Friends of the Dayton Arcade - Recently Updated Pages

Arcade Merchandise

katLlist — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:20:09 CST

(items are not to scale)
to purchase

download the or
contact savethearcade@yahoo.com or by Mail Order: make checks payable to "Friends of the Dayton Arcade" and mailed to Friends of the Dayton Arcade, 137 N. Main., St., Suite 200, Dayton OH 45402 listing items wanted, prices, total amount including $5 for shipping the entire order (includes postage and packaging). Also include name, address, city, zip, phone and email address.

	sold out! copies are available at Dayton area libraries
Bookmarks: $5 each	The Dayton Arcade: Crown Jewel of the Gem City by Curt Dalton
Exterior View of 3rd St. Entrance
Notecards:$5/pkg (5 1/2" x4 1/4") 5 cards/pkg	Interior View 3rd St Arcade
	Photo CD: $10 62 professional photographs of the interior and exterior of the Arcade Complex, including apartments, offices and rooftop
Canvas Tote Bag Sturdy bag measures 13"H x 10"W x 5"D Only $5 !!
	Button: $5
Calendar Poster: $1 or free with any other purchase (11" x 17")
	T-Shirt: $10 (adult L, XL, XXL) 100% cotton

Home

katLlist — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:15:06 CST

Sale of Arcade is Finalized,
Owners Plan to Begin Restoration in 2010

Gunther Berg and Wendell Strutz pay off the $614,000 lien to the Montgomery County Treasurer's Office, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, making them the new owners of the Dayton Arcade known as Dayton Arcade LLC.
(Photo by Leon Bey, President, Friends of the Dayton Arcade.)

Photo of Arcade lien payment paperwork being filed at Montgomery Co. Sheriff's Dept., Wed., May 6. (Photoby Leon Bey).
Front row Left to right: Leon Bey and Jo Granzow representing Friends of the Dayton Arcade, Sheriff's Office employee; Back row Left to right: Wendell Strutz one of two new owners of the Dayton Arcade, Maribeth Graham representing Friends of the Dayton Arcade, Sheriff's Office employee, Peter Emmons of Baltimore, MD as a contractor affiliated with Gunther Berg and Wendell Strutz, Gunther Berg one of two new owners of the Dayton Arcade.

Leon Bey organized a news conference to celebrate the transfer of ownership of the Dayton Arcade to Gunther Berg and Wendell Strutz and to introduce them to the Dayton community. Read more from DDN

Mission Statement
Our efforts to raise awareness and money to improve the future of the Dayton Arcade has been successful. Profits from the sale of Arcade merchandise and donations raised will be used to make much needed repairs to preserve the Arcade for future development.

See our Arcade Merchandise page for note cards, photo cds, bookmarks and canvas tote bags with images of the Dayton Arcade.

Glass dome inside Dayton Arcade ©Nancy Roach

(The Arcade is located in downtown Dayton and has entrances on W 3rd, Ludlow, and W 4th. For a birdseye photo of the Arcade visit YahooMaps .)

Upcoming Events

...stay posted

Donations
We have formally declared our name to be "Friends of the Dayton Arcade" and have obtained 501c3 nonprofit organization status. Contributions for the Arcade's urgent repair and maintenance can now be made directly to "Friends of the Dayton Arcade". We invite everyone to make a pledge from the pledge form on our website to help with this noble cause.
and can be mailed to:

Friends of the Dayton Arcade

137 N. Main St., Suite 200
Dayton, OH 45402

View the pledge form... or downloaded it as a pdf (see the attachment at the bottom of this page)

The arcade © Bill Woody

Watch this website for updates on the Arcade's redevelopment.

If you would like to share your memories and photos of the Arcade contact tolavarrb@yahoo.com. Please provide approximate dates; if we get enough feedback, a page will be created for each decade of the Arcade's history.

Dayton Daily News article and photos of Urban Nights

The Friends of the Dayton Arcade Office, is located at 137 N. Main St., Suite 200, Dayton. Special thanks to Gem Realty for donating the office space and support services.

link to News Archives: Urban Nights, DDN articles, Rally at Couthouse Square, Aug 20, July 27, 2007

What are your memories of the Dayton Arcade?
What are your hopes and visions for its future?
Become an editor and contribute your comments to this page!
Join the Friends of the Dayton Arcade and support its redevelopment.
Go to the discussion page to read comments and add your own! (Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Friends of the Dayton Arcade.)

