Tech firm to move into renovated historic downtown  building

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The company is expected to move 25 employees into the space, according to a development item on a new Dayton City Commission meeting agenda.

“This has been an extremely rewarding project for our team,” Jason Woodard, principal at Woodard Development, said in an announcement. “Tangram fits the mold of the companies we focus on partnering with — those who fuel the ecosystem with innovation, transformative technologies, and good-paying jobs.”

The company refurbished a long-vacant historic building to create the new office space, he added.

Avant-Garde is the latest project added to downtown Dayton’s “Innovation District” and Tangram is the latest company to call downtown Dayton home.

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The Innovation District is also home to the Tech Town business park (Ascend Innovations, Promerion, Dayton Children’s), 444 E. 2nd St. (Wright Brothers Institute/AFRL, Mile 2, Galois, Nucleus) and other businesses.

“We are excited our strategic investment into our entrepreneurial ecosystem is paying off,” Dayton City Manager Shelly Dickstein said in the same announcement. “Attracting high tech companies like Tangram grows our tax base and enables us to drive investment and services.”

A $100,000 forgivable loan to Tangram Flex is on the Wednesday meeting agenda for Dayton city commissioners.

The agenda item says Tangram Flex will have 25 employees with a projected annual payroll of $3 million.

The company is expected to invest more than $340,000 into its new space, according to the commission agenda.

“The Avant-Garde development will allow us the space needed to continue our growth,” said Ricky Peters, Tangram Flex chief executive.

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Suite 500 of the Avant-Garde development features 100-year-old wood floors, 30-foot ceilings, large windows and original brick walls that provide a blend of history and technology space.

Six-year-old Woodard Development specializes in mixed-use projects with offices, retail, residential and hospitality components.

Tangram Flex was spun out of Portland, Ore.-based Galois, and its initial focus is working with the Department of Defense on making equipment more adaptable.