Buildings Prior to Urban Renewal in Niles, Ohio
Niles 1950-1970
While the residential areas of Niles were expanding
rapidly after World War II, the downtown area in the 1950’s
remained much the same as it had been in the 1930’s and
1940’s.
Once a thriving business community, the downtown
area began its decline in the 1930’s. The Saturday night
shoppers who crowded the downtown streets had disappeared and
much of the sense of community that had highlighted the city’s
history was lost.
The Hoffman Store fire of 1962 was a real tragedy.
It marked the beginning of the real decline of the downtown area.
Because of the fire, adjacent buildings, Ragazzo’s and Pritchard’s
had to be torn down due to smoke and heat damage.
Years of planning under a federal urban renewal
program has transformed the downtown area. By the end of 1976,
the business district that had been laid out by James Heaton
has been almost completely razed. The local businessman is gone
and little retail business exists in downtown Niles.
The construction of Strip Malls in McKinley Heights(1953),
The Village Center Plaza(1962), and the Eastwood Mall(1968) offered
shoppers access to larger retail stores with parking outside of
the downtown area, this hastened the demise of the downtown.
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PO1.185 |
In
1976, work under the Federal Urban Renewal Program began to transform
the downtown area as buildings built in the late 1870s - 1950s were
demolished.
The Niles City Police and Fire Departments
were relocated to the new Niles City Municipal Building on State
Street which included a new jail and Municipal Court facilities.
With the demolition of the buildings
on State Street, the street itself was moved east closer to Mosquito
Creek providing additional space between North Main Street and East
State Street. A new one-way street between East State Street and
East Park Avenue provides access to downtown buildings and egress
for fire department trucks going out on a call. Except for the west
side of Main Street, no buildings predating 1910 remain in the downtown
area.
The following graphic photographs
were taken to illustrate the condition of the buildings on State
Street, East Park Avenue, and Main Street. The images were used
in the application for Federal funds to demolish old buildings so
that modern business facilities could be constructed. |
State Street Buildings |

The Commercial Hotel, built in 1917,
located 117 East State Street (south side) in downtown Niles, before
urban renewal. PO1.179 |

Photo taken of Niles Shoe Repair and
Niles Chinese Laundry located at 130 and 132 East State Street in
downtown Niles before urban renewal. Dated June 7,
1972 PO1.155 |

Photo of building located at 85 East
State Street in down town Niles before urban renewal. Bernard Music
is located in right hand corner of picture. Dated
June 7, 1972 PO1.149 |
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Photo taken of the Bahm Shoe Center
located at 43 East State Street, Niles. Formerly a department store.
PO1.126 |

The State Liquor Store, Little Annies'
Inn and Amvets were located on the west side of State Street. PO1.95 |

Photo taken of the north side of East
State Street with Jensen's Hardware on the west or inside of bend
on State Street. PO1.166 |
East Park Avenue Buildings |

Photo taken of The Spot Restaurant
located at 13 East Park Avenue (south side) in downtown Niles before
the advent of urban renewal. PO1.173 |

Picture taken of Sam Bernard's
gas station located at 32 East Park Avenue(north side)
and Pine Alley before urban renewal. PO1.145 |

Picture taken of Rocky's Barbershop
located at 50 East Park Avenue in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
PO1.144 |
Main Street and Miscellaneous Buildings |

Photo taken of the old Police and
Fire Station built in 1889 located on the east side of the Post
Office, on West Park Avenue in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
PO1.178
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Front view of the old Police and Fire
Station from West Park Avenue and Franklin Alley. Originally the
City Building, it was enlarged for the Police and Fire departments
in 1931S11.168 |

The final stages of the demolition
of the Antler Hotel on the northeast corner of Main Street and East
Park Avenue. Dated June 1976. SO3.83a
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Photo taken of the Anchor Inn and
the Western Auto buildings on the south side of East State Street
in Niles. PO1.118 |

Photo taken of Star Jewelry and Seiber's
Sporting Goods located on the east side of Main Street in downtown
Niles before urban renewal. PO1.171 |

Photo taken of J & J Discount
Store on the southeast corner of Main and State Streets in downtown
Niles before urban renewal. PO1.157
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Photo taken of The Wooden Dipper at
55 East State Street in down town Niles before urban renewal. PO1.158 |

Photo taken of the Landmark Bar located
in the Unger Building on East State Street in downtown Niles. PO1.182 |

Photo of the corner of East Park Avenue
and East State Street in downtown Niles. PO1.298

North side of East State Street at
South Main Street. S11.317 |
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Photo taken of Main Beverage located
at 31 North Main Street, Niles Dry Cleaners, Rudy's Restaurant,
Pugh Hardware in downtown Niles before urban renewal. PO1.163 |

Photo taken of McKinley Federal Savings
and Loan, and the Arden Building, (also The Old Main Ale & Chowder
House) located on the site of the McKinley home in downtown Niles
before urban renewal. The Arden building and the bank have been
razed to make way for the replica of the McKinley Birthplace.
PO1.172 |

