and representatives of the American Planning Association are scheduled to attend.
East Fifth Street also features bike share stations, a pedestrian-focused design and signature features such as ornamental lighting, stamped concrete crosswalks and landscaped sidewalks. The street is home to the monthly First Friday celebration, as well as Hauntfest, Taste of the Oregon District, and a variety of other events, nightlife and attractions.
The Fifth Street honor marks the first time an APA Great Place honoree has been named in Ohio outside of Cleveland, Cincinnati or Columbus.
As part of National Community Planning Month, APA’s Great Places in America program recognizes streets, neighborhoods and public spaces in the United States demonstrating exceptional character, quality, and attributes that enrich communities, facilitate economic growth, and inspire others around the country.
In addition to Dayton’s East Fifth Street, APA is also recognizing the following four streets this year:

Third Street (McMinnville, Oregon)
Laura Street (Jacksonville, Florida)
Lexington Avenue (Asheville, North Carolina)
Olvera Street (Los Angeles, CA)

“This year’s list highlights the power of a single well-planned street to stimulate economic activity and energize an entire community,” said Carol Rhea, FAICP, president of APA. “We applaud those who have worked hard through careful planning, public engagement and innovation to build better places to live, work, play and visit–one street at a time.”

For more information about these streets, as well as APA’s top four Great Neighborhoods and top six Great Public Spaces for 2015 and previous years, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces.
Members of the public will have the opportunity to suggest an additional favorite public space, neighborhood or street to earn a “People’s Choice” designation. During the first half of October, individuals can offer suggestions via APA’s social media channels, using the hashtag #greatplaces. APA will then select five finalists, after which the public can visit planning.org to vote for a favorite.
The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities. Since launching the Great Places in America program in 2007, APA has recognized 245 neighborhoods, streets and public spaces around the country. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for the future.