Home Building in the Cincy/Dayton Area

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by hensleya1

I get what you mean by walking to places once you get there. That makes sense.

But if there's inadequate parking within the city center, then people will just avoid downtown altogether. The parking meters and accompanying meter maids are already a significant disincentive to do business downtown, and it would only worse if downtown's occupancy rate rose.

In order to justify the cost of parking downtown (whether fixed or artificially adjusted due to contrived demand) there has to be some tangible benefit of doing business downtown... In Dayton that's almost nonexistent when the majority of businesses are already located in the suburbs where parking is free.

You have a great point. Why charge for parking when the suburbs don't? Any rational person does not want to have to pay money when they don't have to, and meters and garage fees are a nuisance.

And to be honest, I don't know. How can that hurdle be overcome?

[IDtheftV]

Originally Posted by SWOH

And to be honest, I don't know. How can that hurdle be overcome?

How? A new mindset.

Government workers benefit their careers by figuring out how to spend more taxpayer money. There is no interest in streamlining and cutting costs. Budget cuts have to be forced by a higher authority. Meter fees are a revenue stream. The income tax is a revenue stream. Both work to prevent anyone in their right mind either shopping there or locating a business there.

[hensleya1]

Originally Posted by SWOH

You have a great point. Why charge for parking when the suburbs don't? Any rational person does not want to have to pay money when they don't have to, and meters and garage fees are a nuisance.

And to be honest, I don't know. How can that hurdle be overcome?

The only reason why it works in other cities is because the cost of parking is justified by the level of services downtown (businesses, residences, things to do, etc.)

The number one way to get people living downtown again is to clean up the school district... Focus on a couple schools (a la Walnut Hills in Cincinnati) that give people a credible reason to spend their lives in the city and not just the 5 year burr-in-the-butt I want to live in the city while I'm in my early 20's phase.

The problem however isn't money... Dayton Public spends more per pupil than most outlying districts... the issue is accountability.

The state must pass SB5 again and strip the OEA of its chokehold power on the school boards statewide. Hold teachers and especially administrators accountable for the district if it fails. By removing the union chokehold on the public sector, we will free the districts to get rid of the chaff without having a union-fueled fight on their hands every time.

And most importantly, we must work to instill a good work ethic in the formerly-unionized teachers and students.. That will go further than any levy or seminar or pledge to get better.

Until we break up the OEA, education is going to have a difficult time improving, especially in the cities.

[SWOH]

^Excellent points you guys.

ID, agreed that government would benefit from someone with a LEAN / cost-cutting perspective rather than having no business knowledge. How to make that happen I don't know (maybe hire people like me and you who have a good business/engineering background and can troubleshoot/brainstorm to determine the best way to leverage efficiency).

Hensleya1, I'd also have to agree but with a caveat. Dayton Public Schools has a disproportionate amount of special needs cases, because a lot of learning disabilities, mental issues, etc. are at least somewhat hereditary. Also These students, even if they did well, receive zero support at home.

This touches on a big, big debate of how to best educate our kids, and honestly I don't know the answers there and have no background in education, but I do think the city is making strides. Check out this recent story from WYSO about a public elementary school in Twin Towers, which teaches a very, very diverse student population:
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2015...tino-students/

It's worth it to listen to the story rather than just read it if you have the time/ability.

[SWOH]

Otherwise, more related directly to the topic of development between Cincinnati and Dayton, a recent update on the article posted in the OP:

Zoo, others developing last land between Dayton, Cincinnati | www.mydaytondailynews.com