I grew up in Cleveland Heights, a few blocks away from Peter Benkendorf. For two Heights High grads to end up living a few blocks away from each other in Dayton 45 years later, and both involved as community advocates, is kind of amazing.
What’s not amazing, is that Peter has hijacked a community event he helped found- and taken the facebook account, the domain name, and redirected them to his new competing venture.
From his own website- “Involvement Advocacy” he describes the event:
3RD ON THIRD – DAYTON’S ECLECTIC OUTDOOR MARKET
3RD ON THIRD is an Eclectic Outdoor Market that takes place on the 3rd Sunday of the month on East Third Street in Dayton – hence the name.
A joint effort of The Collaboratory, the East Third Street Business Association and the Huffman Historic District, 3RD ON THIRD Eclectic Outdoor Market features local artists and artisans, antiques, crafts, collectibles, fair trade, clothing, jewelry, handmade items, food trucks and more.
3RD ON THIRD represents a first step in a larger strategic push to spark retail and residential development along East Third from Keowee to the intersection at Linden/Springfield and on into the Huffman Historic District, creating a diverse, vibrant, walkable and sustainable community that attracts a mix of young professionals, families, artists, and immigrants.
Source: Involvement Advocacy
But, now, he’s walked away from the people on Third Street- and set up to have “Third Sundays in Dayton” at the Front Street building- a few blocks away.
Great and fine. You have your event, the people on Third Street have their event on the same day- and people stroll from one to another.
Except, Peter decided to keep the 3rdonThirdDayton.com domain, hijack the facebook page, and pretend the old event is moving and not still in business.
All I care about is the domain name, for which he has no right, or real use for. If he was truly the collaborator he claims to be:
In order to grow the Dayton region’s economic and social capital, the Collaboratory is providing the Collaborative Infrastructure—the physical space, portfolio of initiatives, engagement tools and support system for people from across the region to come together to imagine and act upon new possibilities for themselves, each other and the community, with a particular interest in downtown. These new possibilities will involve citizen, government, business, institutional, organizational and philanthropic participants and will impact how we live, work, play and learn.
Source: The Collaboratory | About
He’d hand over the domain name he’s squatting:
whois:3rdonthirddayton.com
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, LLC
Expiration Date 18 Jul 2017
Registrant Name Peter Benkendorf
Registrant Organization: Involvement Advocacy
The members of his board:
- Monica Schultz, President & Secretary – Principal, Windblown Communications
- Anthony Colussi, Treasurer – Partner, Goldshot, Lamb & Hobbs, Inc.
- Paul Benson, PhD – Interim Provost, University of Dayton
- Jacqueline Gamblin – CEO, JYG Innovations
- Rodney Veal – Artist and Educator, Sinclair Community College
You can be the pied piper of collaboration if you are truly a collaborator. If you start a community event, using an empty field to bring people together, it belongs to the community, not to one person. Mr. Benkendorf, I urge you- give up your domain name squatting, it’s not something to be proud of.
This sounds like a half-story. Where is the information as to what Third Sundays is? I also saw that he just published that its an outdoor market? Your writing states that its a totally different operation because you walk literally two blocks (less if you parked between the two events) How are these two events different as opposed to joining together? This seems like your just getting mad at Peter because as usual you’re a pissed off guy that can’t ever be happy about anything that’s happening.
Got a cease and desist letter from his lawyer within minutes of posting. There are people who worked with Peter on 3rd on Third for years- who have their businesses there, who plan on continuing the event.
They had a facebook page, they had the URL, and he decided to put it in his name and redirect.
All I asked for was the domain name- 3rdonthirddayton.com which should belong to the event at that location- not 3rdSundaysinDayton.com which is his new event.
Yeah you deserve it; I guess you can run Third on Third right next door to the event he’s been working on for years as he’s moving it a block north still on Third. This literally is just you being angry to be angry instead of researching. I read this crap of a post and simply looked on Facebook, I guess that’s too much research…
Nicholaus, I’m not running 3rd on Third- the people who worked on it for the last 4 years- that own brick and mortar, tax paying businesses there – are running it.
I was just helping them out with the site and printing.
How does Peter Benkendorf have the right to the domain that points to 3rd on Third street- have anything to do with a different event over on Front street, 2 streets over?
