I’ve published several articles that take a Then and Now look at particular intersections in Dayton. Today is an interesting case in that it features the same corner at three different moments in time.
And for a part of town (the southern edge of downtown) that has very few historic buildings remaining (including several lost in just the last few years), it’s interesting to see that one structure which appears to be modern construction is actually an older building that was retrofitted for a new tenant.
We’ll get to all of that but first we’ll look at an early view of the intersection we’re talking about, the northwest corner of South Main and Franklin streets.
According to the photo caption, the corner building was a butcher shop owned by W. M. Devine.
R. P. Burkhardt initially in the north side of the building, and later built the home next door for himself.
But these buildings would later be replaced in the 1920s for the motor car company listed on the sign that’s visible out by the street. The photo caption states the buildings were razed in 1927, but it actually happened in 1924-25.
From the Barlow Motor Car Co to Davis Buick
The company, originally known as the Barlow-Hodson Motor Car Co, was founded in 1909 (or 1919 depending on the source). It was first located on Hanna lane, just behind the Reibold Building and later with an address of 15 E. 6th St.
That building was damaged by fire in 1924, and Barlow decided to move to a new space that would be “a building unexcelled by any in Ohio.” It also stated that the equipment and finishing would make “the salesroom resemble a banking institution instead of an automobile agency.” The rear of the salesroom was a row of offices fitted with French windows. The second floor was occupied by the service and paint shops, and the third was used for car storage.
President Ray K. Barlow was described as a “pioneer used car dealer”: “At the time of its organization, used car houses were unheard of. But every Sunday morning, Mr. Barlow says, about 25 or 30 prospective buyers would come to the salesroom to inspect the cars” (DDN 4/26/1925).
Davis Buick Co later occupied the building from 1961 until 1973 when it moved to Centerville.
A Major Building Conversion to a New Use
In 1975 the structure was converted to become the new home of the Community Blood Center, an organization founded in 1964 which first occupied the Fidelity Building at Fifth and Main. It quickly grew during its first decade, however, and soon needed more space, leading to the acquisition of 349 S Main.
Brown and Head Associates were the architects of a $900,000 building conversion, in which the showroom windows were replaced with a stuccoed wall.
The new space allowed the organization to triple its number of donor chairs and handle up to 30 people at once in an emergency.
When the F5 tornado hit Xenia in 1974, “donors swamped the center’s small quarters in the basement” of the Fidelity.
The center also underwent a $7 million expansion in 2004.
In 2023 the blood center rebranded to Solvita. The following year it was acquired by Versiti Blood Center of Ohio while Solvita retained owernship of the tissue service center.
Next, you can read about the buildings that once stood right across Franklin from this site, which also had a connection to the auto industry: Lost Buildings at Main and Franklin (Genuine Auto Parts).
Historic Images Courtesy of Dayton Metro Library
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