Sneak peek inside downtown Dayton’s next urban living destination: Huffman Lofts

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Huffman Lofts at Dayton's Fire Blocks District, centered around the 100 block of East Third Street, are coming to life.

The redevelopment project will include loft apartments, which will be accompanied by retail, food and entertainment development. We had the chance to go behind the scenes to photograph construction progress to date.

>> PHOTOS: Behind the scenes at Huffman Lofts as they transform

In 2018, The Windsor Companies, the new developer of the Fire Blocks District, took out building permits for a roughly $8.2 million project to convert the upper floors of the four-story Huffman Block building into loft-style apartments. The developer also acquired a permit to convert the upper floors of the Elks building into apartments.

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Windsor took over the development of the Fire Blocks District last summer with hopes of reinvigorating both sides of Third Street between St. Clair and Jefferson streets for commercial and residential use.

>> New Fire Blocks developer starts work on $35M project

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

“By late summer, there should be six new businesses — bars, restaurants, fitness and cafes — in the Fire Blocks,” Eric VanZwieten, a spokesman for Columbus-based Windsor Companies, recently told this news organization.

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These businesses will be located below the 71 unit housing project known as the “Huffman Lofts” in what was formerly known as the Huffman Block building.

The loft apartments on the upper levels are expected to open in the fall.

Surrounding development could open in late spring, and other businesses could open in the summer, VanZweiten told this news organization.

Here’s a look at construction progress on the Huffman Lofts to date:

 

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