Preservation Dayton, Inc. (PDI) accepts nominations for outstanding individuals businesses, or organizations that have contributed to PDI’s mission to promote, protect, and enhance greater Dayton’s architectural heritage, its setting, and its contributions to the region’s quality of life.

These awards recognize and celebrate historic preservation leaders in the following categories: 

• Dayton historic neighborhoods—Recognizes an outstanding preservationist in each of Dayton’s officially designated historic neighborhoods
• At-large—Outstanding preservationist(s) for the greater Dayton region
• Lifetime achievement—A major contributor to preservation causes over multiple decades

​Criteria: Each award recognizes creative, inspirational leaders whose efforts have contributed to the protection, renovation, and revitalization of historic neighborhoods, individual structures, or strengthened the historic preservation movement or the quality of life in Dayton’s historic communities. Awards may celebrate neighborhood and community leaders, business owners and businesses, nonprofit organizations, government leaders, journalists and other dedicated individuals who have succeeded in protecting Dayton’s historic architecture and built environment.

Lifetime achievement award

David Williams
Dayton Arcade and Much Mor​e!

In the mid-80’s, David Williams, as a recent college graduate in the design and construction field, became engaged with the Living City Project imagining how the best of the past could come back to life. This was only the beginning of a lifetime commitment to historic preservation using a mastery of advocacy, innovative design, financial creativity, and persistent tenacity.

Dayton was truly fortunate when Dave’s family moved to Oakwood from Pittsburgh when he was in the fifth grade. Dave’s commitment to historic preservation began with Dayton’s first ever urban loft living space, The Lofts on St. Clair. Here, he and his wife Susan began their family with the birth of their first daughter. Dave’s early influences came from time spent with family in Savannah, Georgia with Aunt Suzie and Uncle Nick and their friends the Adler’s. Lee (former Board Member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) and Emma Adler and Nick and Suzie Williams were instrumental in resetting Savannah’s downtown, saving Savannah’s great historic fabric and the many squares and parks guarded by the amazing live oaks at every corner

They then moved to St Anne’s Hill where they restored their own home and several others in the neighborhood including 144 LaBelle, 601 McClain, and 228 Henry Street. But Dave has always been much more than a renovator of historic buildings. He is a creative community-builder and passionate space-maker. In St. Anne’s, the Williams were noted for their large neighborhood dinner parties. A non-functioning kitchen under renovation was no problem. They just washed piles of dishes in the bathtub. Dave is also known for coming up with creative acronyms and marketing concepts. It was in St. Anne’s where he created the progressive PPD’s—Porch, Patio, and Deck Progressive parties that gathered neighbors and friends from the suburbs together to enjoy their historic neighborhood while promoting downtown housing and living.

After his pioneering adaptive reuse with the downtown Lofts on St Clair, Dave took on an even more visionary project, The Cannery Apartments at East Third and Wayne Avenue. He also undertook this project simultaneously with the development of the Second Street market. All of these projects required both good design and creative financing to overcome bankers who were concerned about speculative investments in a dying downtown. And Dave delivered on every one of these challenging fronts.

The Lofts on St Clair required a commitment from a eight financial institutions for a modest size development of six residential units and three ground-level commercial spaces.

Just a couple of blocks away was one of Dayton’s best stands of late 1800’s warehouse buildings in a traditional manufacturing part of Dayton. Dave with his business partners Beth Duke and Stephen Greer took on an even more visionary project, “The Cannery” at 500 East Third. This group of 7 warehouse buildings total 250,000 sf. included 156 loft apartments, 40,000 sf of commercial space and 135 parking spaces, moved loft housing to the next stage. The Cannery, at the other end of the scale, required a unique public-private partnership, and Dave was successful in securing the first loan from the National Trust for Historic Preservation ever provided to a private sector developer.

Right from the beginning, Dave has never been your typical hands-off developer. With each of these projects, Dave was at the forefront contributing his own sweat-equity and talent for energizing community support. For example, while the farmers’ market was at the Cannery Warehouse at Fourth and Wayne, Dave and Beth were up every single Saturday morning for two years at five a.m. to make sure vendors were happy and the market was a success. This success, thanks to their hard work, influenced National City Bank to buy naming rights and invest in the historic tax credits. Five Rivers MetroParks provided the funding for the conversion of former deteriorated Baltimore & Ohio outbound freight house which our entire region enjoys today as the Second Street Public Market.

