$20 million business expansion hopes to bring jobs and growth to west Dayton

DAYTON — A $20 million business expansion in west Dayton is shining a light on the struggle to bring jobs, businesses and entrepreneurs to a neglected area.

The former Dayton Press building in west Dayton on McCall Street was sold in 2016 to out-of-state investors who are looking to bring tenants here.

The facility is also right next to a plot of land where Economy Linen and Towel Service is hoping to place a $20 million expansion project.

“We look forward to locating a new facility in west Dayton and we’re working hard o finalize the project as soon as we can,” the owner, Bruce Feldman said.

The Dayton area is also showcasing neighborhood start-up businesses to bring jobs and economic growth.

“Stay right at home in your backyard and be the change that you want to see, said Karlos Marshall, West Dayton Business Incubator Manager, a collaboration between the University of Dayton and the Entrepreneurs Center.

“It’s one thing to say I want I want to help, to say I’m going to help, it’s a different thing to actually show up,” added Lekeisha Grant, West Dayton Entrepreneur.

Grant is an advisor to the incubator and has her own startup e-business, ambitionunlocked.com.

It’s designed to help other new businesses organize and plan, then define their company.

Grant says the incubator not only can share resources but also helps a new business build their own resources.

“Just having someone there to talk to and bounce ideas off of,” she said.

The West Dayton Business Incubator is designed to close gaps of inequity related to access and opportunity.

“Where entrepreneurial success is not defined by zip code or background,” Marshall said.

The final goal of all these efforts is sustainable growth of new or expanding business in west Dayton that can bring in sustainable jobs and safe neighborhoods.

Cox Media Group