Looking north from the curve on East
State Street. Grand's Unclaimed Freight, Bahm's Shoe Center, Gerke
Radio & Television, Joe Antenucci Plumbing, Antique Shop, Valsi
Cleaners, Lou Carbone Plumbing, and Fusco Dry Cleaners. All these
buildings were demolished during urban renewal. PO11.6 |
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Photo taken of 39 East Park Avenue,
Niles. This building is the Victory Cafe. PO1.116 |

Photo taken of Schink's Marine and
T.V. located at 33 East State Street (east side) in down town Niles
before urban renewal. PO1.148 |

View of the IOOF Building and Calvin's
Drug Store at corner of North Main Street and West Park Avenue.
These two buildings were the last to be demolished in January 1990.S11.265 |
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Photo taken of parking meters used
in the
city parking lot before urban renewal. The Niles Bank Building rises
on the skyline
in the center of picture. PO1.177 |

Photo taken of the McKinley Cab Company
located at 449 Pine Alley in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
PO1.159 |

Photo taken of The United Cigar located
at 28 East Park Avenue on the corner of Park and Pine Alley in downtown
Niles before urban renewal. PO1.174 |
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Photo taken of Frank Bleakley's Sign
Company in the basement of the old Warner Theatre Building on State
Street. PO1.165 |

Photo taken of the old bowling alley,
162 East State Street, down town Niles. The Veteran's of Foreign
Wars are located upstairs. Note also Benedict Dry Cleaners next
door and The Groove dancing lounge. PO1.194 |

Photo taken of the Ideal Deptartment
Store located on the east side of South Main Street in downtown
Niles before urban renewal. PO1.169 |
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Many
of the brick buildings on East State Street and South Main Street
that were razed during urban renewal had been built before 1882
as shown in this panoramic map of Niles.
The 1934 map of Niles shows the buildings
when the downtown was filled with three movie theatres, many restaurants,
jewelry stores, clothing stores for men and women, hardware stores,
pool halls, and churches. |
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Photographs
below showing the rundown condition of the downtown buildings to be
demolished. |

Photo taken of rear facade of unidentified
building located on the east side of East State Street (over Mosquito
Creek) in downtown Niles before urban renewal. PO1.193 |

Photo taken of rear facade of unidentified
building located on the east side of East State Street (over Mosquito
Creek) in downtown Niles before urban renewal. PO1.192 |

Photo taken of rear facade of unidentified
building located on the east side of East State Street (over Mosquito
Creek) in downtown Niles before urban renewal. PO1.140
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Photo taken of Commercial Hotel on
East Park Avenue and East State Street in downtown Niles before
urban renewal. PO1.180 |

Picture of detail of rear facade of
building located in Niles, overhanging Mosquito Creek. PO1.142 |

Photo taken showing marked deterioration
on windows on building located in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
PO1.130 |
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Photo taken of storefront detail
located at 43 Main Street Niles. PO1.123
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Photo of the rear entrance of the
Ideal Dept. Store, located on Main Street, east side. PO1.101
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Photo taken of the rear of the Spot
Restaurant. View from Pine Alley. PO1.103
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Photo taken of detail storefront
of Cooks Rapid Shoe Repair, located on East State Street. PO1.137
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Photo taken showing marked deterioration
on doors and other details on unidentified building in downtown
Niles. PO1.131
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Photo of slate sidewalks in front
of older buildings in downtown Niles. PO1.110
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Rear view of several East Park Avenue
buildings before urban renewal. Note Spot Restaurant rear entrance.
PO1.104
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Rear facades of several old buildings
in downtown Niles prior to urban renewal. PO1.107
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Side view of Sammy Bernard's Arco
gas station located on Pine Alley before urban renewal.
PO1.113
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Photograph dated June 11, 1972 taken
of the west side of Doubet's Jewelry Store. This is oldest (1987)
of the original stores left in town. PO1.94
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Photo taken of the rear of the Mango
Building which housed the Shaker Department Store at the corner
of East State Street and Park Avenue. PO1.117
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Photo taken showing the marked deterioration
of the old Warner
Theatre Building located on East State Street in downtown
Niles. PO1.167
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Photo take of the rear facades of
several buildings on South Main Street, east side. Note the tower
of the Niles Bank Building in the upper center of photo.
PO1.105
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Rear facades of Western Auto building
and neighboring buildings. These were located on East State Street.
PO1.106
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Rear facade of the Spot restaurant
located on East Park Avenue in Niles. PO1.109
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Photo taken of rear entrance to
a building located in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
PO1.108
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Rear facade of the Landmark Cafe
located on State Street in front of the Mosquito Creek. PO1.114
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Photo taken of rear facade of building
overhanging Mosquito Creek showing marked deterioration. PO1.183
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Photo taken of back alley leading
to the old Pennsylvania
RR station located near the Main Street Viaduct and Mahoning
River in downtown Niles before urban renewal. PO1.191
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Photo taken after the commencement
of urban renewal. This is Pine Alley looking north in downtown
Niles. PO1.200
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