DAYTON — Dayton is in the middle of a renaissance of the Wright-Dunbar District.
It was the brainchild and vision of Idotha ‘Bootsie’ Neal, the first black woman to serve on Dayton’s city commission. It was her dream to see the area thrive again.
News Center 7’s Letitia Perry talked with the people who are keeping her dream alive.
Willis ‘Bing’ Davis with the Ebonia Art Gallery said, “Her positive vision and energy. She was the cheerleader, not only for Wright-Dunbar, but for Dayton, it’s something positive, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Neal was an icon in the Gem City. Originally from Buffalo, she adopted Dayton as her hometown and got to work.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- Suspected serial killer from Miami Valley once eyed for possible link to the OJ Simpson case to be executed today
- Man in custody after brief police chase; arrested in connection with Dayton stabbing
- Walmart to raise prices due to tariffs
Initially, at Central State University and then in Dayton. She had a plan, a vision for this part of West Third Street between Edwin C. Moses Boulevard and Broadway.
Shafton Greene remembers talking to Neal about it. Greene with Soca Restaurant said, “I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 30 years and did some work for her, running a race. Now that Neal has passed, someone else has got the baton.”
Shafton credits, in part, the commissioner with his business that serves authentic Caribbean food at the West Social Tap and Table Food Hall.
He said what started as empty storefronts in the 80s and 90s has turned into a booming area for business and culture.
“The west side of Dayton is beautiful,” Greene said, “It’s customer-friendly, kid-friendly, has fun, and walks down the whole strip, almost like the Oregon District, but better.”
From banks, doctor’s offices, a pharmacy, and art galleries to a food hall, barber shop, Cigar Bar, and a radio station, all within three blocks.
Tiffany Cooper, of Dayton, said, “Down here it has boomed, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Initially, there was pushback. People complained that “white dollars,’ were funding the black renaissance. However, those voices were quickly silenced and the results which is a diverse district – open to everyone.
“It’s the most integrated neighborhood in our entire region, not only in ethnic variety, but in terms of professional levels and skills,” Davis said.
Neal passed away in 2021 and didn’t get the chance to see her vision realized. However, the people who knew her well are confident she would be pleased.
“I think she would say, ‘Great!’ Great job, it’s taken a while. She started it and we’re going to finish it,” Greene Said.
The renaissance continues, with a new deli, spa, a burger joint, and a new living space coming soon.
The transformation is not lost on the organizers of the upcoming NATA conference. They are planning a visit for the hundreds of world leaders who are headed to Dayton for the spring assembly.
Not just a history lesson about the Wright Brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar, but also the woman who carried the baton, Idotha Bootsie Neal.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
