Your home to age in place: Longfellow Commons, an Independence Senior Living Commuity

Weyland Ventures, G.F. Bailey Company and United Church Homes are activating and expanding a historic campus in one of Dayton’s great neighborhoods!

The Longfellow Commons project is an adaptive reuse of the former Longfellow Alternative School located at 245 Salem Avenue in Grafton Hill. This group of buildings, encompassing approximately 110,000 square feet, has been vacant since 2017 and was purchased by the developer, Poet Island, LLC in 2020. The site is bordered by Superior Avenue, Central Avenue and Plymouth Avenue. The project includes restoring this complex of interconnected buildings which were constructed between 1884 and 1960.

All the buildings require a substantial investment to restore the existing structures, provide for ADA accessibility, and upgrade the mechanical systems. Most of the space, including the former classrooms, will be converted into residential apartments for elderly independent living for the 55+ population. The historic auditorium and gymnasium will be updated and adapted for use and rented to a local theater group for practice and performance space.

The development will be a joint venture between The G.F. Bailey Companies, Weyland Ventures, and United Church Homes. United Church Homes will operate the residential apartments after completion. Approximately 54 apartments will be housed in the historic Longfellow School buildings. An additional 72 apartments will be housed in a new residential building of approximately 70,000 square feet to be constructed on the site. The scale and construction details of the new building will be sensitive to the existing historic buildings.