What they are saying about development on and around the Dayton International Airport

There is also a contingent of aviation companies including, Sierra Nevada Corp., PSA Airlines, Air Wisconsin and Wright Brothers Aero. Joby Aviation Inc. just announced plans to manufacture electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft and employ up to 2,000 people.

The Dayton Daily News looked at the impact of the growing commercial development, which created jobs and new tax revenue. The development also required huge investments in utility and roadway infrastructure to serve the area and attempt to deal with the influx of truck traffic.

Here’s what some of the more than two dozen people interviewed for this three-day series had to say.

Paul Gruner, Montgomery County engineer

“Procter & Gamble is when it really got fired up because that’s a huge place. It was all farm fields before that.”

Crystal L. Corbin, executive director of the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District

“The Montgomery County Engineer and the City of Vandalia, with the support of state (Transportation Review Advisory Council) funds have partnered to complete a portion of the “ring road” north and east of the airport. Union and the TID will continue forward to explore funding options for the completion of the “ring road” located on the west and north side of Dayton International Airport. This portion includes improving Old Springfield Road section and Peters Pike and will provide a safe and efficient transportation corridor for all travelers and support the rapid and massive growth in this area.”

Dan Wendt, Vandalia city manager

“I wouldn’t put all the development into just the same bucket. With what the market dictates now I would suspect that the speculative buildings that are popping up in Vandalia and around the Dayton International Airport are a product of the market itself. It is very rare that a business comes to the area and says, ‘We have 24 to 36 months and we are looking forward to building from green space’ when in just a few short months if there is a speculative building that is available its quite possible for a manufacturing company or a logistics company to move in. That has been the case with several developments in the area.”

Gilbert Turner, city of Dayton director of aviation

“Most of the companies located in this geography are reliant on trucking, railroad, and aircraft. Their reliance on these modes of transportation is what makes the area attractive to those companies in the aerospace, manufacturing, and logistics industries.”

Mark Jacobs, professor of operations and supply chain management at the University of Dayton School of Business

“E-commerce is driving the need for distribution. And given our geographic location, we are somewhat ideal.”

Steve Stanley, project development specialist and retired executive director at the Montgomery County Transportation Improvement District

“If this employment did not occur in the first place than the opportunity for people to better themselves is so significantly diminished. This is really good for the region to have a broad range of job opportunities for people of all skills.”

Judy Dodge, Montgomery County commissioner

“I think we have a nice range of companies up there. We are not just warehouse trucking.”

Michael Colbert, Montgomery County administrator

“We’re now bringing in more high paying jobs and more high-tech jobs. You’re starting to see $75,000 to $80,000 a year jobs coming in.”

John Applegate, Union city manager

“We can’t say enough what it means to the city, Montgomery County and the state. It’s about creating jobs.”

Erika Vogel, Butler Twp. administrator

“The Dayton International Airport is an economic growth engine for Dayton and the surrounding areas, just like all airports. It is clearly a net positive for our region. We are lucky to have it in our backyard.”

Jeff Hoagland, president and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition

“With SNC and Joby, we’re also seeing a desire for companies manufacturing aircraft to be both near the flight line and Air Force, one of their major customers. That’s a distinct shift from logistics and distribution facilities to aerospace manufacturing along the flightline. We’ve been working to establish this link since these properties became available for development and we had an early success with PSA Airline’s facility. We believe the next step will be suppliers looking to be near these manufacturers as they scale up.”

Terry Slaybaugh, vice president of sites and infrastructure for JobsOhio and former City of Dayton director of aviation

“It just takes one. It takes winning that first company and we were able to do that with Sierra Nevada Corp. And now other companies that are in their industry are going to be able to look at, ‘why is my competitor, why is Sierra Nevada Corp. building hangars at the Dayton airport?’”

Marvin L. Reid Jr., department chairperson for the Central State University College of Business Administration

“A lot of companies are seeing that Dayton is a hotbed and it is a strategic location.”

Chris Kershner, president and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce

“I think we are going to be getting more high value jobs with the announcement of Joby, with the Honda/LG joint venture in Fayette County. Also we need to have diversity of jobs in this region. We need to have jobs of all skill levels and all educational levels. Those jobs fill a need and we are fortunate that we have the interchange of I-70 and I-75.”

See our three-day series about the boom in development around the Dayton International Airport

Day One: Development around Dayton International Airport has taken off

Day Two: Sierra Nevada could more than double in size at Dayton airport if it wins bid

Day Three: What they are saying about development on and around the Dayton International Airport

PHOTOS: Flying taxi manufacturer to join Amazon, Crocs, P&G and others near Dayton International Airport

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