• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Dayton Vistas

A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of the Gem City

Connect with Dayton Vistas

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Hire Me
  • Categories
    • Historical Dayton
    • New Developments
    • Dayton Culture
  • Article Archives
  • Catalog of Historic Dayton Buildings
  • My Dayton Book

Downtown Dayton, Ohio: History and Redevelopment Projects

The Commercial Building: Before and During Construction

April 14, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

dayton commercial building during construction 1900s

In my posts on the Dayton Arcade I've written about the Commercial Building, the 10-story structure designed by Albert Pretzinger for Adam Schantz Jr. which anchors the southern edge of the complex at the NE corner of 4th and Ludlow. It connects to the adjacent Ludlow … [Read more...] about The Commercial Building: Before and During Construction

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Adam Schantz Jr, Albert Pretzinger, Dayton Arcade, Dayton Daily News, Downtown

The Deneau Tower: History and Redevelopment

April 4, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

deneau tower views

The Deneau Tower is a major fixture in Dayton's skyline and also holds a special significance in the story of downtown's progress during the suburban exodus of the mid-20th century. It was built in 1969, and because of its era the building has not been admired in quite … [Read more...] about The Deneau Tower: History and Redevelopment

Filed Under: New Developments Tagged With: Architecture, Downtown, Grant-Deneau Tower, Modernism, Paul Deneau, Urban Renewal, Windsor Companies

Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin

March 26, 2025 By Andrew Walsh 1 Comment

demolished commercial buildings at south main street and franklin downtown dayton

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

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Auto Industry, Auto Shops, Commercial Building, Demolition, Downtown, Highways, Miami and Erie Canal, Midtown, Old Dayton Maps, Pharmacy, Sanborn Maps, US-35

Fidelity Building and Paru Tower: History and What’s Happening Now?

March 17, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

Original article posted 11/27/2024 It's been over five years since I wrote an article about what major downtown site could be next after the Dayton Arcade redevelopment had officially gotten underway. Today, of course, the Arcade's first phase has been a success and … [Read more...] about Fidelity Building and Paru Tower: History and What’s Happening Now?

Filed Under: New Developments Tagged With: 34 North Main, Coon Restoration, Downtown, Fidelity Building, KeyBank, Mayfair Hospitality, Paru Tower, Preservation, Third National Bank

1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers

March 7, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

demolished second street historic district dayton

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

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Dayton Arcade, Demolition, Downtown, Lost Architecture, National Register of Historic Places, Romanesque Revival, Victorian Architecture

The Decline of Downtown Retail post-1950: Suburbanization, Urban Renewal, and More

February 3, 2025 By Andrew Walsh 2 Comments

Recently I reflected on the golden age of retail in downtown Dayton, tracing the history of Rike's, Elder-Beerman, and other popular downtown department and specialty stores. Today the environment is much different, with many local businesses struggling to survive and only a … [Read more...] about The Decline of Downtown Retail post-1950: Suburbanization, Urban Renewal, and More

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Arthur Beerman, Cesar Pelli, Cincinnati, Dayton Mall, Downtown, Elder-Beerman, J.C. Penney, Kettering, Retail, Rike's, Salem Mall, Suburbs, Urban Planning, Urban Renewal

West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue

January 16, 2025 By Andrew Walsh 2 Comments

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

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Christ Episcopal Church, Demolition, Downtown, Ebenezer Thresher, Historic Homes, Horatio Gates Phillips, Mansions, Van Cleve Hotel

History of Talbott Tower (Talbott Building)

December 15, 2024 By Andrew Walsh 2 Comments

talbott tower downtown dayton

Dayton's tallest buildings were built in the 1970s and 80s, but the stories of the earlier "modern" office towers in the late 50s and 60s, when the city was steadily growing but also beginning to decentralize significantly, are interesting as well. The history of the … [Read more...] about History of Talbott Tower (Talbott Building)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Art Deco, Downtown, Harold Talbott, High-Rises, Keybank Tower, Mead, Modernism, Rare Dayton Photos

History of Rike’s, Elder-Beerman, and Downtown Dayton Department Stores

December 4, 2024 By Andrew Walsh 5 Comments

rike's downtown dayton

The Golden Age of Main Street Shopping The last few years have been a difficult time for many downtown small businesses. Retail stores especially face a combination of challenges ranging from lingering pandemic effects and economic struggles to competition from … [Read more...] about History of Rike’s, Elder-Beerman, and Downtown Dayton Department Stores

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Adler and Child's, Arthur Beerman, Centre City Building, David L. Rike, Downtown, Elder and Johnson, Elder-Beerman, Frederick Rike, Home Store, Reibold Building, Retail, Rike's

The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)

October 16, 2024 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

east third from st clair

The Fire Blocks in downtown Dayton has seen a major transformation in recent years spearheaded by The Windsor Companies, as several buildings on Third Street, including the Elks Building, Huffman Block Building, and Dickey Building, have been redeveloped into apartments, and … [Read more...] about The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Dayton Turngemeinde, Downtown, Fire Blocks District, German, Irvin Jewell and Vinson Co, Kimmel Seed & Hardware Co, Lowe Brothers Paint Co, Mendelsohn Society of Dayton, Preservation

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Search the Dayton Vistas Archives

My book explores a diverse selection of retail, industrial, entertainment and residential sites from Dayton's disappearing legacy.
Read More

About Dayton Vistas

I'm Andrew Walsh, a writer and academic librarian. I research Dayton history, architecture, preservation, and urban redevelopment.

Read More

Get New Posts via Email


Latest Posts

historic building at washington and longworth dayton

Midtown Survivors at Washington and Longworth

historic view of east side of main street, downtown dayton

Urban Renewal and Lost Buildings at Main and 3rd

heritage coffeeshop university of dayton built 1903

Lesser-Known Historic Buildings of the University of Dayton

dayton masonic temple

Masonic Temple (Dayton Masonic Center) History

dayton commercial building during construction 1900s

The Commercial Building: Before and During Construction

deneau tower views

The Deneau Tower: History and Redevelopment

Browse Historic Dayton

newcom tavern daytonA Catalog of Historic Dayton Buildings (with years, pics, type, area, status, etc.)

Recent Comments

  • Mollie Hauser on The Last Old Buildings on the West Side of Downtown
  • William "Rusty" Pietrzak on The Diner on St. Clair: a History and an Uncertain Future
  • Laura J Merrell on Historic Buildings on the University of Dayton Campus
  • Накрутка мобильными on Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin

Articles By Topic

Architecture Banking Brown Street Churches Commercial Building Dayton Arcade Dayton Daily News Delco Demolition Downtown East Dayton Features Fidelity Building Fire Blocks District Great Flood of 1913 Haymarket Historic Homes House Histories Huffman Industrial Buildings John H Patterson NCR Old Dayton Maps Oregon District Paul Laurence Dunbar Preservation Rare Dayton Photos Restaurants Retail Rike's Sanborn Maps Santa Clara South Park Sports St. Anne's Hill Then and Now Twin Towers University of Dayton Urban Planning Urban Renewal Wayne Avenue West Dayton Windsor Companies Wright-Dunbar Wright Brothers

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro On Genesis Framework · Affiliate Disclosure and Privacy Policy · WordPress · Log in