DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The Dayton City Commission is considering a resolution to preserve and redevelop the Wright Factory site in West Dayton.
If the commission adopts the resolution, it will authorize more than $1.4 million to stabilize the site. The funding would come from the State of Ohio through the National Aviation Heritage Alliance.
If the resolution passes, the city wants to clean up the site as they work with the National Park Service to create a museum in the hangar space. Hangars one and two were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“As we work with the National Park Service to eventually realize a museum in that space, this will help us kind of paint the building, stabilize the building, so that it becomes more of an attraction versus an eyesore,” Dayton Supervisor of Economic Development Veronica Morris said.
The city’s plans include putting down new topsoil and seeding, adding a walking path, benches, tables and lighting to turn the area into a green space for the West Dayton community.
It’s part of multiple phases of redevelopment in the area, which started with the creation of the Dayton Metro Library West Branch.
“We’ll show the community that the city is committed to ensuring this site is redeveloped to become an attraction for investment to become a place of refuge for people in the community,” Morris said.
The city already invested $5.3 million into remediating the site to Ohio EPA standards in 2013.
