Erected in 1873,[1] the building is a former waterworks and power plant for the city.

This four-story brick building is the third-oldest waterworks in southwestern Ohio, preceded only by those in Cincinnati and Dayton.

After nearly thirty years of operation, the building was converted into a hydroelectric power plant: instead of pumping water to the city's residents, the building's machinery was used to operate a water wheel for the generation of electricity.

[2] Built on a limestone foundation,[3] the building's four floors have always been used for distinct purposes.

[1] As an early utility plant,[2] the building is important in statewide history,[3] and it is architecturally notable because of its western facade, which faces the Great Miami River.