Dayton Arcade: A Historical Timeline (New Photos)

Last week, Daytonians nervously awaited good news on the Arcade project as the development team and city faced a critical deadline.

If the financial closing wasn’t completed by April 25th, vital tax credits would be lost and according to Mayor Nan Whaley “this won’t happen.”

Fortunately, word came through around midday that the closing was completed and the city celebrated.

What exactly did the closing involve? According to one report, “dozens of wire transfers, some real estate transactions, and other steps.”

Also, in the preceding weeks the Dayton City Commission had approved a batch of legislation relating to the Arcade that set the stage for the closing.

To call this long awaited would be an understatement. Many Daytonians have been rightly skeptical of the project due to failed previous redevelopment efforts and promises that have not been fulfilled.

Here at Dayton Vistas we wrote a long article in January 2018 speculating whether the Arcade would happen. And as it turns out there would still be plenty of twists and turns on the path to actual construction.

But before digging into the present redevelopment project, let’s first take a look back at the earlier years of the buildings that now make up the Arcade. (I also go into detail on the Arcade in my book Lost Dayton, Ohio.)

Dayton Arcade History: a  Timeline

1883 – The Kuhns Building at the NW corner of Fourth and Main, recently revealed to be part of the plans for the Innovation Hub, is completed. (See images below)

March 3-5, 1904 – The Dayton Arcade, then consisting of the Third Street Building, central Rotunda, and Ludlow and Fourth Street Buildings, opens to great fanfare with a three-day festival that has been called “the greatest charity event in Dayton’s history.” (Read More on Dayton Vistas)

1908 – The Commercial Building at the NE corner of Fourth and Ludlow is completed.

1913 – The Great Flood ravages downtown Dayton as well as the Arcade less than a decade after its grand opening. When the flood hit, some 250 people were stranded in the Arcade and had to stay put for several days. Afterwards, many downtown residents moved to higher ground in areas like Dayton View and as a result foot traffic to the Arcade declined significantly, causing fewer merchants to set up in the central market then located in the rotunda.

1917 – The Lindsey Building, former home to several savings and loan companies and vacant for decades, is completed.

1924 – The McCrory Building, recently the location of Suney’s Beauty and More, is completed. (Read More on Dayton Vistas) Both the McCrory and Lindsey are included in the first phase of redevelopment.

Slideshow of Arcade Buildings, Then and Now (6 images)

Slides 1 and 2 – (R to L) Lindsey (tall), McCrory and Kuhns (corner) Buildings

Slides 3-4 – Ludlow, Commercial (corner), and Fourth Street Buildings

Slides 5-6 – Ludlow and Commercial Buildings, 1983 (by Dan Arnold)

1940s – At the dawn of World War II, the Arcade’s rotunda and glass in the main walkway are painted over in black. After Pearl Harbor, fears over additional aerial attacks led many US cities to obscure downtown landmarks that could potentially be seen as targets. According to one account, “the beauty of the Arcade was all but gone.” Once again, it would take several years to recover.

1950s and 1960s – Suburban flight and the proliferation of shopping malls decimate the demand for Arcade merchants. Town & Country in Kettering opens in 1951 and larger enclosed malls follow including the Salem Mall in 1966. Even downtown anchors such as Rike’s begin to open up suburban stores.

1975 – The Arcade is added to the National Register of Historic Places. A major redevelopment project called Arcade Square is proposed.

1980 – After $15 million in renovations to the rotunda and Third Street and Fourth Street entrances, the Arcade reopens with a focus on retail and food. Businesses sign leases, and the future looks promising. But a recession soon follows, and the upper-floor Arcade apartments never reopen as planned.

1983 – The Arcade goes into receivership. Its owners cut out the first floor in the rotunda and build a food court called the Menu in the basement space, accessible by new staircases. The Menu was a success, but could not make up for the rest of the retail spaces. (See images below)

1986 – Out of 60 available retail spaces in the Arcade, only 36 are occupied. A larger downtown revitalization plan aims to demolish the buildings along the west side of Main (including the Kuhns, McCrory, and Lindsey) to be replaced by connected twin office towers. The influx of new office workers is intended to provide a boost to Arcade businesses. Only one tower, today’s Fifth Third Center, is built. However, the 110 N Main office tower, today’s Premier Health building, also opens in the very same year of 1989, resulting in a glut of office space far outstripping the declining demand.

1990 – Leased spaces in the Arcade drop to 26. The owners send a letter to remaining tenants that the Arcade would close on March 30, 1991.

Next we’ll look at the years following the Arcade’s closure, leading into today’s redevelopment. (Read article: Dayton Arcade Post-Closure: Timeline and Redevelopment Efforts)

For now, let’s take a look at some more photography from Dan Arnold, who took these Arcade shots in 1983.