Read About Plans for Development
in the Dayton Business Journal

Gunther Berg, one of the two new owners of the Dayton Arcade, Wednesday, May 6, 2009,standing by a displaydetailing the philosophy he lives by.
(Photo by Leon Bey.)

Friends of Dayton's Arcade celebrate the closing with the new owners
(back row) Gunther Berg, Maribeth Graham, Wendell Strutz, Leon Bey
(front row) Jo Granzow and Peter Emmons

W. Third Street entrance to the Dayton Arcade ©Nancy Roach

View into rotunda from second story room ©Nancy Roach

Volunteer/Join a Committee
Flier Distribution Committee: help spread the word about upcoming meetings and events (none scheduled at this time) Email Joanne Granzow, JHGranzow@sbcglobal.net the number of fliers needed and where they will be distributed (to avoid duplication)

Fund Raising/Marketing/Public Relations/Press Committee: Leon Bey, grantsguru501c3 @yahoo.com and Maribeth Graham, Maeg434@aol.com

Office Work Committee:meets at the Friends office (137 N. Main St., Suite 200, Dayton) to stuff and mail fliers and make bookmarks for the grassroots public meetings at the public library. Contact NancyR@donet.com

Get your photos and memories posted on our website! Contact: tolavarrb@yahoo.com

If you have special talents as an artist, illustrator, marketer, public relations expert, special events planner, media savvy including writing press releases, want to work on making a quilt, design souvenirs, sell Save the Arcade buttons, etc., call Leon Bey (937) 274-4749 or email your interest. A volunteer will contact you. If you are not sure what you can do, contact us at savethearcade@yahoo.com and we will find you volunteer work.

Contact

Leon Bey (937) 274-4749 savethearcade@yahoo.com

Fund Raising Activities

The Save the Arcade button features a sketch of the Arcade by local architect, Douglas Grewe. Thank you Doug for your support!

Buttons will be for sale at all our committee meetings and at our meetings at the library plus through many Friends of the Dayton Arcade or email us at Maeg434@aol.com

Links

www.MostMetro.com/GetUrban
Gem City Circle Walking Tours contact Leon Bey (937) 274-4749 or email grantsguru501c3@yahoo.com

Photos of the Dayton Arcade

Dayton Daily News

History

a brief history and commentary by Mike Kotler

Nearby Renovation and Redevelopment

Suggested uses for Redevelopment

Preservation Dayton Inc.
add yours to the Discussions page

historic photos

katLlist — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:28:07 CDT

Photos and memories courtesy of Bob Thaman

The Arcade I remember was a noisy place. Sounds of people’s conversations, shouting, shoes hurriedly clicking and pounding to a destination on that hard terrazzo flooring. All of those sounds coming together, magnified and echoing under that majestic domed ceiling. But it wasn’t a harsh loudness.
It was a building totally alive, full of excitement. Happy faces, blank ones, down-trodden expressions. A mixture of poor people, well-heeled and common folk. We all came together like the smells and the sounds and made the Arcade a central gathering place in downtown Dayton.

Arcade bakery
Maybe twenty years or more earlier than in the 1970s, there was a bakery located towards the middle of the dome. I remember glass cases displaying trays of creme horns. Trays of glazed donuts, chocolate dipped donuts, all kinds of donuts. Danish rolls and pop-overs with real fruit fillings. Pecan rolls and coffee cakes. What I liked best on visits was the fresh bread smell that lingered enticingly in the air. And to watch people, mostly old ladies, buying bags of fresh white bread, salty ryes, rolls, buns, pastries and creme horns.
Creme Horns. Do people even know what they are today? The ones I see now are miniature to those the Arcade bakery sold. A good six inches long, almost three inches wide at the top where the white creme filling came spilling out. The delicate flaky, buttery pastry dusted with powder sugar.

