The potential redevelopment of the site around the former Zion Baptist Church has the potential to significantly enhance the gateway to the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood, a key connection between downtown and West Dayton. But there's another site in between that corner and … [Read more...] about West Side Chevy Building: Will San Marco Adaptive Reuse Move Forward?
New Developments
$6M Cornerstone Project Advances on West Third Street in Wright-Dunbar
The commercial district on West Third Street in Wright-Dunbar has welcomed a number of new businesses in recent years. The West Social Tap & Table food hall which opened in 2022 at the corner of West Third and Williams has been the biggest. But another large project … [Read more...] about $6M Cornerstone Project Advances on West Third Street in Wright-Dunbar
Historic Church Redevelopment Could Shape Wright-Dunbar’s Future
I've been covering the ongoing redevelopment in and around the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood, located just across the Third Street Peace Bridge, a $17 million project that opened in late 2021. There is a 17-foot wide multi-use trail on the bridge, but right across it at the … [Read more...] about Historic Church Redevelopment Could Shape Wright-Dunbar’s Future
Dayton Fairgrounds Redevelopment: The Historic Roundhouse and the OnMain Development
Redevelopment of the former Montgomery County Fairgrounds has slowly shifted from planning and fundraising toward visible construction. The 38-acre site along South Main Street is now being developed as onMain, a long-term partnership between the University of Dayton and … [Read more...] about Dayton Fairgrounds Redevelopment: The Historic Roundhouse and the OnMain Development
New Retail Shops Now Open in the Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade
Last Friday I attended the reveal of the new retail spaces inside the Dayton Arcade’s restored North Arcade. It was striking to see such a large crowd gathered inside a landmark that sat vacant for decades. I have been covering the Arcade’s story for years, from … [Read more...] about New Retail Shops Now Open in the Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade
Centre City Building (The Mainline) Redevelopment Overview
With the Dayton Arcade’s major construction largely complete, attention is shifting just across Main Street to another huge structure that has sat vacant for years. Few buildings have generated as much long-running curiosity, or frustration, as the Centre City Building, … [Read more...] about Centre City Building (The Mainline) Redevelopment Overview
A Place for Peace: Inside Dayton’s International Peace Museum on Courthouse Square
Editor's note: I’ve written quite a bit about Courthouse Square and its history, challenges, and future as a central gathering place. One thing that can get overlooked in those conversations is the role of the institutions already in and around space today. This guest … [Read more...] about A Place for Peace: Inside Dayton’s International Peace Museum on Courthouse Square
5 Dayton Redevelopment Projects to Watch in 2026: Housing, Office, Retail, and Historic Preservation
Downtown Dayton and its historic neighborhoods are taking some significant steps forward. In the first episode of my new Dayton Vistas Podcast, I take a closer look at five redevelopment projects to watch in 2026, spanning major adaptive reuse efforts downtown as well as … [Read more...] about 5 Dayton Redevelopment Projects to Watch in 2026: Housing, Office, Retail, and Historic Preservation
Belle of Dayton: A Distillery with a Prohibition-Era Connection
Located at the edge of Dayton's Oregon District, the Belle of Dayton distillery has a fascinating history not only for its location, which has housed a wide range of tenants over the years, but also for the story of the Belle of Dayton brand which takes us all the way back … [Read more...] about Belle of Dayton: A Distillery with a Prohibition-Era Connection
The History and Architecture of 1922 and 1918 Brown Street
A pair of interesting buildings on Brown Street forms part of one of the more intact blocks of neighborhood commercial structures in Dayton, and also help tell the story of the surrounding area. Recently these buildings were sold, and online posts have advertised the … [Read more...] about The History and Architecture of 1922 and 1918 Brown Street