At the Cannery, Dave dove into the ultimate in creative design. He personally worked on the “Got to Make the Donuts” project which created swirling designs on 500 interior doors making the Cannery apartments even more attractive and unique. Using geothermal heating and cooling, the Cannery was also at the forefront of sustainability in Dayton. The project’s innovative use of Dayton’s abundant green energy sources earned Dave a spotlight as a speaker at the National Trust for Historic Preservation annual conference.

Dave also took his St. Anne’s social planning skills to the next level and created the massive community celebration in the Cannery Alley Way called “Can Openers”. Additionally, he helped to organize and host the sale of NCR’s irreplaceable collection of wooden molds at the Cannery.

By anchoring the east side of downtown with the Cannery project, Dave is truly the heart and soul of the renovation of new businesses, restaurants , and housing we have seen all along East Third Street and around Webster Station. As one of Dave’s nominators said, “If it wasn’t for Dave, we all would be eating a McDonald’s on Saturday afternoon.”

Each one of these transformative efforts required advocacy, innovative design, financial creativity and a lot of tenacity when things went sideways. But Dave’s major challenge was yet to come.

In 2014, Dave was hired by Citywide Development, in partnership with the City of Dayton, to jump start downtown housing development. He was assigned the task to harness an emerging Ohio demand for urban market-rate housing as well as attract quality, experienced and savvy adaptive reuse developers to Dayton to attack the redevelopment of many of our beautiful historic (and vacant) downtown buildings. Dave’s first order of analysis was to calculate what it would cost to demolish five major Main Street buildings. He penciled out a cost of about $25 million with the potential loss of tax credit equity in the range of $50 million to $75 million to get to five vacant lots. That caught the attention of everyone and began the conversion of people advocating for demolition to people advocating adaptive reuse. Dave then met the task by helping developers find hidden opportunities not only for adaptive reuse but brand-new products like townhomes. He educated everyone about the wide variety of financial tools including federal and state tax credits, new market tax credits, PACE and LIHTC. Whatever it took. But, of course, with a little nudging from Dave to do it right.

Also in 2014, the city had come to the heartbreaking decision that the Arcade might never happen and was now a public nuisance. The mayor formed a task force to prepare the community for the inevitable. Dave Williams and John Gower took the lead on the task force. Dave made the sagacious observation that sentiment had run its course. If the Arcade was to rise again, it would need to be based on sound financials and not wishful thinking. The task force hired both a professional demolition consultant and an adapted reuse consultant. Everything was on the table.

Dave argued if demolition was the soundest policy, it must include not only what we think of as the Arcade but also the Commercial Building, McCrory’s, and the 25 South Main building to create a decent development parcel. The estimate to remove the buildings ranged from $8 million to $12 million. The result of that approach would leave a very difficult vacant parcel to redevelop. The Task Force then balanced that information with the analysis from the adaptive reuse consultants – Sandvick Architects from Cleveland. What began to emerge was a practical approach that identified the redevelopment of the Arcade as a financial possibility.

In the spring of 2016, Dave went to work with the Miller-Valentine Group. MV had become the development partner for the proposed artist housing conversion. Dave worked as a critical Arcade team member with the Miller-Valentine team and Bill Struever of Cross Street Partners of Baltimore. Bill was the lead visionary that was shepherding the Arcade development vision. And in his spare-time, Dave couldn’t resist activating space in the Miller-Valentine Building into a creative space he dubbed the ”The Kitchen” to cook up creative approaches to adaptive reuse.

In October of 2017, Dave went to work for Cross Street Partners to continue to work on the Arcade project. He used every bit of his skillset to help the team advance the effort. During the most stressful and suspenseful process of finalizing the capital stack for the first phase of the Arcade, Dave broke his ankle in three places, underwent a three-hour surgery, and was restricted from any weight-bearing activity for 14 weeks. In the eleventh hour and despite these challenges, Dave was at the forefront of bringing all the financing sources over the finish line. In April of 2019, the South Arcade (first phase of the project south of the alley) had its financial closing.

Dave has now spent most of his waking hours of the last 4 years working with the Arcade team to get it to its opening. Dave has been the oil in the crankcase. Hourly and daily coordination for Cross Street, McCormack-Baron and the Model Group partners, committed and potential tenants, design, marketing, finance – anything that you could think of makes his continuing leadership incalculable. Out of Dave’s brilliant brain came the idea for The Tank – an underground pitch pit in the round in the old food court area, a new vertical circulation concept that would connect all of the buildings with a new skylight and the primary compass point being identified on the decorative medallions of the rotunda. This makes us wonder if Dave’s entire career was the preparation that would be needed to help the Arcade rise from the ashes like a Phoenix. What a gift for his hometown!

