1999 Grant Recipient Information
Ohio

Tool Town
City of Dayton, Ohio

Abstract

Tool Town is a concept that was created by the tooling and machining task force during the development of the comprehensive plan for the city of Dayton. This private-sector-driven concept involves the establishment of a precision metalworking park on underutilized industrial property in downtown Dayton. This property is well served with existing transportation and utility infrastructure that is currently not being used to its capacity. In the next twenty years it is anticipated that Tool Town will house over 80 tooling and machining businesses representing over 5,500 jobs and still have the capacity for additional growth. It will also accommodate conference facilities; education and training programs; a labor pool; and shared assets such as unique, high cost machinery. The TCSP grant will be used to complete the next phase of planning for this project-the evaluation of the existing buildings, transportation infrastructure, and utilities and the development of a schematic campus master plan with capital costs, an implementation schedule, and funding strategies. Implementation activities already underway include the award of a U.S. EPA brownfields pilot grant; the construction of a business incubator in Tool Town; funds allocated to acquire property in Tool Town; efforts to gain public control of additional property; and the private-sector formation of the Tool Town Foundation to implement recommendations focused on the tooling and machining industry, including Tool Town. Tool Town will make more efficient use of our existing transportation network and other infrastructure and reuse land and the built environment, both of which will curb additional regional sprawl. This effort will also create jobs that can be filled by Dayton residents (42 percent minority, 27 percent in poverty); support the long-term viability of tooling and machining in our region (currently over 17,000 jobs); help our tooling and machining industry compete globally; and retain these secure, high-paying jobs in the United States.

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