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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PO1.128 |
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 |

PO1.153
The Commercial Hotel, built in 1917,
located 117 East State Street (south side) in downtown Niles, before
urban renewal. Dated June 7, 1972 |

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

PO1.149
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 |
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PO1.126
Photo taken of the Bahm Shoe Center
located at 43 East State Street, Niles. Formerly a department store. |

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

PO1.156
Photo taken of the north side of East
State Street with Jensen's Hardware on the west or inside of bend
on State Street. |
East Park Avenue Buildings |

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

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

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

PO1.178
Photo taken of the old Police and
Fire Station located on the east side of the Post Office, on West
Park Avenue in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
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S11.168
Front view of the old Police and Fire
Station from West Park Avenue and Franklin Alley. |

PO1.501
The final stages of the demolition
of the Antler Hotel on the northeast corner of Main Street and East
Park Avenue. Dated June 1976.
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PO1.118
Photo taken of the Anchor Inn and
the Western Auto buildings on the south side of East State Street
in Niles. |

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

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

PO1.182
Photo taken of the Landmark Bar located
on Lot 1105 in down town Niles. |

PO1.100
Photo taken of the rear entrance to
the Ideal Department store. View from Pine Alley. |
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PO1.163
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. |

PO1.172
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. |

PO11.6
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. |
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PO1.115
Photo of former state liquor store
on North Main Street, Niles before urban renewal. This building
also was the location of The Firestone Store in the late 1940s-1960s. |

PO1.135
Photo taken of Cook's Rapid Shoe Repair
located on the south side of East State Street
in downtown Niles. Niles' Central Park was
on the left of this open area. |

S11.265
View of the IOOF Building and Calvin's
Drug Store at corner of North Main Street and West Park Avenue.
All buildings at this corner have been demolished. |
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PO1.177
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. |

PO1.159
Photo taken of the McKinley Cab Company
located at 449 Pine Alley in downtown Niles before urban renewal.
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PO1.174
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. |
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PO1.165
Photo taken of Frank Bleakley's Sign
Company in the basement of the old Warner Theatre Building on State
Street. |

PO1.194
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. |

PO1.169
Photo taken of the Ideal Deptartment
Store located on the east side of South Main Street in downtown
Niles before urban renewal. |
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