These unique details inside the Dayton Arcade made it beloved in its heyday

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

When most people think of the Dayton Arcade, the Rotunda or the ornate entrance on Third Street with its patina copper roof are the images that come to mind.

But the charm of the century-old building stretches deep inside the complex of buildings that cover more than half a city block.

Here are new views of some of the features that made the Arcade a beloved downtown landmark.

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Third Street Arcade living

Shared bathroom in a Third Street Arcade apartment features original marble fixtures and walls contrasting with the oak woodwork of the living space.  Apartments like these are on track to be renovated along with the Dayton Arcade.    TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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Shared-bathroom, sleeping-room apartments of the Third Street Arcade building are finished with quarter-sawn oak trim, stippled and frosted glass-windowed doors and bathrooms with marble wainscoting and marble fixtures.

Unoccupied since 1978, the “patina of age” (as CityWide Architect John Gower calls it) has redecorated the apartments to offer textures that would cost a fortune to recreate. These spaces are expected to be developed into living space in phase two of a planned renovation.

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French doors to the Rotunda

Cracked arched window and French door on the third floor of the Dayton Arcade will be renovated into office co-share space with the Innovation Center in phase one.   TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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Office co-shares with the Innovation Center would be enjoying these arched windows that include French doors on the third floor of the Rotunda in development plans. This space is to be completed with phase one of the renovation.

Arched window apartments 

Arched window apartments in the Fourth Street building feature wood floors, and some have built-in china cabinets. The building has terrazzo floor hallways with marble baseboards.  The Fourth Street building is part of phase one renovation of the Dayton Arcade.    TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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Arched window apartments in the Fourth Street building feature wood floors, and some have built-in china cabinets. The building has terrazzo floor hallways with marble baseboards. The Fourth Street building is part of phase one of redevelopment plans.

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Grand staircase

The Ludlow Street office building has terrazzo floors and marble paneling throughout.  A very grand staircase is accented with wrought iron, marble landings and treads, marble wainscotng and window trim and quarter-sawn oak hand railing.  This building will become reconfigured as living space in phase one of the Dayton Arcade renovation.   TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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The Ludlow Street office building has terrazzo floors and marble paneling throughout. A very grand staircase is accented with wrought iron, marble landings and treads, marble wainscotng and window trim and quarter-sawn oak hand railing. This building will become reconfigured as living space in phase one.

Chicago-style living

The Commercial building at the corner of Fourth and Ludlow Streets features an ornate staircase with wrought iron, marble treads, landings and wainscoting and quartern-sawn oak handrail.  Chicago-style windows fill the outside walls of office and living space.  This building is also part of the phase one renovation of the Dayton Arcade.   TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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The Commercial building at the corner of Fourth and Ludlow Streets features Chicago-style windows, office and living space. This building is also part of the phase one renovation.

Third Street Arcade

The two-story interior section of the Third Street Arcade will be renovated in phase one, including the plaster arches.  Ideas being discussed for phase two are a Ground floor kitchen incubator for pop-up restaurants and a second floor expansion of the innovations space with upper floor housing.   TY GREENLEES / STAFF

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The two-story interior section of the Third Street Arcade is part of phase one renovation plans, including the plaster arches. Ideas being discussed for phase two are a ground floor kitchen incubator for pop-up restaurants and a second floor expansion of the innovations space with upper floor housing.

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