What we now love about the Arcade is not merely a restored Arcade but a completely re-imagined city within a city. Dave has brought all his skills to bear… advocacy, innovative design, financial creativity, persistent tenacity, creative event and space-making, passion and imagination to the Arcade Dream Team!

While Dave has spent years rebuilding and reshaping his city, he has also been working tirelessly behind the scenes to advance the Preservation Dayton cause by working with community advocates, influencers, opinion makers, local, state and federal lawmakers. In addition to his engaged activist role in the early days of Preservation Dayton, he has been involved with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and most recently with Heritage Ohio. Dave is a board member of Heritage Ohio. Most recently, when the federal tax code was overhauled several years ago, the federal historic tax credits and many of the provisions were placed at risk with the legislation. As a member of the Heritage Ohio board and coalition of activist members, he played a key role with the entire Heritage Ohio delegation as they travelled to Washington D.C. to meet with the Ohio congressional delegation. Ohio federal elected officials from both sides of the aisle played a pivotal role in saving the historic tax credits and Dayton is continuing to benefit from that to this very day.

Dave Williams truly deserves to be just one of three Life-time Achievement award winners recognized by Preservation Dayton for his unsurpassed “Excellence in Historic Preservation.”

​Huffman Historic District

Becky Osgood Howard
55 Linden Ave.

The Huffman Historic Neighborhood is proud to present the “Excellence in Preservation Award” to Becky Osgood Howard for her remarkable renovation and stewardship of several homes in their neighborhood.

Becky never had any intention of being a home rehabber or preservationist. She was a stay at home mom who loved being just that to her boys. Michael and Andrew grew up in Huffman when it wasn't "cool" to grow up in the inner city, but Mike Osgood, Becky’s husband loved it and so the family made their home at 55 Linden Avenue in the Huffman Historic District

When Mike died in 2014, Becky was thrust into the world of rental management and historic home preservation. She remarked that she was not prepared, “My first renter was looking at 64 Centre Street the day after Mike’s funeral. The prospective tenant and I were standing outside of my house, I can see it like it was yesterday, and I started crying and said ‘I’m sorry, I know I really did a horrible job but I just buried my husband yesterday and I'm not good at this!’" Three years later, when her tenant moved out, he told Becky, “It wouldn't have mattered if I liked the house or not, you couldn't have beat that line to get me to rent.” Becky said, “ It's funny now, but it was who I was for a long time about these homes, honest and full of doubt that I could live up to Mike's abilities.”

Becky, continues her remarkable story, “When Mike passed away, we had a house at 1949 4th Street that Mike used as his storage. It was literally stuffed to chest-high full of what was junk and supplies for the houses. It was so overwhelming. I made a quick decision to do my first rehab when someone offered me $5000 for it. We'd bought it for $30,000 many years before and I had no intention of losing that money. I had to take care of the boys and this way I could stay close to home and provide income. However, before we could get started someone broke in the house and tore out all of the wiring and plumbing. I remember seeing the door open from my garage and going over and finding the destruction. I also remember sitting on the stoop of the house crying as I had no idea what to do. The first call I made was to the electrician we'd always used, Joel Cole. Joel came to the house and put his arm around me and told me not to worry, we would get it done. We began renovating the house in November and finished it in July. It was rented before we even had walls up upstairs.” Becky took the house from studs and with the help of some of Mike’s friends and newly found handymen, they took this house from a wreck to a fully finished three-bedroom, 21/2 bath house.

From there, Becky turned her attention to upgrading the rest of the houses Mike had purchased. “Over the next four years, I spent all of my work-time redoing kitchens and baths and painting houses to take care of my kids” Becky said. In 2019, the neighborhood had a drug home on Bell Street. Even though it was a cottage, it was causing tremendous issues.

Renovating 1949 4th Street had been enough for Becky not to want to do it again. However, out of concern for her children, she bought the house on Bell and once again she tore another property down to its studs. This time though she started thinking of her future and decided to renovate the house to the standard she would want to live in. She said, “I knew I did not want to stay in our large house on Linden forever and this cottage would give me a home base that I could be at and see my parents but also leave me free to see the boys and maybe find my forever-place.

