The Delco apartments to open for guided tours, including history of building

Preservation Dayton Inc. and Crawford Hoying will sponsor guided tours June 21 of The Delco, a new residential community at 115 Madison St. in Dayton, featuring studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

“This unique event features Chuck Johnson, a former senior research associate who worked directly with Charles F. Kettering for six years,” said Monica Snow, PDI’s vice president. Kettering, an inventor, businessman and philanthropist, founded the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, known as Delco, and held more than 300 patents.

“Chuck will share his deep knowledge of the Delco site and Dayton’s heyday of manufacturing innovation,” Snow added. “Participants will also see how Crawford Hoying has transformed this historic landmark into an innovative housing and commercial complex.”

The Delco building was previously the Mendelson’s Liquidation Center, which was owned and operated by Sandy Mendelson for more than 40 years. Delco Plant No. 2 was constructed on the site of the former Swaynie House hotel, built in 1839.

Its brush with fame? In 1840, presidential candidate William Henry Harrison had dinner at the hotel before delivering a campaign speech that reportedly drew 100,000 people.

Registration for the tours opens at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby of the AC Hotel by Marriott Dayton at 124 Madison St. The cost is $10 for PDI members and $15 for nonmembers. Tickets are limited to 80 attendees and can be purchased in advance at thedelcosneakpeek.eventbrite.com.

The program begins at 5 p.m. with a presentation by Johnson, who will share insights on this historic landmark, Delco Plant No. 2, built in 1915, according to a press release.

Small group tours begin at 6 p.m. to visit the apartments, community spaces, rooftop pool and sundeck. Tours will be led by employees of Crawford Hoying, which purchased the site in 2022.

After the guided tours, guests are invited to the Moeller Brew Barn for a social hour with a cash bar/food.

For information, call 937-232-7904 or email preservationdayton227@gmail.com.

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