Wright Dunbar renewal: Townhomes, cigar lounge, ice cream, restaurants on the way

May 21—"Coming soon" signs hang on storefront windows. Construction equipment hums from an active worksite. Building permits are taped to entry doors, indicating that renovations are going on inside.

Work is underway on multiple projects in Dayton's Wright Dunbar neighborhood that will diversify a commercial corridor that already has an eclectic mix of businesses and amenities.

Wright Dunbar's business district in West Dayton is more than 150 years old, but it continues to change and evolve because of recent investments, like the W. Social Tap & Table food hall, and projects currently underway, like a new ice cream shop, a restaurant and speakeasy and a cigar lounge and retail outlet.

"I believe it's already truly a destination," said Erica Hubler, director of real estate with Wright Dunbar Inc. "I've seen a huge difference in foot traffic (in the last decade), when before there really wasn't foot traffic. We have a really nice mix of businesses."

The commercial corridor

Wright Dunbar, once home to Orville and Wilbur Wright, has a commercial corridor with a collection of local businesses including an artist studio, an art gallery, a juice bar, barber shops, a pharmacy, a salon, multiple financial institutions and Dayton's only food hall.

It's also home to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, which has exhibits and displays that honor and tell the stories of the Wright brothers and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.

The business district is centered along a 0.3-mile stretch of West Third Street that has clusters of storefronts, some occupied, some empty.

However, there are many signs of renewal, including "coming soon" signs that hang in the windows of multiple buildings, including a property at 1153 W. Third St.

That building is being turned into the Wright Dunbar Cigar Shoppe & Lounge, which in part will be a retail outlet that sells premium cigars, said Jeff Jackson, who co-owns the business, along with Dallas Webster.

The shop and lounge will occupy nearly 2,000 square feet of space, spread across two floors. Visitors will be able to smoke cigars inside.

The first floor will have comfortable seating, while the second floor will have a viewing room, with TVs that likely will play sports and themed movies on some nights, Jackson said.

The second floor also will have a members lounge that has cigar humidor lockers for members, Jackson said. The business is expected to open in mid- to late-June.

Jackson said this will be the only cigar lounge within the city of Dayton. He said it will be upscale, with a classic contemporary look and feel.

"It's a lifestyle," Jackson said. "We hope it becomes a destination not only for the city of Dayton but for a lot of people who visit."

The overall investment in the project is expected to be north of $900,000. The city of Dayton is giving a $130,000 grant to the project. Dayton officials say the project is consistent with the city's vision for an active, walkable and vibrant streetscape along this strategic corridor.

New housing

A few blocks east of the cigar shop, development work is taking place on a vacant site that will become market-rate housing.

Simms Development plans to build 26 townhomes on the 1.1-acre property. The city of Dayton late last year agreed to give the company nearly $1 million to help bring new housing to the property.

Water, sewer and gas lines are being put in, after the city cleared the site, located at 1005 W. Third St., said Robi Simms, vice president of homebuilder Charles Simms Development.

The site was formerly home to the Gem City Ice Cream Co., but that building was demolished, though some of its historic facade was salvaged. The new townhomes will be three stories, with attached garages.

Robi Simms said site development work hopefully will be completed by this summer and a model could open by late fall or early winter.

That means "people could be living in the first building by this coming winter," he said. "We have had some positive interest thus far from the community about wanting to live in Wright Dunbar. We couldn't be happier moving forward."

Ice cream, restaurant, speakeasy

A commercial space at 1101 W. Third St. that used to be home to the Texas Beef & Cattle Company is being converted into a new restaurant called Morgan's Fine Dining.

The renovation of the space is basically complete, but the city permitting and inspection process have taken a very long time, said Hubler, with Wright Dunbar Inc. The installation of a large commercial hood also was a major, challenging project, she said.

Executive Chef Phillip Morgan owns and operates a catering business (Morgan's Catering) and a food trailer, which serve items like wings, Birria tacos and blackened chicken and salmon salads.

Around the corner from Morgan's is a former office property at 9 N. Williams St., which has a construction permit taped to its front door.

The space is going to become the brick-and-mortar home of I Heart Ice Cream. The business, which sells rolled ice cream, already has a booth at 2nd Street Market and operates a mobile cart.

Hubler said the hope is that Morgan's and I Heart Ice Cream will open by June, in time for Wright Dunbar Day, an annual event celebrating the district.

Returning to West Third Street, a new restaurant and cocktail bar called XO Burger (Vibez + Cocktails) plans to open in what used to be a pawn shop.

The business, located at 1711 W. Third St., is the brainchild of Anthony Thomas, who is the founder of Taco Street Co., one of the restaurants inside the W. Social Tap & Table food hall.

XO Burger plans to have a speakeasy in the basement and an enclosed, outdoor patio on the west side of the property, which will be very similar to the patio at the food hall.

"XO Burgers and Speakeasy is getting closer to reality each day. It has (been) and continues to be a labor of love", said Thomas. "Between Taco Street at W. Social and XO, we hope to continue our positive impact on the Wright Dunbar neighborhood by bringing food options and entertainment spaces to this deserving community."

XO Burger and the Wright Dunbar Cigar Shoppe & Lounge are part of something called the Cornerstone Project. This project, led by Dillin Corp., seeks to redevelop three properties near Broadway and West Third streets that the company owns.

Dillin Corp. developed the food hall, in partnership with Wright Dunbar Inc.

Wright Dunbar Inc. also is waiting to get the results of a feasibility study for the vacant Marietta Flats building, located on the 1100 block of West Third Street.

Wright Dunbar Inc. says it thinks the property could be converted into eight new apartments and two commercial spaces.