Site Consideration: 252-254 Xenia Ave​

With an eye on the Vibrancy of Yellow Springs, the Yellow Springs Development Corporation (YSDC) embarked on a project of ownership to preserve this specific corner — this prime piece of real estate in our downtown business district. With this acquisition we find ourselves working through a 3-phase project: Safety/Compliance; Ensuring Active Storefronts; and Planning and Funding. Each phase has a specific objective and each are being addressed in a linear way.

1. Safety/Compliance – The objective is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residential and future retail tenants and to receive a passing inspection by the Fire Marshal. YSDC’s contracted work has been focused on correcting the large number of citations and stabilizing the living conditions for the tenants. The timing for this phase was immediate and is now 100% complete. The money spent is essentially the cost of having residential tenants remain in the buildings, also adding value to the buildings. YSDC authorized this spending to pass inspection requirements, to retain occupancy, and to improve the health and safety of the residents.
2. Ensuring Active Storefronts – The objective is to fill the two first floor retail spaces with viable businesses which add to the Vibrancy of our Downtown. As the YSDC’s mission is to support, incentivize and attract economic development, we can hardly leave these two very important retail locations empty while we address Phase 3. The spend here is the amount required to legitimately rent the two storefronts — stabilizing the former hardware store floor, painting its walls, and ensuring all essential fixtures work in both retail locations. A key constraint on tenant selection is keeping the spaces retail so there is no change of the building’s approved use, which would trigger building code upgrade requirements. This is not a minor detail but a deliberate and important boundary. The timing for this phase is now. We must think about the Vibrancy of our downtown business district as priority.
3. Planning and Funding – The objective is to determine the best use of the two buildings: a) keep, find funding, and develop, or b) sell. By design, this phase carries the most open questions; that is intentional and YSDC must take the time to make the necessary strategic steps. If we determine to keep the buildings, how to use them and where to find funding becomes the focus. We need to think beyond the obvious, get creative, and consider short- and long-term possibilities. Questions to be answered: How will the buildings be used, all aspects, not just how we have seen them or how they are currently used? Do we treat the two buildings separately, each having different renovation requirements? How does our work interplay with Dave’s concepts and other anticipated transitions in the downtown business district? Are we prepared to make renovations which preserve the buildings for the next 100+ years? We need to be intentional in our approach and creative in our funding. By its August 2026 meeting, the YSDC board will deliberate these questions, and will set periodic milestone dates to revisit the questions as additional information is available.

YSDC has received a lot of feedback about the length of time we are offering for leasing the spaces at 252-254 Xenia Ave. The phrase “Be open to a short-term lease of at least three months” has been mis-interpreted as “only three months” or something like that. This is incorrect and, in fact, as we have learned more about the buildings, we feel confident that the spaces will be leasable at least through the end of 2026. Over the next few months, we will continue to put together long term plans that will inform our timing for redevelopment and the potential for extending the leasing period even further.

Also, YSDC has passed a fire safety inspection of the former toy store building and a fire safety re-inspection of the former hardware building. We are working with the Village on requirements for a certificate of occupancy of both 1st floor spaces, as the responsibility for generating the certificate shifted from the county to the Village a few years back. Regardless, the certificate of occupancy will be resolved prior to opening the spaces for business. If we continue to use the spaces generally as they had been (which includes services, retail sales, galleries, etc. per B-1 zoning) we will not be required to rezone the spaces, which is our preference.

We know there is a lot that goes into planning to open a business and we appreciate your interest in doing so. Please let us know if other concerns have come up that we can help with.

The Yellow Springs Development Corporation (YSDC) invites proposals from community members, local organizations, and regional entities to present innovative concepts for the temporary leasing of 252 and 254 Xenia Avenue. This space, consisting of two ground level locations, offers a unique opportunity to enhance the vibrancy of Yellow Springs while supporting the ongoing development and long-term vision for the property.

Ideal applicants will:

• Align with Yellow Springs community values and culture;
• Be open to a short-term lease of at least three months;
• Demonstrate the ability to operate effectively during the lease period.

All submissions will be reviewed based on alignment with community values, feasibility of the concept, and operational readiness. Please click the “Request for Proposal 252-254 Xenia Ave” link on the right to access the template.

Proposals may be submitted to ysdc@ysdc.org and will be accepted until April 14, 2026. Applicants will be contacted for additional information and notified of their selection status by May 2, 2026.

Take part in revitalizing this space and fostering the vibrancy of Yellow Springs!