Jeff Wysong of Dayton Reclamation and Restoration LLC was instrumental in helping to provide all of the materials to transform the cottage at 37 Bell Street into a unique and incredible addition to Huffman. Becky describes the renovation, “We opened the kitchen to the living room and added 10x10 1800's-era beams to frame the opening. We exposed the joists in the living room and put board and batten in the gables. We were able to get all matching era doors and I stripped them down to bare wood. Everything I did truly expressed my creative vision and my personality. The restoration was absolutely the highlight of everything I have done. The people who helped create this cottage were magnificent and to this day, I love it every time I see it.”​

Next Becky tackled their large home on Linden. That house had scared Becky since Mike died. She describes the house, “The house has four porches, thousands of spindles and more work than one person can manage. I began with sealing the gutters, tuckpointing and a new coat of paint. It took 10 years the first time so I was nervous. I painted every square inch of that house! I spent a month on a lift. Next, we went inside. It was time to refinish the cherry stairs that had never been done. The beautiful treads that had not been exposed for many years are incredible! Last, was the kitchen. I had always wanted to do the kitchen but it was never a priority with everything else that needed to be done. In the Winter of 2020, it began. By April, what was once an awful, awful space was now a gorgeous kitchen that I loved with new floors and the space I'd always dreamed of having. Now our home on Linden Avenue on the inside matches the grandeur of the outside.”

Becky concludes her remarkable journey, “That's my story. I'm not sure it's deserving of any award but I have tried to be a good steward of the houses and to provide the boys everything I could.” The Huffman Historic District sincerely knows that Becky deserves the recognition and gratitude for all she has done to make her neighborhood and city a remarkable place to live.

Grafton Hill Historic District 

Cheryl Bates
​221 Belmonte Park East

Cheryl Bates is a well-deserved and double-award recipient for her commitment to historic preservation. She is the recipient of Grafton Hill’s Excellence in Preservation Award and also the recipient of PDI’s city-wide At-Large Award for her remarkable preservation successes throughout Dayton.

Cheryl renovated her first historic home on 131 Huffman Avenue in 1983. Her creativity and commitment to improving the quality of life in this newly emerging historic district was an early inspiration for her fellow neighbors and new homeowners in the Huffman Historic District.

After 16 years, Cheryl moved on to the St. Anne’s Hill for a couple years and then on to South Park, remodeling enough of each house to put her unique touch on both. As usual, she was actively engaged in both neighborhoods while in residence.

Throughout these three decades, Cheryl has also been a dynamic member and leader of Preservation Dayton, Inc. She has served as a board member and volunteered for countless PDI committees, social events, and educational programs. She can always be counted on to appear at public hearings and to provide in-depth research to advance preservation causes throughout the city.

Cheryl also served as two separate terms as PDI’s Treasurer for a total of 12 years. Thanks to her dedication and commitment to excellence, PDI was ensured that all the requirements for the organization’s tax filings, its non-profit status, its postal address, and all of its financial records were managed and maintained with the utmost accuracy and timeliness.

In addition to all of these volunteer commitments, Cheryl continues to serve on the Grafton Hill Community Development Corporation which stopped the demolition of two historic homes and relocated the homes to former empty lots on Central and Federal Avenues.

In between Huffman HD and St. Anne’s Hill, Cheryl purchased 221 Belmonte Park East, and began a twenty-year effort that transformed this remuddled 1970s Doctor’s office/apartment back to its original Prairie-style, becoming one of the most stellar homes in the city. To quote the Grafton Hill Association, “The work Cheryl has done at her home in Grafton is astounding. Taking a once grand home turned doctor’s office back to its original glory, removing a parking lot and making a home outfitted with all the modern amenities of today is not something for the faint of heart. This home is truly a labor of love for Cheryl and the results speak for themselves. The improvements she made to her property have far-reaching and lasting effects on the fabric of Grafton Hill and the surrounding area—adding value to versus detracting from the historic charm of Belmonte Park E. and the surrounding community.”

Cheryl’s home was built approximately in 1915 in the Prairie style popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. There have been seven owners of this house since its construction more than 100 years ago. In the 1970’s, the house next door at 215 Belmonte Park East was demolished to create a parking lot. At that time, additions on the front and west side were constructed to create commercial space to house a doctor’s office and apartment. Cheryl carefully removed these additions and used the remaining floor of the front addition to create a large terrace. The terrace added another common feature of Prairie-style architecture. Cheryl also removed the parking lot and both lots are now beautifully landscaped.

The home’s exterior stucco walls are highlighted by wood strips. The low-pitched roof and wide projecting eaves add to the horizontal appearance which is a prime characteristic of Prairie-style houses. The horizontal lines are balanced by sets of vertical casement windows. The art-glass in the front facade was originally located on the west façade at the interior staircase landing. The pagoda-like appearance of the front gable reflects the Japanese influence on Prairie-style architecture. There are also secondary influences of the Tudor-style in the false half-timbering in the gables. In addition to meticulously restoring the exterior of the home, Cheryl has lovingly renovated the interior by combining the original floor plan with modern amenities.

