Gem CIty ICe Cream Building
The City of Dayton has awarded the rights to redevelop the Gem City Ice Cream Building Site. Charlie Simms Development has been given the redevelopment rights for the now vacant site. They are proposing 26 new condo units on the site, in similar design to the previous Gem City Ice Cream Building. Concept drawings are in the below document.
Preservation Dayton plans to attend the September 26th, 2022 concept hearing on the proposed building coming before the Landmarks Commission at 4:30p.m. in the Planning Resource Center at City Hall, 101 W. Third Street.
Additional comments or feedback can be sent to [email protected]
Preservation Dayton plans to attend the September 26th, 2022 concept hearing on the proposed building coming before the Landmarks Commission at 4:30p.m. in the Planning Resource Center at City Hall, 101 W. Third Street.
Additional comments or feedback can be sent to [email protected]
| Gem City Ice Cream Building Concept Review |
The City of Dayton released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to rehabilitate (or demolish) the Gem City Ice Cream Building. After the Board of Zoning Appeals overturned the Landmark Commission's decision, unfortunately, demolition occurred in September 2022. The City of Dayton approved a demolition contract on June 22, 2022 which involved salvaging 500 bricks, "The Gem City Ice Cream Co." signage on the front of the building, a mosaic mural on the floor just inside the front door. The building was in the West Third Street Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing structure, making it eligible for historic tax credits.
Three developers were interested in the site, and their plans are available below.
Three developers were interested in the site, and their plans are available below.
| Lumpkin & Lumpkin (San Marco LLC) - Facade Preservation Proposal |
| Dayton Microcomputer Association, Inc. - Building Preservation Proposal |
| Charles Simms Development - Building Demolition Proposal |
The following two documents are additional independent structural reports provided by the Rimkus Group, and funded by an anonymous party.
| Rimkus Structural Report Assessment |
| Rimkus Supplementary Report - General Repair Report |
The following is the demolition contract excerpted from the City Commission Agenda for 6/22/2022.
| gem_city_ice_cream_demolition_contract_2022.06.22.pdf |
| gem_city_ice_cream_bid_recommendation.pdf |
| 22-008pnd_proposal_evaluation_tab.pdf |
| 2022-04-22_letter_of_intent_for_1005_w._third_street_salvage_and_demolition_to_charles_f._jergens.pdf |
The following documents were provided to assist developers in putting together proposals to respond to the RFQ.
| 2022.01.14 Gem City Ice Cream Building - 1005 W. Third Street - Request for Qualifications (RFQ) |
| Rehab vs. New Construction Financial Scenarios |
| Example of Successful Façade Renovation at Salem and West Grand |
Built in the Late 1800s with additions through 1928, The Gem City Ice Cream Company, founded in 1901, manufactured some of the first commercial ice cream in Ohio. The original building at 1005/1007 (known as the Nicholas Block) was expanded upon and a new facade was added to the building in 1928, replacing the original. This building stands out in the West Third Street Historic District and has been historically associated with the Wright Brothers' first bicycle shop, but that has recently come into question. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
The City of Dayton has intermittently owned the property since 1998, and in 2012 issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to rehabilitate the structure. Preservation Dayton assisted the owners of the British Transportation Museum in submitting a proposal, which the Economic Development Manager approved, and the City Manager rejected.
The building was listed on Preservation Ohio's 2016 Most Endangered Properties list.
The City of Dayton has intermittently owned the property since 1998, and in 2012 issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to rehabilitate the structure. Preservation Dayton assisted the owners of the British Transportation Museum in submitting a proposal, which the Economic Development Manager approved, and the City Manager rejected.
The building was listed on Preservation Ohio's 2016 Most Endangered Properties list.
September 23, 2021--Landmarks Commission Pauses Demolition of the Gem City Ice Cream Building
Five Landmark Commission members voted today to deny the City of Dayton's request to demolish the Gem City Ice Cream Building and former site of the Wright brothers' first cycle shop. The city plans to issue a new RFP to develop the site and schedule a tour of the building. Even though this is a small win, city staff stated that if the property were to pose an imminent threat or begin to collapse, then emergency demolition could still be pursued without approval from the Landmarks Commission.
