Many local residents and groups were outraged by Good Sam’s closing, warning that decision would seriously harm access to critical medical care in northwest Dayton and other nearby areas.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Seven organizations plan to occupy space in a new, 50,000-square-foot facility that is proposed for the former Good Sam hospital property at Philadelphia Drive and Salem Avenue in northwest Dayton, according to the groups and renderings and a sitemap submitted to Dayton’s planning division.
Premier Health controversially closed the hospital in 2018, and the buildings on the 13.5-acre site were demolished not long after, except for a parking garage.
Project partners are the YMCA of Greater Dayton, Premier Health, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley, County Corp, CareSource and Wright State University, planning documents state.
The proposed two-story facility could cost about $17 million, and the YMCA of Greater Dayton expects to occupy about half of the space (25,000 square feet), said Dale Brunner, president and CEO of the organization, which has 12 locations across the region.
The new YMCA will be full-service, featuring a gym, natatorium (pool) and fitness center that will serve families in northwest Dayton, Brunner said.
The facility will be funded with public and private money, Brunner said, and the goal is to start construction this fall, which is expected to take about 14 months.
Plans still need to be approved, and the Dayton Plan Board expects to have a concept review of the proposed project on Tuesday.
Premier Health, which is putting $15 million toward redeveloping the Good Sam campus and surrounding neighborhood, expects to occupy about one-fourth of the new facility’s footprint, said Broner, with the Phoenix Next board.
The health care system plans to put an urgent care facility into the new building well as physician offices and physical therapy, medical imaging and lab services, Broner said.
Hundreds of people provided feedback about what they want to see at the Good Sam site during community meetings, and it was clear they want an anchor that promotes healthy living and next-gen learning, she said.
“Through this community anchor, we hope to meet local residents where they are and help them meet their goals — whether those goals involve health, financial security or quality of life,” she said.
The seven partners are expected to employ about 80 people at the new facility, Broner said, adding that this is only the first phase of the redevelopment of the property.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
The United Way of the Greater Dayton Area plans to move its main office from downtown Dayton to the new health and wellness center, occupying about 3,000 square feet of space, said J. Thomas Maultsby, the organization’s president and CEO.
The new facility will offer attractive long-term lease rates and also it will give United Way higher community visibility while putting the organization under the same roof with other nonprofits it works and partners with, Maultsby said.
“Each one of the organizations at the new hub aligns with our pillars of health, education and financial stability,” he said.
Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley will operate two programs at the new facility, which will help more than 500 people in the West Dayton area achieve economic self-sufficiency and a better quality of life, said Lance Detrick, the group’s president and CEO.
Goodwill Easterseals will occupy about 2,300 square feet of space with its comprehensive case management and employment program and the Miami Valley Works program, Detrick said.
The first program helps residents between the ages of 14 and 24 who currently receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families support find jobs and become self-sufficient, while the second program helps people of all ages who live in poverty find work, he said.
“Although we can do a lot of great things to help people in our community at Goodwill Easterseals, we can have an even greater impact when we collaborate with Premier Health, the YMCA and the other great organizations involved in this project,” Detrick said.
County Corp plans to occupy about 300 square feet of space in the building that it will use to meet one-on-one with clients of its HomeOwnership Center, said Steve Naas, president of County Corp.
“We believe this space will allow us to meet our clients ‘where they are’ in a space more conducive to their needs,” he said. “... We plan to conduct future homebuyer training and homeowner education programming on site in the community space within the facility.”
Wright State plans to use about 3,500 square feet of space in the new facility as several offices, a pair of classrooms and a conference room.
WSU plans to provide an array of services including academic instruction, advising and internships and the school will work with its partners to maximize student-learning opportunities, said Seth Bauguess, the university’s director of the office of communications.
CareSource also is committed to the project, though it is still finalizing details to revitalize the space with community partners, a CareSource spokesperson said.
“We look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson said.
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