The old Piqua power plant could be given new life after environmental cleanup

“We see an opportunity to preserve the building and transform it into something special that takes advantage of the building’s unique character and location on the Great Miami River and Piqua’s extensive trail system,” said Chris Schmiesing, city community and economic development director.

“There is still a lot of planning work and market analysis that needs to be done to understand what the reuses will entail and what the end result might look like.”

The renovation work is expected to begin sometime next year and will last several months. The city proposals were submitted through the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation.

The large, multi-story brick building is located on the west bank of the Great Miami River, 200 meters north of Hemm Road at South Main Street/County Road 25A. The Great Miami River Recreational Trail runs along the riverfront behind the building.

Dayton and several other cities have seen rapid residential redevelopment of old industrial sites, particularly those near or overlooking the river.

“There are currently no identified projects, there is simply an interest in preserving the structure and positioning the building to be viable for a yet to be determined adaptive reuse,” he said.

Total cleanup costs are estimated at $3.47 million, and the city’s power grid will pay the balance, Schmiesing said.

A previous grant from the Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program funded an environmental impact study that identified areas where asbestos-containing materials were found and what needs to be remedied toward building reuse.

“The grant provides an excellent opportunity to position the building to preserve it and prepare it for a future revitalization project. Completing this first step of our adaptive reuse project will be further evidence of Piqua’s continued economic growth and success,” said Schmiesing.

A second grant secured by the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation will focus on the Star Fuel Assessment Project.

The $76,922 grant project includes the assessment of a former gas station with documented petroleum contamination in the groundwater. As part of the assessment, the levels of contamination in the soil and groundwater are determined. Further action is planned to eliminate the blight and prepare the site for commercial redevelopment, eliminating a long-standing nuisance along Piqua’s southern entrance. The former gas station is located near the power plant.

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