“We see an opportunity for the building to be preserved and transformed into something special that takes advantage of the unique character of the building and its location along the Great Miami River and Piqua’s expansive trail system,” said Chris Schmiesing, city community and economic development director.
“There is still a lot of planning work and market analysis to be conducted to understand what the reuses will include and what the end result might look like.”
The abatement work should begin sometime next year and take several months to complete. The city proposals were filed through the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation.
The large, multistory brick building sits along the west bank of the Great Miami River, 200 yards north of Hemm Road on South Main Street / County Road 25A. The Great Miami River Recreational Trail is on the bank of the river behind the building.
In Dayton and some other cities, there has been a surge of residential redevelopment of old industrial sites, especially those near or overlooking the river.
“There are no identified projects at this time, only an interest in preserving the structure and positioning the building to be viable for a future to be determined adaptive reuse,” he said.
The total remediation cost is estimated at $3.47 million, and the city Power System will pay the balance, Schmiesing said.
A prior Ohio Brownfield Remediation Program grant paid for an environmental assessment study identifying areas where asbestos containing materials were found and what needs to be remediated on the road to building reuse.
“The grant provides a terrific opportunity to position the building to be preserved and readied for a future revitalization project. Completion of this first step of our adaptive reuse project will be another marker of Piqua’s continued economic growth and success,” Schmiesing said.
A second grant secured by the Miami County Land Reutilization Corporation will focus on the Star Fuel Assessment Project.
The project with a $76,922 grant involves assessments of a former gas station with documented petroleum contamination in groundwater. The assessment will define contamination levels in soil and groundwater, with further activities planned to remove blight and prepare the site for commercial redevelopment, eliminating a long-standing nuisance along Piqua’s southern entryway. The former gas station is located near the Power Plant.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com
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