Urban steam districts

[kgbnsf]

The local gas and electric utility in Rochester, NY used to run a small power generating plant downtown that not only generated electric but also provided steam for the downtown buildings, newer highrises included. This is presumably for heat. I believe it's since been sold to a consortium of business interests. I remember as a kid always seeing the steam rising up through the manhole covers.

Is this fairly common that there's one common provider of steam for a downtown district, rather than each building creating their own steam? Perhaps, just in the older cities of the Northeast?

[Cotuit]

Rhode Island School of Design in Providence has a central system that produces steam for numerous buildigns across the East Side. There was a burst pipe under a park late last year, it was pretty neat seeing the garden beds steaming.

[Allan]

Detroit still has an extensive steam heat system under downtown and midtown. 252 buildings are heated by the system, which is currently receiving major upgrades to make it more efficient.

[nashvol85]

Nashville had one right downtown...but a 3 alarm blaze fixed that. I believe that the system has been replaced since then. The odd thing is that the city was planning to demolish the old facility anyways.

[urban10]

are there any urban steam districts in new york city