Here's a look at the Levitt Pavilion's proposed design, released Tuesday by the nonprofit Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton group. The pavilion and free music venue is planned for Dave Hall Plaza in downtown Dayton. Construction is expected to begin later this summer, with an opening in the summer of 2018.
“This project will feature a covered outdoor amphitheater and open-lawn seating in a newly revitalized park in the heart of downtown, creating Dayton’s “urban living room," inspired by Dayton’s rich history of innovation and aviation," Kevin Deal, Levitt Pavilion Dayton Board member, who oversees the design phase, said in a press release.
When it opens to the public, the Levitt Pavilion is expected to host 50 free concerts each summer. The venue will also be made available for use by other non-profits, community groups and businesses.
Project organizers still need to raise an additional $550,000 of the $5 million fundraising total before construction can begin.
Friends of Levitt board member Rodney Veal says planners are confident they’ll be able to raise the remaining funds in time.
“That’s our goal. We are shooting for the first for midsummer to be free and clear on the $500,000 and unveil everything we are planning to do and going forward,” he says.
The project has received funding and in-kind support from the city, Montgomery county, foundations and corporate sponsors. When it opens, it will become the eighth such Levitt Foundation-affiliated venue across the country.
Read moreabout Levitt Pavilion.