News & Events

ADVOCACY

PDI continues to advocate at the grassroots level to advance the prservation ethic. Recently:

• PDI has partnered with the City of Dayton, the Home Builders Association and several other organizations to restore the Fitch House, the circa 1852 single-family, Greek-Revival-style home at Fourth and Williams Streets. Work is now underway.
• PDI worked with Historic South Park to assure appropriate redevelopment solutions for the Cliburn Manor site on the edge of the neighborhood. The site is scheduled for demolition in the very near future.
• PDI's Preservation Advocacy Committee is evaluating which historic properties should be included on our Top 10 Endangered Structures List.
• PDI intervention helped the City of Dayton re-think, and apparently retreat from, a proposal to develop a hard-surface parking lot on the grounds of the Patterson Homestead.

LATEST STRUCTURES THREATENED –

Odd Fellows Hall at Fifth and LaBelle
The National Home for Disabled Soldiers
Marvin Gardens on Brown Steet
The small buildings on the Woodland Cemetery grounds

Ecki Building:
It appears that site preparation will soon begin on the construction of a new Kroger Grocery Store at the intersection of Wayne and Wyoming, a site that includes the historic and fire-damaged Ecki Building. The prospects for incorporating some or all of the Ecki Building into the design of the store are dim.

Dayton's Historic Schools:
Close to two years ago, PDI reached an agreement that would add Colonel White, Patterson-Kennedy and E.J. Brown to the list of public school buildings whose historic cores would be preserved as part of the system's rebuilding process. At least parts of that agreement - especially with respect to E.J. Brown - appear to be in jeopardy, and PDI leaders are working very hard to keep it in place.

As mentioned above, PDI is diligently working with the Dayton Public Schools to save a number of the more historic structures which are slated to be demolished as part of the Dayton Public Schools Facilities Master Plan. 56 of 59 buildings are proposed for (eventual) demolition. As many as 16 are eligible for Register or local designation. As part of the neogiations, PDI is trying to save a number of the schools' historic cores and/or facades for those schools slated to be reconstructed on site. For those that will be abandoned, PDI is working on possible redevelopment / adaptive re-use. For the remaining schools that will be demolished beacuse they are beyond repair, PDI is negotiating recovery and/or archiving of artifacts, historic objects, cornerstones. Full story on Dayton Public Schools >>

Shawen Acres
Mongomery County has just about completed a new parking lot that flanks the eight historic, English style cottages that have now been boarded up for several years. The County is unwilling to talk about adaptive re-use.

United Theological Seminary
Looking for innovative strategies for the UTS campus. The 32-acre Olmsted-designd campus off Cornell Ave. in Dayton View Triangle begs for a re-use solution. The administrators of the facility, are committed to moving after 132 years in this location - they are not committed to the five buildings on the campus. Not only is the future of these buldings at stake, but perhaps the stability of the community.

Montgomery County Fairgrounds:
Although no decision has been made to tear down any buildings, a recommendation to demolish the horse sheds was made by a consulting firm to the Fair Board.

There are a number of magnificent buildings and structures on the site. The Roundhouse (built in 1874) is in amazingly good shape, despite snow and fire damage. Two sections of the roof have been faithfully restored, but it still leaks and obviously needs attention. Once completely restored, including reproduction of the cap of the building, it would make for a grand events space. The Coliseum (built circa 1900) is also a terrific building -- and also in very good shape. The grandstand (circa 1900) is a wonderful structure.

There are also several barns (still in use) that are probably more historic than they are significant, but they have a tremendous amount of character. And the horsemen who have been using the barns, many for a very long period of time, are very much connected to the history of the place. In any event, the Fairgrounds has a tremendous amount of potential for both restoration and redevelopment -- while continuing to use the grounds for the County Fair -- and PDI will continue to work with the Fair Board.

