PIQUA — Re-use of the Piqua Municipal Power Plant Building on Bridge Street will be the subject of an upcoming state-funded study to determine possibilities for future re-development of the site.

“The main objective of the power plant study is to determine what remediation work needs to be completed to eliminate any unknown concerns that would impede re-purposing the building,” Piqua Community and Economic Development Director Chris Schmiesing said.

“The intent is to preserve the power plant structure, and enable the building to be revitalized with a new use or mix of uses that contribute positively to the community,” Schmiesing said. “The power plant building scale and location present a unique opportunity for an interesting adaptive reuse of the structure.”

Originally constructed in 1933, the Municipal Power Plant Building houses a steam-powered plant that powered the city of Piqua until the 1990s.

“The plant generated electricity using steam-powered generators for 63 years,” according to a history of the building posted on the city of Piqua’s website. “Three additions were done to the plant in 1939, 1948, 1952, and 1961.”

The plant stopped generating power in 1996, and after it was closed the city of Piqua switched to purchasing electricity from the open market. Piqua Power currently operates out of a service center located on Hemm Avenue.

The Municipal Power Plant Building is owned by the city and has been well-maintained since the it was shut down, Schmiesing said.

The study will be funded by a $300,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development’s Brownfield Remediation Program, which is designated for the clean-up of brownfield sites across the state to prepare them for re-development.

The Piqua Development Corporation was awarded the grant, along with another $300,000 grant to conduct a similar study for warehouse buildings near the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue and Clark Avenue owned by Hartzell Hardwoods. That study should also take approximately six months to complete.

“The Hartzell Hardwoods project focuses on the large structure and building additions at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Clark Avenue,” Schmiesing said.

“The buildings are in poor condition,” Schmiesing said. “The intent is to remove the aged structures, to make room for future site improvements that will support the continued operation of the business at this location.”

Once the studies are completed, the next step for both projects will be to fix any unknown concerns identified during the studies. Schmiesing said the city does not know when either property will actually be ready for redevelopment.

“The study will identify the scope of work necessary and the estimated cost to complete the work,” Schmiesing said. “Once that information is available, it will be possible to establish a timeline to complete the work.”