1630 E 5th Street Dayton, OH 45403

In the mid 1840s, three developers led by Attorney Thomas J. S. Smith purchased farmland just beyond the eastern edge of the City of Dayton. They platted the land into a few hundred lots including lot #2481 which became 1630/32 E. 5th Street.
The earliest recorded occupancy in the building was by J. Leonard Markel who purchased the lot in 1857. In 1858, he opened a grocery business after construction of the building. He and his family lived in the second-floor apartment. The building served the neighborhood for almost 100 years as a grocery store (1857-1950). Henry Gerber and his brother John accounted for 45 of those 93 years. The business was sold in 1913 after John's death, Henry having died earlier. Subsequent owners continued the grocery business at this location until about 1950 .
In 1950, 1630/32 became home to Metropolitan Cleaners, one store in a local Dry Cleaner chain. They were there for 15 years. In 1975, a local Dentist, Dr. Tarlano, opened a dental clinic. That business closed in 1988 when the building owner sold the property to the Metropolitan Community Church. The building has continued to be a religious facility, now housing the Tree of Life Community Church, pastored by Rev. Mary Reamon.
Membership has waned during the pandemic years and so they have decided to sell the property. It is being offered to the market as either a commercial building or as a single-family home. The current zoning is MNC: mature neighborhood commercial which allows a myriad of commercial uses as well as one- and two-family residential occupancy. The 2nd floor has always been residential in nature although the kitchen cabinets have been removed. The second floor is heated by space heaters, but central heating could easily be located in the attic.