Arcade dome
I always got a little dizzy walking into the middle section and looking up at that huge dome. From top middle center, eyes followed the lines of metal arms arching downward to the base. Where a protective railing went all the way around a catwalk. The ceiling looked empty and alone compared to what was going on below. I was told back then that the dome used to be clear glass but I remember it as being painted over in a pinkish beige. It’s now clear glass again

THE CORRIDOR
Quaint little shops lined both sides of the corridor leading from West Third into the center rotunda of the Arcade. Sibyl Hat Shop for women; a barber shop for men. A shoe repair, a jewelry store. A fresh fruit store that specialized in fruit baskets. A bar-lounge I was always curious of what it must have looked like inside but never entered, it looked too rough. A dry cleaner across from it.
These were real shops that served real needs. They were small, simple, not sophisticated, fancy boutiques. Men needed haircuts. People needed clothes cleaned, shoes repaired. A woman needed a hat because women needed hats. Just like a man might need a drink because some times men just needed a drink.

The lighted sign over the main entrance corridor off Third Street billed it as a shopping center. Probably posted at a time when that term was new and important. Shopping Center. Another sign below it said Arcade Food Market.
The Arcade I remember is just a slice out of time for the grand ol’ dame. Like a few slices out of a loaf of that fresh bread- from the late Fifties through the early Seventies.

The Arcade I remember surely wasn’t at all the Arcade that existed when it was new. Nor was it the Arcade of the Thirties or the war years. Someone who remembers it then would have a totally different picture from mine.

How different it was for her last make-over a decade and more ago in the late Eighties. When she got dusted off, painted and all dressed up. Let the sun shine in through her dome. She became a fashionable, upscale downtown mall with gold-gilded escalators and elevator.

Quick Facts

katLlist — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:15:59 CDT

Quick Fact Sheet on Dayton’s Historic Arcade
(attachment available on the bottom of this page for distribution)

* A historic landmark in downtown Dayton placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Ohio Preservation Alliance lists it as a Most Endangered Historic Site.

* The five connecting buildings with a glass rotunda were built in 1902 for E. J. Barney and M. J. Gibbons by NCR architect Frank Andrews.

* Dayton’s Arcade is named for the glass-roofed entrance on Third St. Its Flemish façade was inspired by an Amsterdam guild hall. The architecture is Renaissance Revival and the buildings cost $2 million when opened in 1904. There are Ludlow St. and Fourth St. entrances. The Arcade’s dome is 70 ft. high and 90 ft. in diameter. Detailing around the spectacular dome includes Ohio specialties: oak leaves and acorns, garland of grain, rams’ heads, colorful wild turkeys, and cornucopia filled with fruits and vegetables.

* It was originally a farmers market with permanent vendors in later years. The Arcade was filled with the smell of cheese, baked goods and popcorn with seafood and meat counters and a Culp’s meal counter. It was a multi-use facility with restaurants, markets, apartments, retail, offices and services.

* As malls grew in popularity, the Arcade’s business declined. Investors spent millions renovating the Arcade in the late 1970’s. The Arcade reopened to great fanfare as an upscale retail shopping center with popular restaurants. After evicting the tenants the 131 apartments were left vacant and never remodeled.

* Due to funding issues and fewer shoppers, the Arcade closed by 1991.

* The Arcade was unsuccessfully reopened by the city for Holly Days at Christmas.

* Tom Danis planned to redevelop the Arcade, but sold it for $1 to Brownfield Charities, that currently owes back taxes on the facility. A tax lien has been sold by Montgomery County and comes due November 19, 2007.

* Friends to Save the Arcade was formed in June, 2007 to raise awareness and to mobilize public opinion about the endangered historic Arcade. The free public tours of the Arcade on Urban Nights, Friday, September 14, 2007, were organized and sponsored by Friends to Save the Arcade to educate the public about the conditions of the Arcade and the need to keep the buildings from being demolished. Continued fund raising efforts are being made to help preserve and maintain the buildings.

