Commission looks at filtration plant’s future

It’s been around for 95 years and to ensure it does not fall into disrepair, the city is deciding what to do with it.

The Water Filtration Plant, located on the triangular piece of property on Railroad Avenue was the topic of a 20-minute conversation during last Wednesday’s Boulder City Historic Preservation Commission meeting. The item was for discussion only, and no vote was taken.

Some background

According to a report by City Planner Nakeisha Lyon, built in 1931, the plant was part of the water supply system from Hoover Dam to Boulder City under the Boulder Canyon Project Act. The original system, under the authority of the Bureau of Reclamation, included a pipeline from Hoover Dam, pumping plant, filter plant and associated storage. A supplemental water system consisting of an additional pumping plant and pipeline parallel to the old system was added in 1949.

The land, and the building were transferred to Boulder City in 1984 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The transfer of ownership was recorded on Jan. 2, 1985.

Since its closure in the 1980s, the building has not been occupied and only used for storage, the report states. All utilities to the building were disconnected and windows boarded. In 2020, the city council rezoned this property to Government Park. The property is now used by a local gardening club while on the other side is a small sculpture park.

“One of the goals in the Boulder City 2025 Strategic Plan was to identify historic buildings to reuse as appropriate,” Lyon’s report states. “The Filtration Plant was identified as an appropriate building for these efforts. Based on Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) survey, the Filtration Plant was identified as a contributing resource to the Boulder City Historic District and is eligible to be individually listed under the National Register of Historic Places.”

In 2022, the city council budgeted $125,000 to hire a consulting firm to prepare a historic and assessment report for the plant. The city also approved that year $500,000 for building restoration in its capital improvement plan. Of that amount, $200,000 came by way of a grant through the state.

The following year, it was determined the building, as many were back then, had lead-based paint and asbestos. Both were later removed. The report goes on to state what repairs to the plant remain. While these repairs are being made, staff is seeking input from the commission as to its use moving forward.

Commission thoughts

Some of the ideas batted around were a possible veterans museum, a venue that could be rented for meetings or weddings, as well as general use of the exterior property, such as the starting point for the Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Wine Walk.

Whatever is decided moving forward, commission chair Blair Davenport said she’d like to see the city garner public input as to its desires for the property by way of a survey or an open house.

Deputy City Manager Michael Mays discussed the uniqueness of the building and the challenges for future use.

“It has limited open space,” he said. “You have the water filtration areas right when you enter. It’s going to be a challenge between functionality and preservation of what possibly could be one of the last water filtration plants of that era in the state.”

Commissioner Chuck N. Baker, who brought up the idea of it becoming a museum, agreed and added, “Whatever we turn it into is going to need a lot of work to be done. A museum itself may not be the only thing that would require reconstruction.”