The Dayton Arcade: Waking the Giant Part 1 

Thanks to all those revitalizing Dayton and the Arcade :-) I can't wait to move back to Ohio and be part of this effort.

I'm so excited about this! I went here as a kid in the late 80's. I've been living in Los Angeles for over 15 years and my wife and I are possibly buying a home in the Huffman district. Let's bring Dayton back! #renovatinDayton

As an electrician currently working on this project, it has been an honor to be a part of something so massive, cool and unique

I am really hopeful this gets restored. It will create a very vibrant atmosphere in the heart of the city of Dayton

ive been doing metal restoration work in the rotunda, this is an amazing group of buildings, the innovation involved in this project is mind boggling.

Fond memories of the Arcade. I'm praying for the completion. Dayton would never be the same without the Arcade.

Anybody remember Raggs? The homeless guy that lived downtown, died with all that money

Sell the City of Dayton as A Great Historical City. 🤷 The Original Home of the Wright Bros & Wright Patterson Air Force Base. To Include Reserch Laboratories. Dayton News to find a new Major Industry. Be it The Tech Industry, The Sports Industry. or Both. All the Corn Fields around Dayton. Those are sports venues waiting to happen. Some might say, " Well Dayton doesn't have the Population to support major venues. Offering Major Venues is what brings the population here. It's all in the MARKETING. Advertise as The First Silcon Valley: Siting The History Of The Wright Brothers National Cash Register (NCR) How Dayton is Repositioning Itself to do.......Future of Innovation~working with Wright Patterson Air Force Base Reserch Laboratories. The Spirit Of Development is in Dayton's DNA.

I lost my mother in 2013. This was our place! I so wish she could see this beauty come back.

I am 65 years old and I remember my mom when I was about 5 taking me to Woolworths and going downstairs my mom holding my hand as I looked at all those toys. Something i never seen before lol that many toys in one place. We stopped and had lunch at the back counter that looked out at the arcade . About 60 years ago

I love this old building. It is beautiful inside. Went there alot when they had all the restaurants were in it. Wish it were like tjat again. Then an evil company came and bought it and shut down everything and as a result, it has been closed for years.

I’ve don’t know many people who are raving fans of 12 million dollar gravel lots, so, I think I speak for most when I say I am deeply grateful to the collective of stakeholders, who were able to hold this deal together. This is not your average development deal, that can be green lighted by a few spreadsheets from the actuaries. This deal is not simply a financial one, it takes heart and It take patience and vision and gumption and grace and the courage to say yes to resurrect this treasure. It is as much art as it is architecture and I can not wait to walk into the rotondra and look up through the glass and take in its splendor.

If you want to buy a historical house Dayton has plenty to offer. My house is 110 years old! I love it!

I grew up in DAYTON and spent many times daily in the Arcade for shopping buying lunch, buying fish, meats , and exploring other stores. We often stopped into the Arcade on the way home from Central School in the afternoon each day. It was always exciting and busy with people. It was great to be able to access each store from inside the arcade particularly when their was inclement weather outside. it was always easy to access McCrory’s Department Store, Culp’s Restaurant, Thal’s, Donenfields, Capitol Cleaners, Liberals Market, and others from the inside. I am a great believer in historic preservation of our heritage and has dedicated my energies in Boston now, but I still have family in DAYTON and I return there several times yearly. I am very pleased that DAYTON is saving the Historic Arcade as a mixed- use center for business, residential, and entertainment. It will once again be a continuous vital part of the cities urban fabric of life for generations of Daytonians. I want to thank everyone for saving this beautiful iconic building we’re so many Daytonians have wonderful memories.

When I was growinig up I spent a lot of time in McCrory's and the Arcade with its lunch counter and fish market.

I remember the Arcade back 80s. It was nice. It had a nice food court. Glass Elevators. Private Businesses throughout the first and second floors. We lost Mead World Headquarters Just Across The Street, NCR just outside of Downtown to the South, and Several Bank Merges 1st National and Gem City Bank, became Nation City Bank and then closed. Along with losing major Auto Manufacturers in the area, the City lost A Large Number of It's Population. So it just sat for decades. I am so glad it is being perseved. Native Daytonians over 40 yrs old know the history in the Dayton Arcade.

Never got to see the arcade in any if it's heyday. But I've always felt a bit of nostalgia for it... and always imagined what it was like it's best days... always hoping that maybe it's best days could still be yet to come. So happy to see the progress being made.

Lived in Dayton area from 1987 - 1991. Enjoyed the Arcade especially at Christmas. But like many cities, for various reasons people moved farther away from the downtowns and rarely visited the downtown area. It is a shame but for many reasons understandable.

What’s amazing about Dayton is that it wasn’t leveled to create parking lots the way many other cities were. And, there’s a huge housing stock of amazing homes that are affordable.

It’s nice to hear revitalization is taking place in Dayton because it’s been on the decline since the 70’s. I’m glad our family moved out in 1971.

So many memories of the Arcade. Lunches with Mom at Woolworths and all the stalls inside. Especially the fish market where we bought shrimp for Christmas every year. In the 60s when it was alive.

Dayton needs more free parking to compete with suburban stores

Used to go here in the 80's with my grandfather. Such great memories

I didn't even see a single video game.

Very good

As an Architecture student in Dayton, I will soon contribute to making our city even better and thrive even more. It would be an honor to work on this projects like this. Growing up in Dayton I’ve seen DOZENS of vacant buildings, which I know have had an impact on the lives of thousands. I wish to bring this back and impact our generation and the next

The Arcade was the heart of Dayton. A place for working people. You could buy all sorts of things in the Arcade. The dome glass was colored, not clear.

The 23:40 mark, it is beautiful.

Admirable task!! 🙏❤🙏❤🙏❤🙏❤ "Up the pike" in 1989 Springfield, we lost our cause to restore/renovate our 1880s Kelly Arcade. The Citizen's Arcade Alliance tried similiar tactics to reinvigrate the complex. Ultimately, public apathy, city government indifference to the structures future, and alarge dource if investors and the monies doomed the project. It's demolition opened its block for wholesale clearing. The only survivors are the Regent Theater and the Wren Building. Then the Wren building was threatened with "demolition through neglect" after its gutting due to broken water pipes. Thankfully, we got the funding in place for new living spaces and a bit more retail. The Courtyard by Marriott hotel stands on the former Kelly Arcade site. Side note:ghe atcade begen its life as a factory and its additions as the agricultural implement maker prospered. What a story in bricks lost.

Memories, oh the memories.

Don't you remember what happened last time they renovated the arcade? All that money put in to it , all those businesses that put all that money in were destroyed. Are they going to have security guards to protect the people being menaced as they enter and leave like they were last time with teens standing in all the entryways. That's what destroyed the Salem Mall too, remember that? It was a playground for the teens getting out of school. The buses drop them all off downtown. People don't want that. They want to feel safe. Until then people will go other places, they don't have to put up with it. I think it was Fairfield Commons Mall that wouldn't build unless they agreed to have no buss service. That's the only way it would work. They were wise not to make the mistake you are getting ready to make again. You can't babysit all the dreg of downtown. It won't work!

This complex should have been turned into a casino! It would have been able to have everything they currently want to have plus actually succeed! It would have single-handedly saved downtown bringing millions of needed tax dollars into the city budget.

I wouldn't give 2 cents to live in Dayton or any big city. Drugs, crime, poverty must be addressed and solved.

This is a great piece just wish it showcased more people of color in it it’s sad that there were no people of color on the design teams or planning committee we have to do better as a city to revitalize our city

this is a money pit