Aug. 5—Third + Dayton is one of the latest downtown Hamilton buildings getting new life, and three new businesses have opened in recent months.

The former Ohio Casualty Insurance building opened in the spring of 2020, first with 26 apartments (and now 71 apartments), but it also had available room for business space. It's now home to the Pilates and massage studio TerraLuna, dance fitness studio Studio Undefined, and the alkaline water bottling company Pahhni.

"It was clear early in our search that Hamilton, with its 'best-tasting water in the world,' would be an excellent fit," said Erik Loomis, CEO and co-founder of Pahhni, referencing Hamilton's world titles in 2010 and 2015, and United States titles in 2009, 2014, and 2018. "We just needed to find the right location."

That's where Third + Dayton came in.

Third + Dayton is at 136 N. Third St. and 315 Dayton St. and owned by Industrial Realty Group LLC (IRG) out of Los Angeles. IRG Vice President Justin Lichter said at the company's core, it's "renovating and repositioning facilities in need of a new chapter." It opened in March 2020 with more than two dozen apartments, and plenty of business and retail space for lease.

"We've reimagined commercial real estate from Cleveland to Hamilton," he said. "Third + Dayton has really come to life with apartments, retail, flex, and tech space. We're not just investing into the real estate; we're building an extension of the downtown."

Pahhni signed its lease for nearly 7,200 square feet on the first floor of 315 Dayton St. Right now, employees at the startup water bottling business consists of Loomis, his business partner and co-founder Dr. Satinder Bharaj, and some of their family members.

"We're trying to figure out how things should work before we start bringing in more people," Loomis said. "We're a startup and we're trying to figure out things as we go."

Pahhni (pronounced paw-nee) is the brand name in a 700ml bottle and is available at area gas stations and hotels in the region, but as they grow, "we're going to branch out."

Before Pahhni opened, TerraLuna opened in late June, and owner Lynelle Lyons-Wilson says it's Hamilton's only Pilates and massage studio.

The 13-year Hamilton resident wanted to start her own businesses, and "saw the opportunity to do some changes and follow my dreams." And there was no better place than downtown Hamilton, though she looked on both sides of the river for a spot. Third + Dayton checked all the boxes in a place she was seeking: high visibility on a busy street, near other businesses (and potentially more), and there's foot traffic.

"First of all, Hamilton — love it. Second of all, Hamilton needs Pilates," said Lyons-Wilson, a licensed massage therapist for 20 years and a Pilates instructor for nearly two years. "I live here, I love this town, I'm proud of it and I need to be part of the revitalization of this area. I'm super proud of being in downtown Hamilton with this gorgeous architecture, and this vibrancy that's getting more and more vibrant every day."

Studio Undefined debuted its dance fitness studio at June 13 ribbon cutting and open house.

Owner Leesa Terry could not be reached for comment before the Journal-News deadline, but expressed on her studio's Facebook page that she's "so happy to be a part of the Hamilton community."