​Cheryl finally took occupancy in July 2019. Even though a homeowner is never finished and there are future projects planned for this house, Cheryl says “I feel as though I always lived here. I’m very comfortable and content. Grafton Hill is a great place to live and I’m here forever.”

South Park Historic District

 
Galen and Betsy Wilson & Mike and Diana Regnier
326 & 322 Park Drive

In early 2017, 326 and 322 Park Drive were purchased as a joint rehab venture by Galen and Betsy Wilson and Mike and Diana Regnier. These adjacent properties, built in the 1910s, had been joined in the 1950s by a large addition across the rear of both houses. Containing an industrial kitchen and offices, this addition made it possible to use the joined properties as a nursing home. Approved by the city in the 1970s to house 61 residents, the business continued under ever-deteriorating management until being shut down in 2015. Together, the Wilsons and Regniers financed removal of a 15-foot-wide section of the addition to separate the houses, after which each worked independently on their respective structures.

326 Park Drive For over 20 years, Galen has served on the Board and committees of our neighborhood council, Historic South Park Inc., promoting and encouraging preservation, starting with the Wilsons’ own beautiful home.

Betsy is known for her expertly researched and compiled House Histories, which are fascinating, and lead people to cherish their historic homes, knowing their specific history. Each year, she and Galen take neighbors on a history tour about past South Park residents who are buried in Woodland Cemetery. Betsy has generously donated her time to complete numerous house histories for Preservation Dayton's annual nominations to Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Properties list and for PDI’s walking tours of Dayton's National Register neighborhoods.

They have invested both emotional and financial resources. In 2001, they purchased a blighted home, rescuing it from criminal use, and rehabbing it. But most recently, with purchase and renovation of 326 Park Drive they have outdone themselves. They spent hundreds of thousands on this former group home that was cut up into heartbreaking “cells” for its residents -- many who toured it beforehand said there was no way it could be brought back to its original glory. The Wilsons did it – so beautifully -- out of passion, without deep pockets -- and it is amazing. In addition, Betsy and Galen have been instrumental in helping to create the summer Shakespeare in South Park festival. Galen has served as producer, actor, and director. Betsy has devoted her creative talent to costume design and creation for the performances.

Key in returning 326 Park Drive to splendor were the services of architect Matt Sauer and craftsman contractor Martin Bertolo and his crew.

322 Park Drive Mike and Diana Regnier have visited Park Drive many times over the last 12 years when they came to see their daughter and grandchildren. They often discussed what beautiful homes 322 and 326 Park must have been and how it was a shame to see them in their current state. In 2017 they sold their home and property in Tennessee with the intention of moving to Ohio to be closer to family, and downsizing to a much smaller property that wouldn't require so much time and maintenance. As luck would have it, the Park drive properties were empty and in need of someone to take on the monumental task of purchasing, separating, and restoring them to single family homes. They took the leap and were so grateful to find that Betsy and Galen Wilson were willing to take on one of the properties as their own project. Two years and more challenges than they care to remember, they feel incredibly lucky to live in the great neighborhood of South Park. If you are walking along Park Drive on a summer afternoon, you are likely to find Mike and Diana enjoying the open air on the restored porch that stretches across the house’s entire front. Say hello and they will probably invite you to sit down to visit.

​OREGON ​HISTORIC DISTRICT

Audria and Ebi Maki, Owners of Reza's Roast
438 Wayne Ave.

The Oregon Historic District is proud to nominate Audria and Ebi Maki of Reza’s Roast for the 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award. When the Maki’s purchased the building at 438 Wayne Ave., it was “basically a mess with a very cool loft apartment upstairs.” Audria was lovingly in charge of designing the new space for their downtown cafe and made sure to research the original building, keeping the original details intact that she could, and make the new design seem as if everything had always been there. Audria focused on incorporating natural light, multiple intimate seating spaces, and a focus on inclusivity by making the cafe family friendly with a nursing room, and easily accessible handicap entrances and spaces.

The downtown cafe opened on June 25, 2019, 3 years after the Maki’s started renovations on the building. According to Audria, there were many obstacles that made this renovation an almost failure. “The biggest challenge was fire code. Putting in fire suppression was cost prohibitive so we had to use an exemption in the building code called Chapter 34. It was just very complicated. We also acted as the general contractors ourselves to save money. And inspectors and subcontractors hated that. Between Ebi, Amir and myself were basically onsite at all times (we all have full time jobs). While we have done plenty of home remodels in the past a commercial one is a whole other animal. Honestly we should have failed. We started with demo-ing a poorly constructed office built in the 60’s in the front and removing 100 years worth of debris. In total we took out 16 large Rumpke dumpsters. After that it was completely upgraded electric and plumbing, 2 hour fire barrier ceiling and walls for fire code, a very expensive effort to keep a working freight elevator, new windows, new entrances, moving a staircase, new flooring, new drywall, new parking lot.”