My name is Nicholaus, not Nicholas. Third Sundays is not on First Street, its on Dutoit. Research my friend. It’s as simple as not getting angry about something you have no real business being angry about and demanding a domain that you don’t own, you just claim to have some sort of right to. It’s as simple as reading some basic updates. You’re claiming he’s a squatter and a thief without any sort of proof or even a claim that you ever even contacted him or asked him for a domain you don’t own. Instead you act like a jackass and insult people, people that I know are actually out there pounding the pavement and doing good for the city of Dayton, without trying to get into a political office, and obsessing more over their projects than trying to raise funds for their organization usually digging into their own pockets to make this a better place. If you’d like to continue Third on Third, possibly approach Peter and ask him for the domain instead of insulting someone and labeling them a thief and a squatter. As I said in earlier comments, you’re just angry for the sake of being angry. Be an agent of change, instead of a depressing road block for the possibility of good. All this misplaced anger is exactly why people begin to dislike you. You have good ideas, and then you do stupid stuff like telling people “Fuck You” in churches or getting in fights with children. You’d think you could see the errors in your ways as you try so damn hard to point out the errors in others. Goodbye. I’ve unsubscribed.
Nicky, you don’t think I called Peter first, someone I’ve known since 4th grade? Sent him an email requesting the domain nicely first? Sat down with the people who are continuing the event on Third street in the same place? Really?
You seem like the uninformed jackass.
Goodbye Felicia.
Do your homework dude. You’ve been lied to and in your eagerness to be obnoxiously angry you’ve made a fool of yourself. You have massively incorrect information and you’re just plain old lying about some items here. You might want to take some journalism classes before you try to do this sort of work in the future, or just stick to what you are actually very good at.
Dude. you’ve been lied to or you’re making stuff up. What’s wrong? You clearly know nothing about this market and those who do can see that there’s are massive problems with what you’re saying here. If you fancy yourself a journalist you might want to fact-check your sources before you launch an attack on anyone, let alone someone who is working to build a community up instead of tearing it down. This post is beneath you and insults and offends more people than just some old school pal.
Hi Betty- there is no confusion about the domain belongs to the people who are doing the 3rdonThirdDayton.com event- not just Peter.
And- if they want to continue to do it- without Peter- he should give them back their domain.
It’s registered in his name. He isn’t doing an event on Third St. They are. They want their domain back.
It’s not that hard to figure out that people who actually own property and have businesses on E. Third should have the rights to the domain- not Peter and his Third Sundays thing a few blocks over. Collaboration- that’s what he claims to be doing, except in this case. I talked with both sides. I can read a whois. Can you?
My third grader can do a whois. If you can do the lookup then you know who owns a url and and that is who has a right to it. You don’t get to decide that, ICANN does. It’s interesting that someone who claims to be a champion of the little people can be so arrogant. IT’s interesting that someone who calls himself a journalist doesn’t bother researching facts. and it’s interesting that over the years this same person seems to be willing to sell his outrage to whatever client is in his office. Get over yourself. The rest of Dayton is.
Hi guys. I don’t typically make comments, but here are the facts.
3rd on Third is a market that was started by a group to be held on Third Street. Peter was a part of that team. Per Peter, the work of the market was to promote revitalization on Third Street from Keowee to Linden. As the first market manager, I personally have not only an inside scoop, but also a direct link to helping construct the market. Nicholaus (which, by the way auto corrects to Nicholas, so be kind about an unintentional misspelling), the new market that Peter and his wife Dot (who was the most recent market manager), along with a three others, is as David suggests a totally different operation. The new market is 1) a partnership with Front Street, 2) funding Collaboratory projects, and 3) a new team. So David is correct that the events are different.
N, when you looked on Facebook, what you will see is that Facebook page that belonged to 3rd on Third hasn’t changed other than the name. If you do your research, then it will look something has happened even if it is not clear what at first glance.
Regarding the angry, while I am not working with David on this project I have been privy to inside conversations and helping where I can to help putting it back together. While I am personally not anger, N, I can assure you that there is a lot of anger. The market should, as any successful market continue. I personally think it would have been great for Peter and the new team to launch a second market and show or talk about this as growth. Your feedback to David sounds personal and I might be wrong, but while I would have gone about this article differently, there is factual information here.
