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Dayton EDA debates vision for Triangle property as legal hurdle clears
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Summary
After a favorable legal decision cleared a tax‑forfeit parcel known as the Triangle, Dayton EDA members debated whether to market the site for warehouses or to pursue higher‑paying office or high‑tech manufacturing uses and agreed to brief their real‑estate agent, AIG, for market guidance.
Speaker 1 said the EDA had won a recent legal challenge over the Triangle tax‑forfeit property and that the decision had been forwarded to county and state attorneys, clearing a major obstacle to acquisition. "Now now with yesterday's decision ... things are very clear for us," Speaker 1 said, urging the EDA to move to financing and close the next phase.
Members disagreed about what type of development to pursue. Speaker 3 argued Dayton already has "a hell of a lot of warehouses," and urged the EDA to seek development that creates more jobs and a broader tax base. "We've got a hell of a lot of warehouses in Dayton," Speaker 3 said, noting warehouse projects often bring fewer, lower‑paid jobs relative to office or manufacturing campuses.
Speaker 4, who oversees staff presentations, asked the EDA to adopt a consistent vision before marketing the property: "What I would encourage the EDA is have a vision and stick with it." He said AIG (the EDA's real‑estate representative) will ask what the authority wants to see on the Triangle site — office, retail, light industrial or a high‑tech campus — and that direction would shape negotiations and marketing.
Board members discussed practical constraints: several noted Dayton Parkway and highway access make warehouse demand strong, while others said the EDA should be patient and selective to attract higher‑wage employers. Speaker 6 summarized the tradeoff: waiting for the market to match a preferred vision versus accepting a warehouse tenant that the market will support.
The EDA directed staff to schedule a presentation with AIG to obtain market analysis and to clarify what uses the authority should prioritize when marketing or negotiating for the site. No binding development agreement or funding decision was made at the meeting; members discussed next steps, including coordinating with the city council on financing options.
