Featuring Research By Sue Montesano I've previously written about the commercial district on West Third Street in Wright-Dunbar, and one of the most interesting structures there is the 3-story Enterprise Building built in 1890 and originally home to the Pekin … [Read more...] about History of The Ark Restaurant on West 3rd St
Wright-Dunbar
A Lost Building at 1014/1016 W Third St
Sometimes when I'm doing research on a particular Dayton site I come across something totally unrelated that piques my interest. And rather than consider it an unwelcome distraction or use it as an opportunity to go completely down a rabbit hole and forget what I was … [Read more...] about A Lost Building at 1014/1016 W Third St
New Fund Can Boost Historic Business Districts
In late September, the City of Dayton announced a new program to help activate vacant and underutilized commercial spaces impacted by the pandemic. The First Floor Fund, administered by CityWide Development, aims to provide low-interest and forgivable loans to small … [Read more...] about New Fund Can Boost Historic Business Districts
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 New Third Street Bridge and Projects in Wright-Dunbar
At the end of 2021, a vital connection for Dayton was reestablished. And it may help give a boost to a variety of projects along a historic business corridor. The Third Street Bridge, which had closed at the end of 2019, reopened in early December. As we enter 2022, … [Read more...] about The New Third Street Bridge and Projects in Wright-Dunbar
Computer Group Interested in Endangered Building for Museum
Lately, the fate of the Gem City Ice Cream Building has been in flux. In recent months it was targeted for demolition by the city, given a reprieve by the Landmarks Commission which denied the request, then dealt another blow by a Board of Zoning Appeals decision that … [Read more...] about Computer Group Interested in Endangered Building for Museum
Gem City Ice Cream Building at Risk of Demolition
A historic building in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood is at risk of demolition after the City of Dayton asked the Landmarks Commission for permission to remove it. The Gem City Ice Cream Building, constructed in the late 1800s, has been listed on the National Register of … [Read more...] about Gem City Ice Cream Building at Risk of Demolition
History of West Third Street Buildings in Wright-Dunbar
Our last article looked into the history of the West Third Business District in Wright-Dunbar, including some old maps of the area. Today we'll take it a step further by digging into the stories of many of the individual commercial buildings. 1000 Block The Hoover Block, … [Read more...] about History of West Third Street Buildings in Wright-Dunbar
History of the West Third Street Business District in Wright-Dunbar
Columnist Jon White recently wrote about the potential of the Wright Dunbar Business District, so we thought it would be a good time to take a historical tour through the area and learn a little more about it. This first article will look at a general history of the … [Read more...] about History of the West Third Street Business District in Wright-Dunbar
Wright Dunbar District: Dayton’s Next Great Street?
Can we take a moment to appreciate the hidden-gem that is the Wright-Dunbar Business District? With its mix of Romanesque Revival, Italianate, and Neoclassical Revival architecture, outside of Fifth Street in the Oregon District there is not a better example of an … [Read more...] about Wright Dunbar District: Dayton’s Next Great Street?