The Coliseum, located on Commerce Avenue immediately behind the Arcade had no direct access to the streetcar lines. Its developer Henry J. Heysteck overcame this limitation by constructing the Arcade at 117 South Division to provide easy accessibility to the numerous streetcars on the Division Routes. The central entry leading to the Coliseum was linked by two shop spaces occupied by various small businesses, with furnished rooms above. For many years, the Arcade was a Division Avenue fixture, providing an elegant entryway to the Coliseum via an elevated walkway (the walkway is now demolished). The building is now owned and operated by Scavenger Hunt; there is one single retail space with a second story apartment.

Location

117 South Division is located in the Heartside-Downtown neighborhood. Geographic coordinates are 42.961244° N, 85.667846° WLatitude: 42°57′40.478″N
Longitude: 85°40′4.246″W.

References

Portions of this post were originally written by Heather Ibrahim for the Heartside Mainstreet Program, reproduced with permission.