We are proud to honor the Maki family for providing this beautiful space to the neighborhood and persevering through the renovation due to their strong work ethic and belief in the community.​

​Five Oaks Historic Districts
​

Steven and Mary Solomon
‪148 Squirrel Road‬

Longtime fans of iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Steven and Mary Solomon made an offer on the prairie-style house in 2018, and after the purchase was complete, they had structural improvements made to the roof, plumbing system, fireplace/chimney. They had a radon mitigation system installed, two exterior doors replaced, and a backyard fence erected, all with approval of the city's historic preservation officer. This 3,300+ square foot home is now completely refreshed with fresh paint both inside and out, original hardwood floors refinished, and new carpeting in bedrooms. A new gas heating and dual zone air conditioning system was also installed.

The house was designed by Dayton architects Schenck and Williams, known for also designing the Engineer's Club, Liberty Tower, and the Wright Brothers' Hawthorn Hill, among other buildings. The house has a great room with a large fireplace, an office with built-in bookshelves, a dining room with built-in display and storage cabinets, a breakfast room, a sunroom, and a full kitchen with a butler's nook.

According to research by Andrew Walsh, Carrie E. Jenet is recorded as acquiring the 8735 square foot lot in 1911. She was the sister-in-law to William J. Roetter, who spent 47 years as a buyer for the linen and white goods department of the Rike-Kumler Co. It is likely that Roetter made a significant financial contribution to purchase the lot for $1,200, hire the architectural firm of Schenck and Willams, and construct the house for $7,500. A garage was later added at a cost of about $300. Jenet was a "modiste," or dressmaker, who dealt in high-end fashion. She never married and died on July 5, 1938.

The Solomons requested the city's approval to rezone the property from HD-1 overlay, which is one of the least restrictive historic designations, to HD-2 overlay, which is one of the most restrictive, and requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for any exterior work. All boards voted to approve the rezoning, confirming that the house is the finest example in the prairie-school style.

Wright-Dunbar Village &
West Third Street ​HISTORIC DISTRICTS

Shannon Jackson, Owner of HER Realtors
​1024-1028 W. Third St. ​

Shannon Jackson purchased the historic Booth Building in April 2018 and set about transforming the building for Jackson’s HER, Realtors ® offices.

Along with her husband Kurt, also a HER realtor, Jackson invested in a months-long renovation of the property which had stood vacant for a number of years. In a June 2018 Dayton Business Journal article, Jackson said she looked for the "right space" for an office for about five years before deciding on the Third Street building, which she calls "perfect for our vision." Jackson is an ardent lover of history and was drawn to the historic Wright-Dunbar District, which is also home to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, National Aviation Heritage Alliance and the Dayton Region Walk of Fame. The business district is also adjacent to Wright-Dunbar Village and a few blocks from the Paul Laurence Dunbar Historic District.

Jackson took special care to renovate both the interior and exterior of the property. “When clients walk in, we want them to feel as though they have traveled back in time, complete with antique furnishings and collections,” Jackson said. “We want to create a memorable experience and an agency that is truly community-centered.”

Jackson is a devoted business owner and also serves on the West Dayton Development Trust Fund Advisory Board and the Human Race Theatre Company Board. She supports the Wright-Dunbar Village neighborhood association in numerous ways. She has financially contributed to the renovation of Oak and Ivy Park, participated in volunteer work sessions for the park, and sponsored the neighborhood’s 2020 Holiday Lighting Contest.

The historic Booth Building was built in 1890 in the Romanesque Revival style with Eastlake influences. The City of Dayton originally saved the building and used it as the office for the Inner West Priority Board for several years.

MCPHERSON TOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT

Michael Jacobs & Gretchen Durst
101 McDaniels St.

Since moving into the neighborhood in 2011, Michael Jacobs and Gretchen Durst have embarked on a handful of renovation and preservation activities which have strengthened the McPherson Town neighborhood. In 2011, Michael and Gretchen purchased 101 McDaniel Street out of foreclosure and began significant improvements to the nearly 5,000 sf stately home. They have methodically returned the corner giant into the marquee corner icon of the neighborhood.

