The Dayton Biltmore Hotel is a historic former
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
built in 1929 and located at the junction of First and Main Streets in downtown
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...
, United States. It was converted to senior citizen housing in 1981 and named a
federal historic site in 1982.
History
Opened on November 16, 1929, the Dayton Biltmore Hotel was designed in the
Beaux-Arts style popular at the time.
It features an applied masonry
façade
A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a Loanword, loan word from the French language, French (), which means 'frontage' or 'face'.
In architecture, the façade of a building is often t ...
system, exhibiting both brick and
terra cotta
Terracotta, terra cotta, or terra-cotta (; ; ), in its material sense as an earthenware substrate, is a clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fired body is porous.
In applied art, craft, construction, and architecture, terracotta ...
, resulting in a dark brown and white exterior.
The architect, Frederick Hughes (of the architecture firm F.J. Hughes and Company), is also known for the nearby Commodore Apartments and the
Centre City Building, which were designed in a similar style. One of the tallest buildings in Dayton, the Biltmore was considered one of the finest hotels in America, playing host to some of the nation's most powerful and celebrated men in the 20th century, such as
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
.
The Dayton Biltmore was originally operated by
Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Bowman-Biltmore Hotels was a hotel chain created by the hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman.
The name evokes the Vanderbilt family's Biltmore Estate, whose buildings and the gardens within are privately owned historical landmarks and tourist attracti ...
. It was purchased by
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton.
The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
in 1946. The Dayton Biltmore became a
Sheraton in March 1965 and was renamed the Sheraton-Dayton Hotel.
It left Sheraton in 1974 and became the Biltmore Towers Hotel. In 1981, the Kuhlmann Design Group redeveloped the property into elderly housing, known as Biltmore Towers. On February 3, 1982, the Dayton Biltmore was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, qualifying because of its historically significant architecture.
Apartments and commercial space
The eighteen-story Biltmore has undergone a number of renovations over the years, the most recent of which was conducted in 1981, when the Kuhlmann Design Group redeveloped the property into elderly housing. Today, the building houses 230 apartments ranging in size from 500 sqft 1-bedrooms to 713 sqft 2-bedrooms. Known as ''Biltmore Towers - Senior Living'', it caters to residents 55 years and older. The building is situated alongside the
Great Miami River
The Great Miami River (also called the Miami River) (Shawnee: ''Msimiyamithiipi'') is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accesse ...
, steps away from
Riverscape Metropark,
Victoria Theater, Cooper Park, and Courthouse Square. The property is currently owned and managed by
Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO).
In addition to the apartments, the property also contains seven retail spaces, totaling .
The current business tenants are China Royal Restaurant, a Jimmy John's restaurant, Liberty Tax Services, and St. Mary's, resident services on the 4th floor. Previous tenants include Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Rock Star Sub Sandwiches, Ernie Loeb's restaurant, and a physician's office.
Gallery
Image:0489-ex.jpg, The Dayton Biltmore Hotel in the 1930s
Image:Biltmore at dusk.jpg, Biltmore Towers at dusk
Image:Biltmore entrance.jpg, Entrance
See also
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dayton Biltmore Hotel
Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio
Bowman-Biltmore Hotels
Beaux-Arts architecture in Ohio
National Register of Historic Places in Montgomery County, Ohio
Hotel buildings completed in 1929
Hotels established in 1929
Sheraton hotels
1929 establishments in Ohio