The Steam Plant venue is ideal for a variety of events
Before The Steam Plant opened in the former DP&L steam generating plant, many people drove by the building at 617 E. Third St. in Dayton without considering the potential inside.
“So many people that come into the building didn’t even know it existed or they’ll say they’ve driven by it for years,” says Lisa Beam, who leads Sales and Operations at the event venue. “And really the first thing that they say when they walk in the building is ‘Wow’ because even those people that have looked at pictures, they always say that the pictures don’t do it justice.”
Owner John Riazzi first purchased the building in July of 2015 with the intent to turn the old plant into an office space. However, he later saw its potential to be a venue that could host a variety of events, from weddings and fundraisers to corporate events and retirement parties. After a $4 million renovation and some help from the city and state in the form of historical tax credits, The Steam Plant opened in October of 2017 as a venue.
Beam describes the event space as being industrial but with a warm ambiance. “It’s almost a turnkey venue. We include tables and chairs. We’ve got accent lighting in the floor, which really does create a lot of ambiance. All of our overhead lights are on dimmers. The only thing that they absolutely have to rent is linens for the tables,” she says.
Couples and event planners have multiple spaces that can be used during their event, such as the main event space, a beautiful garden area, a lower-level space that works well as a back-up if the weather doesn’t behave and dressing suites for bridal party preparation. Those using the space can also use one of the venue’s six preferred caterers. Beam and The Steam Plant team help with the event framework, the timeline and floor plans, but do not offer day of coordination.
Beam says what makes The Steam Plant special, though, is its team. “We are a very small team, and we are all heavily invested in what happens here,” she says. “We’re very hands on and we’re very invested. We all take ownership of the venue.”
