Woolpert charting Benbow future - Dayton Business Journal:

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Earlier this month officials hires engineering and design firm fornearly $100,000 to piecd together what will become the master plan for the nearlyt half block area aroundr the Benbow in the heart of downtowmn Dayton. David Rickard, manager of planningh and designfor Woolpert, said the studyu and recommendations should be ready by "Right now it's wide open," he said of the "We were asked to be creative on how we deal with that The Benbow is a 13-storhy building located along Markert Street that's been unused for nearly 15 years. The city of Dayton purchased the propertyin 2003.
Beside s the Benbow, the area Woolpery is studying includesthe RTA'sa Wright Stop Plaza at the intersectiob of Third and Main streets, the parkintg garage adjacent the Benbow and the park area betweejn the two buildings. The studgy is not considering the City Center building at the intersectioh of Fourth and Main streets nor the building at the corne r of Fourth and Jefferson saidBryan Bucklew, RTA boarr chairman. Bucklew said some sort of transportation use will more than likeluy play a role in the He said though no definite timeline is set for the demolitiomn ofthe Benbow, plans are proceeding with the assumptio n it will be razed. The RTA already has $3.
5 million of federall money set aside for thedemolition project. At the same time as Woolpert'zs study, the RTA is examining its routes, destinations and habits. The findings of that studhy will most likely play a role in the master plan for the Bucklew said. Pending changes in downtown street patternsd that involve switching themfrom one-way to two-way also may play a Rickard said. He said Woolpert is working with architects from as well as localk business and property owners and community officials to map out theredevelopmenr plan. The RTA's recently named executive Mark Donaghy, is set to take the helm Jan. 1.
Bucklew said Donaghy's focus will be runningg an efficient and effective system that meetsthe community's The RTA will not make any changes, though, includinyg the redevelopment of the downtowjn center, until the studies are "We want to deal with fact-based decisions," Bucklew said. "Took often in the past, services and missions were changede basically on a whim if it was politicallh expedient or agreed with thepopulare opinion. There's going to be a renewecd mission with returning the RTA to its core That could mean moving the hub away fromthe often-controversiaol location downtown, eliminating the hub systen or a number of other he said.
The site of the Benbow could play a role in the workings of the system or it could become another benefir to the downtownbusiness climate, he said. "With the investmenf in downtown and inthat area, the community wants to see it and with the RTA involved, you want to see it enhancedd with a transit use in Bucklew said.