Undaunted with that experience, they purchased one of the most distressed homes in the neighborhood at 19 Floral. In 2014, Michael and Gretchen began to transform that long-neglected property into its current state. Improvements included a complete restoration of the wood siding that had been hidden by asphalt shingles, and a complete gut and restoration of the interior which included raising a rear bedroom roofline to provide a better living environment.

Not ones to sit idly by, in 2016 they purchased a foreclosed duplex at 114 Floral. Over the past four years, Michael and Gretchen have renovated and restored that property into one of the premier duplexes in the neighborhood.

​As soon as Michael and Gretchen arrived in McPherson Town, they began contributing to the neighborhood's physical and social fabric. They have brought passion, commitment and sense of detail that has greatly benefited the McPherson Town neighborhood and all its residents.

ST. ANNE'S HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT

Adam and Jason Coatney-Schuler
​1505 E. Fourth St.​

The Board of Trustees of St. Anne’s Hill Historic District Society is proud to nominate Adam and Jason Coatney-Schuler for the 2020 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award. Adam and Jason bought 1505 E. Fourth St. and 1507 E. Fourth St. in February 2013.

​1505 was a brick structure that had been through foreclosure and the subject of two previous attempts at rehab. 1507 was a wood frame structure that had been abandoned in 1997. Since then, it stood open and deteriorating, becoming a blight on the neighborhood. The one bright spot was that the house sat on a double lot. Adam and Jason replatted the lots into one property and received permission to tear down the deteriorated second house.

​They worked non-stop to create the beautiful, tasteful home and grounds that exist there today. They have created a comfortable home with all the modern conveniences, while keeping the main house and exterior true to its 1870’s origins. Throughout the process of rehabilitating their home, the Coatney-Schulers have contributed much to the neighborhood, hosting social events at their home and volunteering for projects in and around St. Anne’s Hill. Their work ethic and positive attitudes are an inspiration to all.

At-Large Award
Tipp City​

Steve & Sally Watson
Hotel Gallery & Buggy Whip Building, Tipp City​

Steve and Sally Watson have been outstanding local preservation volunteers for decades, bringing dramatic and positive change to the character and sense of community of Tipp City. Regardless of the scale of their preservation projects, they both bring a tremendous energy, attention to detail, hard work, and a unique ability to inspire, organize and lead others. Their knowledge and enthusiasm for historic preservation is infectious and results in the participation of large numbers of people in projects and events that develop town-wide support for saving Tipp City’s unique historic character and legacy.

One example of their love and enthusiasm for historic preservation was the Tipp Roller Mill Project. The roller mill's history is intertwined with that of the community founded in 1840 by John Clark. He platted the town of Tippecanoe to the west of the new mill. The mill was built by Uriah and James John along Lock 15 of the 1837 Miami-Erie Canal. Through a series of owners over several decades, it continued production of its Snowball Flour.

The Watsons bought the Tipp Roller Mill in 1989. By then, the days of the building as a working gristmill were long gone. In the initial days of their ownership, the building was used for retail to sell antiques and house a country store. After a few years, a portion of the interior was turned into a stage with seating area. "We thought an old-time yesteryear theater would be an ideal way for people to be a part of the history," Steve said.

Under the Watsons' ownership, the theater hosted Saturday night entertainment for some 18 years before they decided to broaden the building's use by offering it for events after they hosted their son’s wedding in the historic building. The Watsons moved the twice-monthly concert schedule from June to December to open the building on weekends for weddings, reunions, parties and similar gatherings. “People like it because it is rustic, unique and less formal. The response to the expanded use of the roller mill has been totally positive," Watson said. "My goal from the beginning was to use history and culture to shape a stronger sense of community,” Watson said of his work with the roller mill and other downtown properties including the Hotel Gallery nearby along Main Street.

Most recently, the Watsons have purchased and are stabilizing the historic Buggy Whipp Building at 216 East Main Street. This historic structure partially collapsed in June 2019 and was considered a possible imminent hazard by the City of Tipp City. This didn’t deter the Watsons. They are now working diligently to restore this important building on the east end of Main Street, adjacent to the historic Miami-Erie Canal. The following description of this historic site is taken is excerpted from the Tipp City Downtown Walking Tour website: https://www.downtowntippcity.org/historical-tour.html

Before the buggy whip factory was built, the site had been a linseed oil and grist mill that was destroyed by fire in 1883. The current building was built in 1889, by A.L. Harshberger and Frank Davis who started the Tipp Whip Co. to manufacture buggy whips. The factory was originally powered by water that flowed beneath the building along a mill race from the adjoining Miami-Erie Canal.

