Historic Rotunda Restored by Renowned Glass Firm

Dayton, Ohio –May 23, 2019 –

Within days after the financial closing at the Arcade, restoration of the iconic Dayton Arcade rotunda began. The beloved structure is being meticulously repaired by one of the leading commercial skylight manufactures in the US, Super Sky Products Enterprises, LLC of Mequon, WI. Super Sky’s resume of skylight renovation work includes many high profile projects and beloved spaces, such as Chicago’s Union Station Great Hall skylight and the John G. Shedd Aquarium rotunda, Washington DC’s renowned Old Post Office (now known as The Trump International Hotel) and the National Gallery of Art - West and East galleries, just to name a few. With 11,300 completed projects, both new and restorations, over the company’s 96-year history, the Arcade development is thrilled to have this kind of industry expert as a team member to oversee the restoration of the historic rotunda.

Current Restoration

Super Sky’s work on the rotunda skylight includes the removal and replacement of the existing 1” thick glass units with new clear Low-E coated energy efficient and safety compliant glass sections. The existing glass was failing from both age and vandalism. In conjunction with the glass replacement work, all existing aluminum framework and supports are being checked for structural adequacy, the surfaces of the framework are being wiped down, the debris on the top of the system is being cleaned and all of the exterior components that will secure the new glass to the frame, and provide the water-tight seal, are being replaced. A new faceted aluminum apex cover is also being installed to replace the current acrylic dome.

The Arcade’s dome is quite large at approximately 90’ in diameter at the base and is approximately 20’ high (or two stories tall) from its base at the roof level to the apex, it sits nearly 70’ above the ground. The skylight is supported by the original steel trusses and curved girders from 1904. The skylight is divided into 16 “pie shaped” sections, of which there are three distinct variations and contains a total of 468 independent pieces (or “lites”) of glass. The new glass lites are 1 5/8” inches thick insulating / laminated safety glazing that are clear with an energy saving Low-E coating. All glass plies are “heat strengthened” for added strength and impact resistance. The new glass is being manufactured locally by Oldcastle Building Envelope in Perrysburg, OH.

Todd Wilde, a 33-year veteran at Super Sky and current Renovation Manager, has been involved since his initial review in September 2017 and saw it as a great challenge when it came across his desk. During the Arcade’s predevelopment phase the development team believed that everything, including the aluminum frame, needed to be replaced. However, Todd’s experience with older skylights told him that this was not the case and that a “simple” re-glaze could bring a long-term solution to the current maintenance issues and at the same time save the project a lot of money to be allocated elsewhere. During an in-depth two-day forensic evaluation of the rotunda system in early April 2018 it was confirmed that the existing skylight system and supports were still solid and that the re-glaze only proposal was a viable solution. Recycling large portions of the existing structure rather than destroying it.

Super Sky has installed many domes in its history, however the Dayton rotunda’s three different types of frame “pie sections”, the low-profile geometry, the four double bar installation tolerance hip conditions and the acrylic dome apex condition certainly make it rather unique. A complete replacement could have potentially cost close to one million dollars; however, this re-glaze is being performed for significantly less.

Pieces of Rotunda Details History

The rotunda held its grand opening in March 1904. It originally housed a public market, with innovative features for their time; including elevators to lower wagons and horse teams to storerooms in the basement, an independent power and central heating plant, and ample refrigeration for on-site cold storage.

Further demonstrating how distinctive a feature the rotunda was, during World War II the glass was covered to hide the glass dome from detection by the air. There was concern that the glass dome drew too much attention to downtown Dayton during the war. This significantly darkened the interior of the building and neutering the grand skylights appeal.

Once the Arcade closed in the late 80’s it was used to host Holly Days, a December holiday event for the City. Volunteers decorated the rotunda by dramatically draping hundreds of string lights, floor to ceiling, in the rotunda. For the last 28 years, while the buildings were dormant and unoccupied, those same Christmas lights remained hanging, frozen in time and only served to highlight the grand rotunda’s fall from grace.

Rebirth for Dayton

Super Sky’s rotunda glass restoration is a complexity in and of itself and just one aspect of the Arcade’s redevelopments many complexities. Thousands of Daytonians share great memories of the stunning rotunda and the times they spent beneath. It is one the most remarkable spaces in the region. The developers are grateful to have such a well-known glass firm caring for Dayton’s beloved rotunda as they have done for other iconic structures around the US. As the marque symbol of the Arcade, the rotunda will once again provide fresh daylight to those below. Starting with the restoration crews now working beneath it, the rotunda will soon shine brightly on the Arcade Innovation Hub’s creative thinkers, artists and revelers.#Please see accompanying link for photos.

About Cross Street Partners

Cross Street Partners is a vertically integrated real estate company exclusively focused on re-building communities by creating vibrant urban mixed-use neighborhoods built on a foundation of innovation and entrepreneurial activity, Cross Street believes developing at a neighborhood scale builds strong communities. Cross Street Partners specializes in adaptive reuse of historic properties, brownfield remediation, sustainable design and building practices, and transit-oriented development.