In a recent article I showed a Then and Now of South Main and Franklin where a 1920s auto building has been transformed into a medical facility. On the other side of Franklin at the SW corner of the intersection, unfortunately, we have a different story with a great block … [Read more...] about Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin
Demolition
1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers
A little while back I covered Dayton's oldest commercial buildings that survive downtown. There I wrote about how the classic 19th century business block, most often Italianate or other Victorian style architecture, is all but extinct in Dayton's central business … [Read more...] about 1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers
West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue
The story of Downtown Dayton from the 19th century through the first half of the 20th largely involves the transition from homes to office buildings and other larger structures. Then in the 1950s and 60s still more were removed for parking and some whole areas were cleared … [Read more...] about West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue
The Point in Old North Dayton: History and Future
Most of Dayton's 19th century neighborhoods feature one or two historically prominent commercial streets. To the east and west of downtown, it's primarily Third and Fifth, through neighborhoods like the Oregon District, St. Anne's Hill/Huffman, and Wright Dunbar. To the … [Read more...] about The Point in Old North Dayton: History and Future
The Todd Art (Sigma) Theater and a Lost Brown Street Business District
The old firehouse currently home to Jimmy's Ladder 11 restaurant on Brown Street is a beautiful but isolated survivor of what was once a thriving neighborhood business district. One of its most significant neighbors was an old theater located at 924 Brown Street. Built … [Read more...] about The Todd Art (Sigma) Theater and a Lost Brown Street Business District
Congress Lanes, a Relic of Dayton Bowling History, Is Razed
A former bowling alley on Troy Street in Old North Dayton was recently demolished. Congress Lanes, built in 1946, was a small, old-school neighborhood alley. It was built out to the street instead of set back in a sea of parking lots like most of the larger, modern alleys … [Read more...] about Congress Lanes, a Relic of Dayton Bowling History, Is Razed
The Longworth Steam Plant: Dayton’s Lost Medieval Castle
Our recent article on the soon to be demolished Ice House Building near Chaminade-Julienne High School reflected on the area's past identify as a thriving industrial hub. Perhaps the most important building in the area, and certainly the most noticeable, was the Longworth … [Read more...] about The Longworth Steam Plant: Dayton’s Lost Medieval Castle
Dayton’s Courthouse Square: Its History and Future
It houses one of the Dayton region's greatest architectural treasures. It's a vital public space in the center of downtown, linking key hubs like the Dayton Arcade and Schuster Center. But it's said to be a shell of what it once was and what it could be again, sparking … [Read more...] about Dayton’s Courthouse Square: Its History and Future
Dayton Looking for Developers for Gem City Ice Cream Property
With the new Third Street Bridge once again connecting downtown to innerwest Dayton, several projects are underway on West Third in Wright Dunbar, most notably a food hall. But one historic property associated with the Wright Brothers is still languishing in limbo with … [Read more...] about Dayton Looking for Developers for Gem City Ice Cream Property
The Loretto Guild Building History – First and Wilkinson
This long-lost structure located at 125 West First Street in downtown Dayton was known as the Loretto, a Catholic-run boarding house for women. The Loretto (also known as the Loretto Guild) was originally established in 1912 by The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de … [Read more...] about The Loretto Guild Building History – First and Wilkinson