Dayton Demolition Thread (Troy: new home, neighborhood, theater)

[SWOH]

Felt like a thread on demolitions would be appropriate as a couple of high-profile demolitions are going to be happening soon in the area (the old McCook Field shopping center & the DDN / Schwind building).

I am not too happy about either demolition. I think the McCook property could have easily been re-purposed to industrial. It's one small remnant of the fact that McCook Field was the first air base in the Dayton area. And the center has a lot of historical significance to the area as it was Dayton's first shopping center!

(UO is down today, so I will post the link when it is back up).


As for the DDN/Schwind demolition, I am ok with demo'ing the DDN property, but the Schwind is a landmark. I hope they are still going to keep the facade, but recent articles have me doubtful that will happen.
Demolition of vacated Dayton Daily News building downtown... | www.daytondailynews.com

[CarpathianPeasant]

Excellent idea for a thread.

While it was not "my area of town," with a friend I saw South Pacific at the McCook many years ago and had a lovely time. It was a very nice theater, good enough for downtown.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by OHKID

Felt like a thread on demolitions would be appropriate as a couple of high-profile demolitions are going to be happening soon in the area (the old McCook Field shopping center & the DDN / Schwind building).

Not only the big demolitions, but when I was in east Dayton last March, I was shocked to see so many vacant lots where houses used to sit.

[Dayton Sux]

The ongoing demlition of the Troy/Valley business district


This building has been torn down, as was its neighbor (notice the fresh earth next door)



Three of these buildings (including the taller three story building in the middle) are now torn down

[Dayton Sux]

Another view...the two buildings on the right, gone...




I went back to Ohio/
But my city was gone/

[TomJones123]

Unbelievable.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

Not only the big demolitions, but when I was in east Dayton last March, I was shocked to see so many vacant lots where houses used to sit.

Before UD started building new homes all over the Ghetto, I'd walk up and down the streets, looking at empty lots and stairs to nowhere, thinking "Oh, so-and-so used to live there ... Remember that wild party we went to at that house where the porch caved in ... "

[Natural510]

I'm fine with both demolitions, as nothing truly historic is being taken down. People in this area cling too much to a bygone era, which isn't coming back. At least the Schwind won't leave an empty lot.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by Natural510

I'm fine with both demolitions, as nothing truly historic is being taken down. People in this area cling too much to a bygone era, which isn't coming back. At least the Schwind won't leave an empty lot.

These buildings aren't formally declared historic but it just depends on who is doing the defining.

I think the comment "people in this area cling too much to a bygone era" deserves note. They DO, but only with lip service. The reality is that anything that isn't bright and shiny in Dayton goes to slum stage and then urban renewal.

Daytonians pine away for the past but they're too gutless and/or lazy and apathetic to truly honor it by preserving, restoring and actually using it.

[Natural510]

Well, they're preserving the historic part of the DDN. If a building is an eyesore and there have been decades of no one interested in renewing or restoring it, there's no point in keeping it up. Of course, I'm not talking the Dayton Arcade, but brick buildings like the one in DS' last pic. They're nice enough, but not particularly unique, so if there is no monetary will to rehab it, and the neighborhood is not renewing (which it's not), keeping it up only brings down the area.
I also don't think it has to do with guts, laziness or apathy...but who's going to pay for it, and how will it be used?