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Dayton Vistas

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

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Then and Now

Building Substitution and Conversion on South Main (Barlow Motor Car, Davis Buick)

February 27, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

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 … [Read more...] about Building Substitution and Conversion on South Main (Barlow Motor Car, Davis Buick)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Adaptive Reuse, Auto Industry, Auto Shops, Butcher Shops, Corner Stores, Fidelity Building, Then and Now, W. M. Devine

Then and Now of 5th and Main, Downtown Dayton

June 8, 2024 By Andrew Walsh 1 Comment

Today we'll be looking at some Then and Now images of the intersection of East Fifth and Main St downtown. These views have been changed greatly by urban renewal in the years since (as has been the case for most of our previous Then and Now articles like 3rd and … [Read more...] about Then and Now of 5th and Main, Downtown Dayton

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Churches, Furniture Stores, Gebhart Opera House, Lyric Theater, Mayfair Theater, Post Office, Theaters, Then and Now

Then and Now: Urban Renewal at 3rd St and Wilkinson

October 5, 2023 By Andrew Walsh 1 Comment

In my book Lost Dayton Ohio I talk about the once-luxurious Robert Boulevard near the Great Miami River on the western edge of downtown. The surrounding area was largely residential, with West Third Street serving as a major thoroughfare with businesses and even some … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Urban Renewal at 3rd St and Wilkinson

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Aerial, Downtown Dayton, Robert Boulevard, Then and Now, Urban Renewal

Then and Now: Downtown Homes Long Demolished at 4th and Perry

February 4, 2021 By Andrew Walsh 4 Comments

old fourth and perry dayton

I've written some about the western side of downtown Dayton, which before urban renewal was largely residential and contained some of the most beautiful homes in the city. The street that featured the largest concentration of "luxury" housing was Robert Boulevard, which … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Downtown Homes Long Demolished at 4th and Perry

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Downtown Dayton, Harry Conover, Robert Boulevard, Sinclair College, Then and Now, Thomas Parrott, Urban Renewal

The Swaynie House and Building Substitution

November 8, 2018 By Andrew Walsh 3 Comments

the swaynie house

In my book Lost Dayton I chronicle not only sites that have been demolished, but also historic landmarks that are still with us, albeit transformed into something completely different from their original use. But in just about all of those cases, today's historic … [Read more...] about The Swaynie House and Building Substitution

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Canal St Arcade and Deli, Dayton Carpet Company, Delco, Delco Lofts, Manufacturing, Mendelson's Liquidation Outlet, Pinneo and Daniels, Presidents, Swaynie House, Then and Now, Webster Station, William Henry Harrison

Then and Now: Aerial of Third and Jefferson, Fire Blocks

July 12, 2018 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

third jefferson dayton fire blocks aerial

With the Fire Blocks development undergoing some major changes and hopefully starting real construction soon, let's travel back in time and take a look at the area from a high vantage point. Some buildings will look familiar, but others are long gone. The Beckel Hotel … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Aerial of Third and Jefferson, Fire Blocks

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Adler and Child's, Aerial, Beckel Hotel, Delco, Fire, Fire Blocks District, Huffman Block, IOOF, Mendelson's, Oriel Studios, Then and Now

What Dayton Has Gained: New Construction 2007-2017

April 6, 2018 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

city view condos downtown dayton

Last time we looked at some of what Dayton has lost in the past decade. But this week we'll take a more optimistic tone and highlight some of the many projects of new construction that have sprung up in those same years on vacant lots and surface parking. Although the … [Read more...] about What Dayton Has Gained: New Construction 2007-2017

Filed Under: New Developments Tagged With: CareSource, Charlie Simms, Condos, Crawford Hoying, Downtown Dayton, Hotels, Then and Now, Water Street, Woodard

Dayton’s Lost Architecture: Demolitions from 2007-2017 (Streetview)

March 13, 2018 By Andrew Walsh 2 Comments

troy and valley st demolished buildings in old north dayton

Dayton has lost an almost unfathomable amount of its historic architecture over the years, ranging from once-grand downtown office buildings, stores, and hotels to neighborhood business districts and homes all over the city. Many people rightly think of the 1950s and 60s as … [Read more...] about Dayton’s Lost Architecture: Demolitions from 2007-2017 (Streetview)

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Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Dayton Daily News, Old North Dayton, Roosevelt High School, Schwind Building, South Park, Streetview, Then and Now, Twin Towers, West Dayton

Then and Now: Fifth and Huffman (Pics)

February 13, 2018 By Andrew Walsh 1 Comment

fifth and huffman streets 1900

On this date in 1900, the above picture was taken looking north from the corner of Fifth and Huffman Streets. The surrounding neighborhood is among the oldest in Dayton, and it picked up in development in the late 1800s largely due to its location on the streetcar line. For … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Fifth and Huffman (Pics)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: East Dayton, Huffman, Streetview, Then and Now

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