Coney Island Fire Station Pumping Station, Moderne pumping station in Coney Island, Brooklyn, US
The Coney Island Fire Station Pumping Station at 2301 Neptune Avenue is a single-story water infrastructure facility with an elliptical limestone structure resting on a granite foundation. Its design includes projecting porticos and metal doorways that provide access to the pumping equipment housed within.
The facility was constructed in 1938 by architect Irwin S. Chain as part of Brooklyn's efforts to improve water supply systems for emergency response. It received National Register of Historic Places designation in December 1981, recognizing its importance to local infrastructure development.
The pumping station reflects the municipal development priorities of Brooklyn during the late 1930s through its architectural design and engineering features.
The building is visible from the street and can be viewed from Neptune Avenue, though it remains an active water pumping facility. Visitors should be aware this is a working infrastructure site and interior access may not be available to the general public.
The elliptical shape of the building was a deliberate architectural choice that set it apart from typical rectangular industrial structures of its era. This unusual design combined practical water management with artistic expression in a way that was uncommon for utility buildings.
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