Leadership group has focus on downtown turnaround

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Real estate developer and author David McDonald gave 2 NEWS an update on the progress of the Dayton Center City Development Corporation

The DCCDC is a private sector leadership group focused specifically on the core of Dayton and turning it around.

Their turnaround plans include infusing $35 million into the city's core to raze outdated office buildings downtown.

"We have to demolish about a million square feet of office building space," McDonald said.

That would reduce Dayton's high office vacancy rates virtually overnight. The plan also includes building high-profile large condominiums on the river near Deeds Point.

Although McDonald hesitates to name names, he said the list of private sector leaders who have already signed on to the project is impressive.   

"At this point we have a 157 members of which 99 are CEO's, company presidents, business owners or partners. We have two state senators, three legislators and one of the most powerful lobbyists in the United States on board and those 157 members are linked to 40,450 employees."

McDonald hopes that clout will help them secure funding by mid-year.