Pump House Restaurant
The Vision
The project team transformed a former industrial pump house—a structure that was a highly visible sign of industrial decay—into a fine-dining restaurant with a lovely view of the Catawba River. The plant once pumped five million gallons of water daily from the river to the Celanese textile and chemical plant. The building had stood vacant for years before the developers hatched their plans. The pump house, with its broken windows, was visible to motorists on the U.S. 21 Bridge, a sore reminder of how Celanese ceased production in 2005 after 57 years of operations.
The Project
This project involved a complete renovation of the old Celanese plant into an upscale restaurant. Attention to detail was paramount on this project; steel framework had to be constructed around and through the existing structure to add support and create new interior space. This also led to a cantilevered balcony extending out over the river. Other highlights include a two-story temperature-controlled wine cabinet in the main dining room that holds more than 900 bottles. These are just a few of the details that make The Pump House Restaurant an amazing place, but the real “wow” factor comes from the scenic views of the Catawba River from almost every vantage point in the restaurant.
Owner
The River Pump House, LLC
Architect
Namour Wright Architects
The Grand Opening
This project definitely presented some challenges, but through the hard work of our team and valued partners the end result really is spectacular. After months of careful planning and construction, The Pump House Restaurant opened to rave reviews. The developers were recognized by the Carolinas Chapter of the Counselors of Real Estate by being named the winners of its 9th annual CREative Thinkers Awards. The restaurant was also named among the “100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America 2017” list by OpenTable.com.