Daniel Miller House - A West-side Treasure:
In 1802, Pennsylvanian Daniel Mille visited west dayton seeking land upon which to establich a new home. The resulting brick mansion built on the bluff overlooking the valley still stands today in a humble west side neighborhood, dwarfing the structures around it. This proud building is in trouble, the victim of an unintended conspiracy of age, neglect and disinvestment. One of the oldest homes in the city, designated a part of the underground railroad, architecturally significant Federal-style, and on the National register of Historic Places - this house is one caring buyer away from preservation.

PDI is exploring a number of private-public sector initiatives to save the house, all the while hoping tht preservationist of good heart will step forward. Take a few minutes to drive by the house at 3525 Dandridge Avenue - once there you will understand it's significance.

Dayton's Urban Churches:
In March of 2001, PDI presented a forum on how to save the urban churches threatened by suburban flight. This event brought together members of urbn ministerial community, preservationists, community and economic development officals, educators, memebers of the design profession, and housing officials - all with a stake in vibrant, sustainable communities of worship downtown and a stake in preserving the churches that shelter them. The survival of almost 20 downtown churches is threatened by declining congregations and skyrocketing maintenance and upkeep costs.

The event was a huge success in getting people talking and educating the city on the threat to these magnificent structures and communities, but the success in saving these institutions is yet to be seen.

GOOD NEWS –

Dayton named Preserve America Community!
On Sep 21, 2004, Dayton was honored by the White House as a Preserve America Community! Preserve America is a White House initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America's priceless cultural and natural heritage. Delaware and Oberlin are the only other designated Preserve America Communities in the state of Ohio. The award was presented by Cabinet member Ann Veneman, the Secretary of Agriculture, and by John Nau, the Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

The Duncarrick Mansion.
This well-known historic residence located at 1000 Keowee Steet has a contract on the building and adjoining land. The buyer has the full intention - and the resources - to restore the building. The deal won't be completed for a while, but this is great news!

Cool stuff happening in the Fairgrounds District.
The new single-family and townhouse units on Frank Street and fairground Ave lend a touch of class and innovation to one of Dayton's oldest neighborhoods. Superb collaborative effort between UD, the Miami Valley Hospital and CityWide Development. Architecture by Rogero Buckman Architects, construction by the Greter Dayton Construction Group.

Partnering for Historic Tax Credits:
PDI is partnering with Heritage Ohio and Downtown Ohio, Inc. who are drafting historic tax credit legislation and conducting a study on the potential economic impact. If passed, home buyers could obtain state tax credits for purchasing and rehabilitating historic single-family homes.

Locally, PDI has also proposed a "preservation alliance" with the city under which funding would be available to rescue historic properties - residential and commercial alike - that are beyond the reach of traditional redevelopment efforts. The Daniel Miller House listed above - would be one of such properties.

ART ABOUT TOWN –

Preservation Dayton is the proud sponsor of Art About Town, an annual juried art exhibition - now in it's 13th year. The show displays original works of art in all media which in some manner address visual or intellectual issues connected with the historic districts or downtown Dayton. Grants from various groups help support this effort at increasing awareness and appreciation of Dayton’s historic districts among participating artists, neighborhood residents, and visitors to the exhibition.

Art About Town has won a Culture Works Opus Award, a Culture Builds Communities award and an Ohio Governor’s Award for the Arts for Arts Outreach. Art About Town encourages artists to explore all aspects of life in Dayton’s ten historic districts and its downtown. This project benefits a diverse audience outside Preservation Dayton’s’ regular constituency, including working artists, inner city residents, downtown workers and visitors, and art enthusiasts. Art About Town honors the diversity of the historic districts and downtown and celebrates and promotes Dayton’s architectural heritage. The project increases understanding of city architecture and social issues by allowing visitors to see them through the eyes of artists and promotes inner-city living by highlighting the diversity of housing and the existence of attractive neighborhoods near downtown.

Through projects like Art About Town, Preservation Dayton inspires and educates area citizens, shows respect and appreciation for diverse cultures, makes art more accessible to citizens, improves opportunities for local artists to reach the public and creates mixes of culture and commerce that support a positive image of Dayton. View information on this year's show