The property which housed the Northwest Territory’s first electric plant is one of 38 historic buildings that will be rehabilitated through tax credits as part of the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program.

The award of $146,800 in tax credits was recently announced by Gov. Mike DeWine’s office.

The City Electric Light Plant, located at 201 Front St., Marietta, was built in 1900 and was last renovated in 1969-1970.

Not only was it an electric light plant, but it housed the Marietta Chamber of Commerce, a printing operation, a jail and the Marietta Police Department.

It is now the home of the Plumbers & Pipe Filters Union No. 168, which purchased the building in the mid-1960s.

Jeff White, the union’s business manager, said their local has about 500 members and they’ve contributed into a building fund. The original plan was to build a new union hall on the west side, but in 2014, it was decided they would stay and totally renovate the Front Street building.

“The building is telling us it’s time to do something,” he said. “We’re in good financial shape right now. We’re working on three different grants.”

The first is from the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, the second is from Marietta Main Street, which will be used for ADA compliance and a new roof, and the third is a National Park grant for historic buildings, he said.

White explained generators used to be placed every so often around town, but the Front Street facility was the first stationary power plant in what used to be an industrial part of town.

Coal cars would come across the Harmar Bridge and dump coal out at the plant.

“Total renovation of this building will be all the exterior, all the brick, all the mortar joints, the parapet walls, a new roof, windows, new doors, and interior,” White said. “We’re trying to take what was done in 1969 and 1970 and take the paint back off the walls and take it more back to the historic, but also make it more user friendly.”

He said they also intend to renovate the second floor which once housed the Fraternal Order of Police.

He said everything they do must be approved through the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. There are 10 rules they must follow, including retaining and preserving the historic character of a property and recognizing each property as a physical record of its time, place and use.

“Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken,” the rules state.

They also emphasize restoration rather than replacing, White said.

“Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used,” the rules note. “The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.”

White said the renovation process will be examined multiple times to make sure everything is being done to exacting standards.

They would like to put the project out for bid within the next couple of weeks, with work to possibly start toward the end of August. The entire project will take approximately a year to finish.

Developers are not issued the tax credit until project construction is complete and all program requirements are verified. Together, the 38 projects are expected to leverage approximately $564 million in private investments, according to DeWine’s office.

Michele Newbanks can be reached at

mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.