DeSoto Bass Projects Will Be Demolished!

The end is coming for longtime Dayton housing projects.

The city of Dayton, Ohio has confirmed that one of the city's oldest housing projects is about to be demolished. It will begin in late 2023 and the project is expected to finished in 2025.

DeSoto Bass Court Homes is one of the city's oldest subsidized homes. The Dayton City Commission held a meeting on Wednesday. During the meeting, Greater Dayton Premier Management announced they will start construction next month on the future Germantown Crossing.

Residents living at DeSoto Bass will soon be relocated to another location.

The city and other agencies are investing millions to create newer affordable housing for those families. 

“And it is part of our overall redevelopment plan for that site. It’s really it’s going to be a beautiful housing development,” said Jennifer Heapy, executive director, Greater Dayton Premier Management.

Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw says the project is a much needed start to developing the entire area.

“This these are basically first steps, a very depressed and underfunded area of our city,” said Shaw. “It’s getting this kind of investment that’s going to attract other investment.”

Commissioner Shaw grew up in the neighborhood with his family’s dry cleaning business down the road from DeSoto Bass. With construction on the way, Shaw says he’s especially looking forward to seeing the area grow.

“I’m just excited about the future of both. You know, for me, my job here at city hall, but also as someone who has been in that neighborhood my entire life,” says Shaw.

Construction is scheduled to end in August 2025. New homes are set to be up and leasing in December 2025.

The whole complex itself is in the Miami Chapel neighborhood. That area is pretty blighted. The whole area has a few corner stores, Economy Linen, an abandoned railroad track, the U.S. 35/Ohio Route 4 highway and is considered one of the poorest parts of Dayton.

Germantown Crossing will exist of removing the Daymont Behavior Center, DeSoto Bass homes and six abandoned buildings. It will build housing units and a possible grocer.