An exciting renaissance has begun in recent years among the downtown Dayton area! This revitalization has been powered by public and private investment, large companies staying and expanding, manufacturers setting up new headquarters, new businesses opening, and housing needs exploding.

The revitalization of downtown Dayton is crucial to the economic wellbeing of the entire region, so the opening of shops, bars & restaurants, tech companies and creative services are all good vital signs for the city.

According to a recent article in the Dayton Daily News, two demographics that are driving the resurgence, specifically through the need for more housing, are Millennials and empty-nesters. Currently, the total occupancy rate for housing in downtown is 97 percent, according to the downtown partnership. Our very own Charles Simms was quoted extensively in the article. He noted that most parts of downtown are smart areas for investment, which is why Simms Development has developed Brownstones at 2nd and Monument Walk, and will be developing a new project called City View, located at Fourth Street and Patterson Boulevard.

Brownstones at 2nd townhomes in downtown Dayton, OH.

“The city has done an excellent job at preparing downtown,” Charlie said. “The key is, once there’s housing, the restaurants and retail will follow. Younger people want to live in an urban environment that’s close to amenities. It’s the live, work, play sentiment.”

He and other developers are filling the demand for more housing downtown. In the last 12 months, 239 new units have come into the downtown core, and 418 more are in the pipeline.

Though the downtown area still suffers from certain perceptions, the revitalized housing market is proving that affordable housing and a great quality of life can draw people back to the city. Downtown Dayton is changing and evolving, striving to prove that it isn’t the same city it was 30 or 40 years ago. And people are getting on the revival trail in droves!

Simms Development builds new urban townhomes in downtown Dayton and other surrounding areas including Centerville and Springboro, OH.  Please visit www.simmsdev.com for more information.