MSD breaks ground on new Wastewater Engineering Center

The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) broke ground on the largest public works project in their history on Saturday, one that they hope will be the public face of their agency's move towards sustainability and emerging technology.

The three-story, 54,000-square-foot Wastewater Engineering Center, along the north side of Gest Street between Summer and Woodrow streets in Lower Price Hill, will house approximately 200 employees of MSD's engineering group.

The $12.5 million "design-build" construction will be built with the goal of achieving LEED Gold certification, was designed by Burgess & Niple to fit in with the city's strategy to develop 18 adjacent acres as the MetroWest Commerce Park.

"We didn't have anyone who believed that we could pull it off," MSD executive director James Parrott says.  "By George, we're going to be all over Hamilton County making this investment."

The project is expected to bring 30 new jobs to the area when completed between July and October 2009.

Mayor Mark Mallory's GO Cincinnati initiative identified the Lower Mill Creek Valley as a prime area for economic development, particularly green development.

"Queensgate and Lower Price Hill are ripe for growth and opportunity," says Dohoney.  "We can go in a new direction and reinvest, reinvent what our city is - a city of growth," Dohoney says.

Because the MSD is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a city-county partnership managed by the City of Cincinnati, both the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County proclaimed May 1, 2008 "Metropolitan Sewer District Day".

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Sources: Jack Rennekamp, supervising management analyst, MSD; Press conference
Photography by Kevin LeMaster