* To volunteer to help save the Arcade contact Leon Bey (937) 274-4749
* Friends to Save the Arcade Steering Committee: Maribeth Graham (maeg434@aol.com) Jo Granzow (jhgranzow@sbcglobal.net) Leon Bey (grantsguru501c3@yahoo.com)
* Fact sheet compiled by Leon Bey (937) 274-4749. Help Save the Arcade!
9/07

News Archives

katLlist — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:43:16 CDT

May 6, 2009
The purchase of the Dayton Arcade is complete. The new owners, Gunther Berg and Wendell Strutz, plan to begin restoration in 2010. Peter Emmons of Baltimore has been named as the contractor for the project. read more

March 2009
New Arcade owners, Gunther Berg and Wendell Strutz say they will begin work on the Arcade in 6 months (see the full story).
The building was purchased on March 12 by Dayton Arcade LLC. Read more on the Dayton Daily News website. The new owners plan to restore the building to its former glory. More on their plans.

June 29, 2008
Tea to benefit the Arcade is a great success. Held on the terrace of the beautifullyrenovated Kuhn's building, patrons were restored with hope for the Arcade. Read more..

Jan 24, 2008
Dayton Daily News article publicizes Friends of Dayton's Arcade's plans for publishing a book about the Dayton Arcade's history based on stories gathered from the community.

Dec 13, 2007
Dayton Daily News announces a deal to purchase the Arcade is on the table!! Read about the last developments in Dayton Daily News articles from Dec 12 and Dec 13, 2007.

Nov 23, 2007
Approximately 500 people escaped the frigid breeze at Dayton's Grande Illumination and enjoyed a tour of the Arcade. Children and adults of all ages were treated to their first view of the Arcade. Veteran patrons shared their fondest memories of the Arcade's active years.

Nov 6, 2007
According to local news sources, the efforts of the Friends to Save the Arcade has successfully sparked the interest of the community. Read more at the Dayton Daily News website. The Arcade was also featured on Channel 7's Morning News.

Sept 16, 2007
The turnout for Friday's Urban Night tours exceeded expectations. Approximately 2500 people waited patiently in a thick line that extended around the corner. Groups of 15-20 were led though the rotunda area and past the arcade by tour guides who shared their knowledge and memories of the Arcade complex. Participants shared their own memories and hopes for its future redevelopment. Those who were seeing the Arcade for the first time were amazed by its beauty and, like its past patrons, disdained by its neglect. The small donation boxes overflowed and orders were taken for merchandise that sold out. All pledge forms were snatched up, but a printable copy is available at the bottom of this page. Watch this site and view all of its pages for further updates and developments.

Sept 15, 2007
Dayton Daily News article and photos of Urban Nights

Aug 30,2007
Thursday's Rally was a modest success. Friends of the Arcade were joined by former residents who were interviewed by retired WHIO-TV personality, M.C. Bette Rogge. Five decades of memories of shopping at and living in the Arcade were shared, while Tom Scheidt played bagpipes in the background. Media coverage was provided by WHIO-TV and WDNT-TV2 and was aired on the 6 pm and 11 pm news. Sales of our Save the Arcade buttons, Arcade bookmarks, DVD of Arcade photos, new Calendar/Poster and Arcade notecards went well.

Aug 28, 2007
Read Dale Huffman's article "Uproar Over Demolition Returns" and email a response to: dhuffman@DaytonDailyNews.com

Aug 20, 2007
We have been given permission to conduct public tours of the inside of the Arcade on Urban Nights!
Since the close of the Arcade in the 1980's this has been an extremely rare occurrence...don't miss this unique opportunity! Enter at the 4th St. entrance near Ludlow.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the raffle of the Ford SUV has been cancelled. Check this website for other upcoming fund-raising events.

Friday, July 27
We held our 2nd Grassroots Public Meeting of Friends to Save the Arcade, Thursday, July 26, 12 noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. We met at the Dayton Metro Library, 2nd floor auditorium, 215 E. Third St., Dayton. Dayton Daily News reporter Evan Millward (EMillward@daytondailynews.com) was at the meeting and joined us for a tour of the Arcade. Evan did a terrific article about the Arcade with great colorful stunning photos of the Arcade and Great Rotunda by DDN photographer Teesha McClam (TMcClam@daytondailynews.com) in the Dayton Daily News, Friday, July 27. Take a look at the article on page A4 or go online to daytondailynews.com to Local News for text of the article.