Developers interested in the Gem City Ice Cream Building, can contact Preservation Datyon at [email protected] and Todd Kinskey, Director of Planning, Neighborhoods, and Development at [email protected]. Preservation Dayton is available to provide information on historic tax credits and a phased development approach for the structure.
Preservation Dayton would like to thank everyone who has supported stabilizing Dayton's Most Endangered Properties, including the Gem City Ice Cream Building. Please help continue our mission by donating to PDI's Endangered Properties Fund at www.PreservationDayton.com/Endangered.
While the location of the Wright brothers first bicycle shop has been debated, the National Park Service submitted the attached letter to the City of Dayton Landmarks Commission which points out the building's contribution to the Wright family's neighborhood.
The Gem City Ice Cream Company and its founders hold prominent place in the history of the ice cream business and also had a close relationship with the Wrights. A relative of George Doyle Antrim who co-founded the Gem City Ice Cream Company contacted Preservation Dayton after hearing about the City's request to demolish the structure. A detailed family history indicates that the Antrims and the Wright brothers were friends. The family history includes a December 28, 1945, photo of George, his wife May, and Orville Wright. It also contains a holiday poem written by George to Orville Wright. George Doyle Antrim was a writer of clever poetry, on top of his fame as an ice cream dean. George Doyle Antrim's brother, Wesley who ran another large ice cream company in Indianapolis, were honored as “deans of the ice cream business” by the International Association of Ice Cream Manufacturers at its convention in Detroit sometime in the mid-1930’s.
During the Landmarks Commission meeting, three Preservation Dayton trustees advocated for delaying demolition approval and issuing an RFP that would encourage developers to preserve the historic façade and other portions of the building. Successful examples of preserving the facades of two collapsed historic structures at Salem and Grand and the Setzer Building on West Third Street were presented to the Commission. Dan Barton, a Preservation Dayton board member and a historic tax credit professional, described the lost opportunity for 45% historic tax credits if the city were to demolish the building. He also indicated that two of his current clients have expressed interest in the building in the last 24 hours. A Cincinnati developer with experience in renovating over 100,000 square feet of historic space and extensive knowledge of historic tax credits attended the meeting and expressed interest in the property, specifying that he was only interested if the building was not demolished. Letters from The National Park Service, Preservation Ohio and several individuals also supported preserving some or all of the historic structure.
Landmarks Commission members asked if concepts for redeveloping the site were available. At the time of the meeting, the city has not yet issued an RFP. The city’s post-demolition mitigation plan proposed salvaging some architectural elements for reuse at the site, grading and seeding the lot for future development, and issuing an RFP for redevelopment if demolition was completed.
In 2013, Preservation Dayton had previously presented a phased reuse plan for the building that would preserve it as the site of the British Transportation Museum, now located on Hopeland Street. That proposal was supported by the City of Dayton Economic Development staff but was denied by the Acting City Manager, and the project did not move forward. Todd Kinskey, Director of Planning, Neighborhoods, and Development, stated that the property had been actively listed on LoopNet, the Zillow of the commercial property world, and that an ongoing RFP has been in existence since 2016. However, developers who have seen the building have not come forward. The property is not currently listed on LoopNet. City staff did not confirm if the RFP was still open or when the property was actively marketed. Preservation Dayton attendees asked city staff to reconsider posting the property on LoopNet.
No attendees spoke in favor of the demolition. However, a business owner on West Third Street and the Wright-Dunbar Village Neighborhood Association supported demolition after decades of seeing the historic building deteriorate. The Association's letter stated, "Wright-Dunbar Village Neighborhood Association supports the demolition of the building as it is today. We fully support a redevelopment with 'nods to the historical significance' of the site. If the redevelopment includes the Wright Cycle Shop, the Gem City Ice Cream, or both, in the redevelopment plan, we would surely be interested in seeing that in a new project as well."
