The real estate purchase was part of the Choice Neighborhood Action Plan, she said, and the new market and center will be operated by a team led by Robbie Brandon, the owner of Sunlight Village.
The city of Dayton this week approved awarding a pair of $100,000 grants from the West Dayton Development Fund to this project and another that will help a downtown painting business relocate to southwest Dayton.
On Wednesday, Dayton City Commissioners authorized giving $200,000 from the West Dayton Development Fund to Invictus Development Group Inc. (IDG) and Anthony James Painting and Contracting.
IDG, a nonprofit affiliate of Greater Dayton Premier Management, plans to acquire and redevelop vacant commercial space at 2118 Germantown St. into a new “community asset,” according to city of Dayton documents.
IDG plans to use 6,000 square feet of space in the property to provide educational, workforce development and mental health services in the Miami Chapel neighborhood, the city said.
IDG plans to invest about $334,000 in the project. The city’s grant funding is expected to help with building improvements, new machinery and equipment and electrical, plumbing and HVAC upgrades.
The Healthy Family Market will be a convenient way to provide inner-city communities in West Dayton with high-quality foods and products that support health and wellness, said Patrick.
“We are strategically planning the market within underserved low-income neighborhoods in order to address the nutritional needs of underserved families, infants, children and parents,” she said.
The market, which will accept WIC and food stamp benefits, will provide fresh produce, dairy, dry goods, baby food, formula and other items, Patrick said.
The market also will seek to improve the mental health of the community through an adjacent Community Coffee and Smoothie Shop (CCSS), she said.
This will offer community space that will be able to host mental health support groups, food demonstrations and community discussions, she said.
“We will also provide preventative and restorative education and services to address chronic health conditions that plague our communities in order to promote overall well-being,” she said.
Dayton city commissioners also approved funding to help Anthony James Painting and Contracting relocate from downtown to 1436 Cincinnati St., in the Stoney Ridge neighborhood.
The company plans to invest about $436,000 to acquire and renovate the commercial space, and the project will help retain eight full-time positions and will lead to four new full-time jobs in the next two years, the city said.
“Most importantly, this project helps preserve working capital so they can go ahead and have this growth in their business,” said Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein.
The company, founded in 1984, is a family- and minority-owned business that specializes in contract painting for commercial and residential properties, the city said. The jobs the company plans to retain have an average annual salary of $29,000.
About the Author