“We are excited for our community to see work begin on this project,” said Brian Heitkamp, CEO of onMain, which is a partnership between the University of Dayton and Premier Health to transform the 38-acre site. “The Roundhouse holds a special place in the hearts of many, and we are committed to its preservation.”
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
onMain says the building’s exterior wood facade will be repaired and painted, including its sheathing, battens and trim.
The work will be paid for using $900,000 in funding that U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, helped obtain through a previous federal appropriations bill.
The fairgrounds site has sat empty for years since the Montgomery County Fair relocated to Jefferson Twp. in 2018. The site’s agricultural buildings, grandstands and other structures were demolished.
onMain says the renovation of the exposition building is the first visible work to occur on the site, but there will be more activities in coming months when roadways, utilities, sidewalks and parks are installed.
The onMain vision for the fairgrounds property is a mixed-use site that offers commercial, residential and green spaces that attracts a lot of investment and new jobs related to research, technology, aviation, national defense and advanced manufacturing.
The first phase of the project is expected to cost about $133 million and would create a new 120,000-square-foot Digital Transformation Center and around 170 new rental housing units.
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