Dayton Power and Light Building Group
Also known as: Mot-4716-15; Mot-4316-15; Mot-4317-15
Why it's listed
Three brick industrial buildings on the north side of East Third Street in Dayton make up this group, part of the Webster Station industrial area just east of downtown. The C. F. Ware Coffee Company Building dates from 1895, the Dayton Power and Light steam plant from 1907, with additions in 1917 and 1948, and the six-story J. K. McIntire Building from 1912. The two warehouse buildings are Commercial in style, while the power plant carries Classical Revival detailing and a large arcaded facade. The plant supplied power to much of downtown's eastern industrial districts and is the only survivor of two such plants. The McIntire Building first served as a grocery warehouse, later housed General Electric Supply, and from 1946 to 1948 was leased by the Monsanto Company for research on the biological effects of polonium, tied to the Manhattan Project. The group was listed for its industrial and transportation history and its period architecture. The McIntire Building has been vacant in recent years.
Significance in brief: The group is argued to be significant under Criterion A for its role in the industrial development and transportation of the Webster Station area, and for the McIntire Building's post-war polonium research linked to the Manhattan Project. It is significant under Criterion C as a cohesive set of Commercial and Classical Revival industrial architecture along East Third Street. The steam plant is described as the only survivor of two such plants built to serve downtown Dayton.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 06000273, listed April 12, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 601,607-609, 613-645 E. Third St., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | April 12, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000273 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1895-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Schenck & Williams (designed the 1917 power plant addition) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th century American Movement: Commercial and Classical Revival styles |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Industry, Architecture, Military, Science |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form lists the current function as vacant; the McIntire Building is described as vacant in recent years, and boilers and large equipment have been removed from the power plant. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.76134, -84.18245 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 06000273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.