Burgess & Niple was retained by the Clermont County Park District for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the historic 1929 Chilo Lock and Dam Operations Building #34 into an accessible interpretive visitor center that explains life on the river. The project transformed an abandoned industrial brick building into the centerpiece of the river park.
The character of the building was maintained by restoring the exterior to reflect the building’s original presence on the Ohio River. The project involved the installation of replacement windows, original signage and restored fixtures. A new observation deck improves circulation and provides views of the river.
The rehabilitated interior highlights the open industrial spaces of the floor plan, the exposed curved galvanized metal roof forms and original equipment used in the operation of the building. The quality of the open spaces is preserved by concentrating new mechanical equipment and a new elevator shaft at one end of the building. The first floor may be used as a community meeting room, while the second and third floors house permanent displays and temporary installations.