The following includes excerpted documents from PDI's 2013 response to the RFP:
Requests for Proposals
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Architectural Drawings
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Engineering Studies
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Letters of Support
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The following video is Emma Schrantz's University of Maryland dual Master of Architecture and Historic Preservation Thesis presentation on the potential reuse of the Gem City Ice Cream Building, as well as the Midget Theatre and several vacant lots in the surrounding areas, as a farm to table brewery concept.
Small-scale 'craft' brewing is experiencing a renaissance in American culture and has caused a cultural shift in urban communities. The movement has rapidly impacted urban development in American Rust Belt cities, and in many ways, has promoted the rehabilitation of historic buildings and districts. This project explores ways in which craft brewing has increased economic redevelopment of historic places, as well as investigating larger trends and benefits of sustainable preservation and brewing. These findings will be synthesized through the design of a proposed 'sustainable craft brewery' and business collective, representing the intersections of urban agriculture, historic preservation, and sustainability. Style, materiality, and brand management will be inspired by the history and culture of the Wright-Dunbar Village, which is at the cusp of economic redevelopment in Dayton, Ohio. The goal of this design intervention is to preserve the legacy of a forgotten place, while creating a new urban community and tourist destination for Dayton.
Read her thesis in full and watch her presentation below:
Small-scale 'craft' brewing is experiencing a renaissance in American culture and has caused a cultural shift in urban communities. The movement has rapidly impacted urban development in American Rust Belt cities, and in many ways, has promoted the rehabilitation of historic buildings and districts. This project explores ways in which craft brewing has increased economic redevelopment of historic places, as well as investigating larger trends and benefits of sustainable preservation and brewing. These findings will be synthesized through the design of a proposed 'sustainable craft brewery' and business collective, representing the intersections of urban agriculture, historic preservation, and sustainability. Style, materiality, and brand management will be inspired by the history and culture of the Wright-Dunbar Village, which is at the cusp of economic redevelopment in Dayton, Ohio. The goal of this design intervention is to preserve the legacy of a forgotten place, while creating a new urban community and tourist destination for Dayton.
Read her thesis in full and watch her presentation below:
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Help PDI bring Dayton's endangered historic properties back to life!
Our Endangered Properties Committee provides resources and raises funds to proactively stabilize and/or obtain control of these irreplaceable properties. Preservation Dayton maintains an annual list of the Ten Most Endangered properties for intervention, as nominated by you and selected by the Endangered Properties Committee. Visit our Top 10 Endangered Properties page to see the full list of other nominees. If you have an urgent request for an at-risk historic property, please contact us at [email protected].
Please donate today! Your contribution, large or small, will save Dayton's historic structures before they are lost forever.
Your contributions are 100 percent tax deductible and are dedicated solely to preserving Dayton's rich history. The Dayton Foundation processes all gifts and donations to the Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630, a component fund of The Foundation. You can contribute by clicking the ‘Donate’ button below which takes you to the Dayton Foundation secure website. Or mail your check to payable to "Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630" Preservation Dayton, P.O. Box 3614, Dayton, OH 45401.
Thank you for your support!
Our Endangered Properties Committee provides resources and raises funds to proactively stabilize and/or obtain control of these irreplaceable properties. Preservation Dayton maintains an annual list of the Ten Most Endangered properties for intervention, as nominated by you and selected by the Endangered Properties Committee. Visit our Top 10 Endangered Properties page to see the full list of other nominees. If you have an urgent request for an at-risk historic property, please contact us at [email protected].
Please donate today! Your contribution, large or small, will save Dayton's historic structures before they are lost forever.
Your contributions are 100 percent tax deductible and are dedicated solely to preserving Dayton's rich history. The Dayton Foundation processes all gifts and donations to the Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630, a component fund of The Foundation. You can contribute by clicking the ‘Donate’ button below which takes you to the Dayton Foundation secure website. Or mail your check to payable to "Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630" Preservation Dayton, P.O. Box 3614, Dayton, OH 45401.
Thank you for your support!
