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Wittenberg gets some help from University of Dayton
Monday, December 18, 2006
Capitalizing on its unique urban setting is one of 15 Wittenberg University objectives.
The university invited University of Dayton officials to provide insight, Monday, on how it is revitalizing its urban neighborhood through a partnership with Miami Valley Hospital, NCR, City Wide Development, County Corp. and National City Bank.
Extras
About 30 Springfield city, business and university officials attended the presentation by Ted Bucaro of UD and Buddy LaChance of City Wide, on the rebirth of an area just south of Miami Valley Hospital and north of UD's campus.
Called the Genesis Project, the partners invested more than $14 million over a five-year period in the deteriorating neighborhood. They renovated 11 homes, constructed 23 new ones and demolished 42 properties. The $120,000 to $130,000 replacement homes doubled the home-ownership rate and made crime "a non-issue" in the area, LaChance said.
A side benefit was the private investment of eight new restaurants, retail an office space, three new residential homes and five residential renovations.
Mayor Warren Copeland said he was encouraged by the parallels but was more encouraged by the differences between Wittenberg's neighborhood and those surrounding UD and Miami Valley.
"There is not the deterioration of the area as there (was near UD)," he said referring to areas east of Wittenberg and west of the proposed new hospital. "That makes it more doable."
With phase one nearly complete, UD recently partnered with a private developer to construct University Place — a two-story retail/graduate housing complex at the corner of Brown and Stewart streets. The complex is similar to the college town concept Wittenberg's president Mark Erickson proposed when he took the helm last year.
Contact this reporter at (937)328-0347 or kbaker@coxohio.com