Betty, the fact is that I bought the domain. Me. When I left the market, I handed it over to the people who were still working on the market. If the domain was handed over, just as it was expected of me, it would create less confusion for customers and allow for fair and equal promotion of both events.
I am not sure why Peter is keeping the domain. I am sure he has his reasons. But what I do know is this… Growing business on East Third Street is a good thing. Having a second market at Front Street to grow the options for shopping and create more atmosphere is a good thing. The original market on Third Street should absolutely continue and it should have access to those features that are its identity. In the same way that Peter would not want someone to take or move the new market he is creating away from him… The issue is of reciprocity and growth. If you would like to grow the city, if you would like to grow business, if you would like to grow excitement, killing options is not a good thing. Can we agree on that?
After I left as market manager Dot did a lovely job of nurturing and growing the market. The amount of work it takes is more than a notion, but what a great thing when we want to walk away to say… Here’s your stuff, I’m out. She could have done this and so could have Peter. It could have and should have been a nice clean break, but by keeping the domain, which is not his or the name of the new market, I can understand why there is confusion and anger. As I mentioned, when I left 3rd on Third, I had purchased the domain and had every legal right to keep it, but I didn’t think it was the right or the nice thing to do.
My business is next to the space where 3rd on Third happens. Vendors have already come to visit to ask about the confusion. And it is disheartening. Everyone wants to grow their business not be forced to pick sides. Not to be told or encouraged to believe that they will make an enemy of the new market’s team if they want to stay on Third Street or like the visibility or like the grass, etc. of the 3rd on Third space.
What I can say affirmatively is this: more options and a great Sunday fun is a good thing, 3rd on Third deserves its domain back, and it is not good for the City of Dayton for this issue to remain an issue.
I am stepping in to try and help launch the 4th season because promoting business, my own included is good for the city. I am helping in little ways because vendors feeling like they are making enemies if they choose one spot or the other is not good for the city. I am helping because I was a part of the team that created this market and I know that people are craving something special. And this is a good bit of special.
I hope that Peter will release the domain. I hope that both markets will work together, even just peripherally, and I hope that the 3rd Sundays will get so big with every vendor making $$$$ that businesses from these markets will launch and sprout all over Dayton and SW Ohio.
It would be grand. It would be fun.
I typed this with my thumbs, on a small screen, through eyes that were swollen with the flu. Please forgive any misspellings and disagreeable sentiments.
Thank you London.
As to Nicholaus and Betty- if you really want to take a stand- post with your full legal names – it adds credibility.
Getting the domain back is the easy part.
Having Peter take me to court for stating facts- is almost laughable.
The real issue here is you can’t be Mr Collaborator- and then not play nice with the people you collaborated with.
The funny thing is- there is no big money in running these markets-
so why is it so important to Peter to swipe what he helped build and move it over a few blocks. Anybody wonder about that?
As a side note, I have zero problem with anyone. In fact, I am proud of what Peter hopes for the city and I want more off-your- butt buy in from residents. Dot, as I mentioned, has taken a great frame for a market and put her own stamp on it. Teri, another team member, is amazing and the biggest balls to wall, head down, hands dirty, get sh*t done person I know. They are a powerhouse of talent, undeniably. So we should be able to work something out.
I ran into both sides of this feud this morning at the 2nd St. Market. Peter’s wife, Dot, told me I make her sick. Accused me of not talking to Peter about this- although I did it via email and had a response.
The other side informed me that Mayor Whaley asked this to go to mediation. So far, Peter and Co, has not agreed. The 3rd on Third people have.
There were 10 people involved in the founding of the original event.
As previously stated in comments, London Coe was the original domain registrant. She’s working with the group that wants to keep the old market going- and has a vested interest, since her business is now on Third.
We will see if arbitration puts this to bed.
In the meantime- I make people sick.
Always blame the messenger.
Please note, I resigned from his board nearly two years ago.
Came across this old post after doing a search on “Peter Benkendorf,” about whom I was curious because the Dayton Daily News just ran an article on him, “Conversations at The Collaboratory spark change, innovation.”
Seems like the Dayton Daily News likes him, having run a couple earlier articles about the Collaboratory and him.
At any rate, the 3rdonThirdDayton.com domain is available for purchase if anyone still wants it.