Lafee Building
Why it's listed
Located at 22 E. Third Street, two buildings east of Main Street in one of downtown Dayton's busiest areas, this three-story commercial building dates to 1886. The Lafee family, local merchants, built it, and it has stayed in commercial use ever since. Its upper facade is richly ornamented, with an elliptical bay on the second floor, Gothic dragon spandrels in relief, carved flower panels, and a wide band of leaves and heraldry bearing a central cartouche reading "Lafee." The third floor includes a pediment dated 1886 and deeply recessed end bays with basket-handle arches, checkerboard terra cotta panels, and stepped parapet gables topped with owl masks. Metal piers with grotesque mask capitals separate the storefront bays, although the ground floor has a modern storefront. The building was listed for its architecture, as one of the most highly decorated Queen Anne commercial buildings in the Dayton area, at a time when demolition threatened it.
Significance in brief: The building is described as one of the most highly decorated Queen Anne commercial buildings in the Dayton area, with distinctive and outstanding facade ornamentation. It was built by local merchants, the Lafee family, and has remained in commercial use. The nomination notes it was threatened with demolition.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80003175, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 22 E. 3rd St., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003175 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Lafee family |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use as a shoe outlet at the time of nomination; described as threatened by demolition. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Downtown Dayton Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.75940, -84.19140 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80003175.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.