Architecture Walking Tour and a Revamped Courthouse Square

I previously wrote about the history of Courthouse Square downtown as well as its challenges and prospects for revitalization moving forward.

On May 11 I was excited to participate in a downtown event that centered on the square: the Downtown Housing Tour. As part of the event they held a variety of themed walking tours and I led two hour-long Architecture Tours.

We enjoyed observing some great downtown buildings like the Old Courthouse, Victoria Theater, Old Post Office, the Dayton Arcade and much more.

Over the past year I’ve been fortunate to get a chance to lead a few different tours, including one for the Heritage Ohio annual conference held at the Arcade, and another for a University of Dayton class.

I’m looking forward to doing more walking tours in the future, and possibly even organizing my own if there is sufficient interest! (If you’d like to go on one, let me know!)

The other exciting part of the Downtown Housing Tour was that it was the debut of a new entertainment concept. Courthouse Square has rebranded its summer entertainment series to incorporate a new amenity, “a shipping container turned entertainment hub and community gathering place.”

Called CURIO at Courthouse Square, it was partially funded by a $75,000 grant from the Project for Public Spaces.

Previously known as “The Square Is Where,” CURIO’s lunchtime series will largely be similar to the old model (food trucks, live music, trivia, and workout classes) but more focused in terms of timing (Tuesday-Thursday instead of every weekday).

And crucially, it will add a “Midweek Mix” themed happy hour event on Wednesday evenings from 4-6pm which is now possible thanks to the DORA district covering downtown and the shipping container hub for serving drinks.

This was a big missing piece of making the square a community gathering space outside of weekday lunches. And by shifting the center of the entertainment to the south side of the square instead of the main stage in the middle, it should create a more intimate and enjoyable experience and also connect visually to the second phase of the Arcade development on Third Street, which will soon debut a boutique hotel and small retail shops.

And renovation work on the fountain is expected to begin work soon as well, which will add to the attractiveness of the scene on the square. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time here this summer and I hope you’ll join me!