Excellence Award Spotlight: Cochecton Pump House
The Cochecton Pump House has found new life as a unique open-air venue in the scenic in the Delaware River Valley.
“The response from the community was incredible,” said Cochecton Pump House Co-Owner Dave Lieber. “We had so many compliments from all ages. It was as popular with the Instagram crowd as it was with the octogenarian. It quickly became a place to meet and see a show, it created jobs, and lifted other local businesses.”
The Cochecton Pump House was built in 1879 as a pump house for the Olean Bayonne Oil Pipeline. Abandoned when the oil fields ran dry, the structure was scraped for steel in the 1930s and left roofless thereafter. Set back off State Route 97, the building was hidden from view and forgotten. Over the ensuing decades, the structure was overcome by vegetation.
Located in the Delaware River Valley, the Cochecton Pump House has transformed an abandoned ruin into a one-of-a-kind community space. This unique property could never have been “restored” in a traditional sense. But by being stabilized, it has found new life. The revitalized Cochecton Pump House keeps the history alive in a thoroughly unique restaurant, bar, and open-air event space.
Before and after: The Cochecton Pump House sat deteriorating in place for decades before being stabilized in 2021. Now fully accessible, the Pump House welcomes visitors seasonally to a truly one-of-a-kind destination.
When the owners took on the project, they worked with the Department of Environmental Conservation and an environmental consultant to clear the property and ensure there were no environmental issues left over from the oil pumping operation. A local architect and engineer were consulted to ensure stability of the walls. A mason was hired to handle the loose upper courses of bricks, and at one point three generations of masons were involved on the project. They ran electricity, had a well drilled, and excavated the area to make it more accessible. With the walls secured, the space has found a new life and purpose, capturing the imagination of locals and tourists alike.
“The Cochecton Pump House is a truly unique project, unlike anything we’ve seen nominated for our Excellence Awards before,” said Preservation League President Jay DiLorenzo. “The ingenuity it took to see the potential in this ruin is inspiring, and we applaud the project team for turning the site into an amenity for the community.”
The Cochecton Pump House project team included: Dave Lieber and Jin Zhang, Owners; Rob Orr Masonry; Tom Coacci; Frank Kratz; Narrowsburg Electric; Augello Excavating; Hook Well Drilling; Rob Kuta RSK Fabrications
Since 1984, the League's annual Excellence Awards program has allowed us to shine a light on the people who are using historic preservation to make all our lives better —through exemplary restoration projects, indispensable publications, individual action, and organizational distinction.
For more about all of this year’s winners, please click here.