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EDA presses for more detail on "Cubes" tenant's request for expanded outdoor storage
Summary
Dayton's EDA reviewed a concept amendment for a one‑million‑square‑foot warehouse (called "the Cubes") whose prospective tenant, "Project Falcon," would use about half the building and seeks up to 8 acres of outdoor storage—four times the city code allowance. Members asked for specifics on stored materials, screening, stormwater impacts and potential precedents.
The Dayton Economic Development Authority on Tuesday reviewed a concept request to amend a planned unit development at the ‘Cubes,’ a roughly 1,000,000‑square‑foot warehouse project whose potential tenant is being referred to as “Project Falcon.” City staff said the tenant would occupy roughly the west half of the building — about 503,000 square feet — and is seeking up to 8 acres of outdoor storage, exceeding the city's code limit of 20 percent or 2 acres.
“the cubes is about a million square foot warehouse,” said John, the staff member who briefed the EDA, summarizing the site and the two options the developer is considering: fill an on‑site stormwater pond and provide underground stormwater storage with outdoor storage above it, or purchase adjacent homes and place outdoor storage on that land with access to West French Lake Road.
Members voiced multiple concerns. One member said, “I'm personally not really in favor of covering up natural storm water,” noting the ecological and drainage tradeoffs of replacing an open pond with underground storage. Others flagged screening and visual buffering — asking whether outdoor racking or 20‑foot pallet stacks could be adequately screened — and the precedent such an amendment would set if other businesses sought similar variances.
Staff emphasized this is a concept plan and that no formal EDA vote is required at this stage. The EDA requested more detail about the types of building materials that would be stored, any flammability risks, specifics of the proposed stormwater solution and possible conditions (berms, screening, or time‑limited approvals) that could mitigate impacts.
Next steps: staff will return with more detailed information on stored materials, site plans showing screening/berming, and a clearer description of the stormwater approach before members consider an amendment to the PUD.