At one point, salesmen for the Tipp Whip Co. used an automobile to travel around and sell buggy whips, ironic, since automobiles replacing horse-drawn buggies would be the company’s ultimate downfall. The buggy whip has since become a symbol for anything that has been made hopelessly obsolete by a technological improvement.

The factory ceased operations at this location after the 1913 flood. In 1917, the building was sold to the Miami Conservancy District and the equipment was sold to the United States Whip Co. of Westfield, Massachusetts.In 1935, the Senseman family opened a blacksmith and antique shop in the building. The antique store, named The Buggy Whip Antiques, operated through approximately 2010 by members of the Senseman family. ​

The Roller Mill, Gallery Hotel, and Buggy Whipp buildings are just three of the many preservation buildings the Watsons have saved . To quote, those who submitted their nomination, “Steve and Sally have helped the town understand the importance of historic preservation and the value and strong sense of community the field can bring to communities large and small. Their experience and enthusiasm for preservation is infectious and has taught a number of individuals about how historic preservation can directly benefit people's lives. Their mission has been to improve their historic town and to create a new appreciation of Tipp City’s heritage, our community and the existing and potential beauty of our town for generations to come.”

At-Large Award
Jane Reece Neighborhood​

Don Hageman
Jane Reece House, 834 Riverview Terrace

Don Hageman and his late partner, Jon Rodriguez, lovingly restored the Jane Reece house as their home and studio, adding shutters and decorative wrought iron to create an even more iconic structure. After Jon passed, Don agreed it was wise to seek approval for HD-2 Historic Zoning to protect this historic building for posterity, to honor Jane Reece’s legacy as a premier world photographer, and preserve this treasure for generations.

Hageman’s home was first constructed as a fire station in 1889, as Fire Department Number 9. It was then adapted to a variety of uses, and it stood vacant for only one year since it was constructed. Jane Reece purchased it in 1924 and renovated it as her home, studio, and gallery. She lived in the home until her death in 1961. Wright State University’s Special Collections contains a unique photographic history of the historic fire station and the remodeling project that Reece undertook in 1924. The collection also includes photos and plat maps of the surrounding neighborhood including the Adam Schantz Brewery which occupied the lot next door. Photographs also document the exterior and interior of Reece’s home over the decades. See the Richard Fullerton / Jane Reece Collection, 1889-1976 at https://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/

According to a March 18, 2019 Dayton.com article by Lisa Powell, Jane Reece (1868-1961) was a self-taught photographer who worked in a style called Pictorialism in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. She became one of the first professional female photographers in the United States. Her style depicts people and scenes in dreamy lighting and soft focus. In 1935, Reece told the Monterrey Peninsula Herald, “I don’t photograph. I use my camera as an artist uses his brush – to make the picture I already see in my mind.” Her style was part of a larger movement known as Photo-Secession, which sought to promote photography as fine art. She was an influential contributor to the movement along with photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz and Edward Steichen. Women seldom followed a career path in the arts at the turn of the century, and female photographers were especially rare, according to a Dayton Art Institute narrative which was published in conjunction with a 1997 museum exhibition “The Soul Unbound: The Photographs of Jane Reece.” Portraits of Helen Keller, the poet Robert Frost, and famous Daytonians such as the Schwartz sisters, who lived across the street and later founded the Dayton Ballet, are among her works. Reece left her extensive collection to the Dayton Art Institute.

Don Hageman and Jon Rodriguez, both gifted artists, greatly enriched Dayton’s arts and cultural history. Rodriguez inspired hundreds of young dancers as a gifted teacher and choreographer for decades. He came to Dayton in 1965 to dance with the Dayton Ballet, beginning a long association with the company as dancer, teacher, choreographer and director. He created numerous premieres for the Dayton Ballet as well as dance companies and colleges in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. During the 1980's he served as Ballet Master for the Cincinnati Ballet. He was also artistic director and coordinator of the Wright State University dance program for 20 years, and after retirement, continued teaching at the Gem City Ballet.

Don Hageman has been a renowned and inspirational pianist and instructor for decades. In 1963, Hageman began appearing annually throughout the United States and in Canada as a recitalist and lecturer for the American Matthay Association for Piano. He also served as past President of the Association. He was the founder and manager of the popular Soirees Musicales Piano Series for 40 years. Hagemen was a member of the piano faculty at Wright State University from 1976-83 and was Director of Concerts for the Dayton Art Institute for 17 years.

Dayton’s architectural and cultural heritage is truly enriched by the generous and creative contributions of Don Hageman and Jon Rodriquez, who saw the value of preserving Jane Reece’s irreplaceable home for generations to come.

A nomination was not submitted for the Dayton View Historic District.