In the past month we have opened Friends to Save the Arcade Office, 137 N. Main St., Suite 200, Dayton. Special thanks to Gem Realty for donating the office space and support services.

Pledge Form

katLlist — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:02:30 CDT

Use this page to view this document only. To download the pdf attachment use this button or click the file name at the bottom of the page for a print quality document. (The resolution will be much higher)

Discussions

katLlist — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:09:00 CDT

How do you think the Arcade should be redeveloped ? Add your comments.
Note: to follow the thread read from the bottom up. Each comment is limited to 2000 characters.
Replies to comments are posted following the comment.

(Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Friends of the Dayton Arcade and joining the Wiki has not, in my experience, generated any spam.)

Letter to supporters

katLlist — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:47:01 CST

Use this page to view this document only.

Download the pdf attachment at the bottom of the page for print quality document.

(The resolution will be much higher)

Please note the contact phone number has changed to (937) 274-4749

Arcade Flyer

katLlist — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:32:23 CDT

this low resolution image is for viewing only,

for a printable version, download the pdf at the bottom of the page

(there are currently no event flyers for distribution,

see other wiki pages for other attachments)

Your Memories and Ideas

katLlist — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:17:32 CDT

Comments and suggestions compiled from Urban Nights, September 24, 2007

Wish List and Suggestions
Dance Hall & Theater in the Round
Ice Skating Rink
Restaurants
Retail/Boutiques
Amenities for Citizens and Travelers
Gourmet Food/Wine
Space for Artists
Specialty Shops /Eateries w/ Shuttle to 5th/3rd Field
Arcade Food Center for Urban Dwellers
DLM & Retail and Apartments
Parking
Outlet Mall
Loft Living & Free Parking
Retirement Community
Health Club
Upscale Urban Living
"If the Arcade dies,so does Dayton...SAVE IT!"
"Save the Arcade ...Open it Up!"~ Grandson of M.J. Gibbons
"Forget the Green, Open the Arcade!I'd rather see my taxes spent in Dayton instead of the suburbs."
Entertainment Center/Movie & Dayton Metro Library & Art Gallery
Miami Valley Regional Museum & Children's Center/Library/Science
It's Own Community
Lofts
Grocery
Academic Resource Center
"Forgive the Taxes and develop this Treasure, Dayton Needs It"
"To the Mayor and City Council: You don't need to worry about what direction the streets go if they go nowhere /spend your money on something that matters,the Arcade and others like it!"
"Get this together ASAP,Dayton needs you"
"It's Great in Dayton...we need the Arcade...C'mon businesses, flee the suburbs"
(Multiple expressions to Save the Arcade included)

Memories and Comments
"My Great Grandfather built this place.Let's keep it alive." ~ Elizabeth Gibbons
"Re-Open...What a waste of a beautiful building"
"Street car to town/yummies such as olives and pickles sold by an old gentleman named Disher" ~ (Homer Hacker,90 years old)
Blind man selling peanuts
Game Room
Charley's Crab
McCrory's Popcorn
Wine and Cheese Shop
Seafood Bar
"The Arcade is the Heart of Dayton" ~ 4 generations of one family
"Bring it Back! Lovely, my first time! I understand the jewel that's light has been hidden."
"Wow! How can you think of tearing this down?"
"Think Positive -It Can Reopen!"
"Please Preserve Our History "The O'Bryans
"One of my Teachers lived in the Apartments"
"I'd Love to Live Here"
"Dad worked at the Fish Market in the 50's and we children would help sometimes" ~The Sneed Family
"As a Delta Flight Attendant, I proudly brought friends to the Arcade"
Charley's Raw Bar
Culp's Lunch Counter
Christmas with the Children
"Open Up to Keep the Loving Atmosphere of Various Cultures Coming Together in Peace"
"Good Luck!"
"My Piano Teacher had an Apartment with French Doors that Opened into the Rotunda upstairs"
"We Bought Our Engagement rings Here"
"Thanks for the Memories"
"Remembering the Past and Looking Forward to the Future" ~The Butlers
"My grandparents owned Walters Fruit Stand"
"My first job was at McCrorys"
"Bring it Back! I proposed to my wife at Charlie's Crab!"
"Dayton Needs the Arcade"