Info for Property Owners

Activated Spaces :: Pop-up Project

The Activated Spaces Pop-up Project matches business owners and entrepreneurs who want to try out a business concept with downtown property owners who have first-floor storefront space available for occupancy. The Pop-up Project is a component of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan.

Why Should You Participate in the Activated Spaces Project?

Lease your space to a pop-up retail tenant for three to six months and receive the following benefits:

  • Online exposure. Put your commercial space on the radar! Information about your space will be featured online at activatedspaces.org and published to our diverse online audience.
  • Increase foot traffic. Activated Spaces will work to capitalize on successful events such as First Fridays, Urban Nights, and the Dayton Holiday Festival by making your space a destination for downtown residents, workers and visitors.
  • Sweat Equity. Volunteers are available to assist in preparing spaces for lease. Examples of volunteer support include painting, cleaning, landscaping, decorating, and other activities that do not require special certifications, specialized technical or professional skills.
  • Flexibility. Pop-up Project will serve as a “match maker” between property owners and prospective pop-up retail tenants. An individualized approach will be taken based on your needs. Lease options could include below market lease rates, percentage of sales or escalating lease payments over the length of the short term lease.
  • Financial support. Once a match is made, a limited amount of money is available to be distributed in $250 increments at the discretion of the Activated Spaces team and based on availability for purposes such as off-setting utility costs, making cosmetic improvements to the space, or other necessities for making the space operational.
  • Move-in ready tenants. While you will have the final decision on which pop-up tenant moves into your storefront, the Activated Spaces team will work to bring you a pool of move-in ready retail tenants actively looking to open up shop downtown.

Interested? What’s Next?

  • Confirm your interest by contacting Jen Cadieux at the Downtown Dayton Partnership – (937) 224-1518
  • If your space is in move-in ready condition, it will be listed on activatedspaces.org.
  • Activated Spaces will accept applications from prospective retail tenants on a periodic basis.
  • The Activated Spaces team will review prospective retail tenant applications for possible matches.
  • When a match is found, the DDP will introduce you to the prospective retail tenant.

You then work directly with the pop-up retail tenant on short-term lease details.

The Pilot Pop-up Project :: An Activated Spaces Success Story

The warm glow from Peace on Fifth

Activated Spaces volunteers plan to build on the success of the Pop-Up Project’s pilot phase, when three businesses filled 2,300 square feet of space. Two of those businesses ― Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. ― are looking to convert their temporary leases into traditional long-term ones. Another business, Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, opened a second area location at 521-523 E. Fifth St. after being drawn to the space when it was occupied by Comfort & Joy, which offered holiday gifts, during the Pop-Up Project’s pilot.