Former New York Central Railroad Train Station in NY


Union Station, Lockport New York
Date added: March 20, 2024 Categories:
South and west elevations (1976)

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Constructed in 1889 for the New York Central Railroad, the Union Station in Lockport is a good illustration of late nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival depot architecture. The modestly substantial size of the station provides an indication of Lockport's commercial importance during the nineteenth century.

The city of Lockport owes its settlement and growth to the development of major transportation systems in the area and later to the water-powered industry. The first railroad was constructed there in 1837, a little more than a decade after the opening of the Erie Canal which passed through the area. Trains ran from Lockport to Niagara Falls daily and later this system formed an important link in the New York Central line.

Development of the railroad continued throughout the nineteenth century with the rise of local industry and the increase in passenger service. To aid in accommodating this business, the New York Central Railroad in 1889 built the present brick station. The depot was constructed by local builder W.E. Houston, and the stonework was executed by the firm of Bendinger and Young. The resulting building was a good example of Romanesque Revival architecture.

The structure's size, vigorous texture of brick and stone, clear statement of form expressing function, and practical arrangement of those functions place it in the best progressive traditions of nineteenth-century architectural design.

Long a focal point for transportation and commerce in the area, the Station was deactivated by the railroad in the 1940s and lay unused until 1967 when it was purchased by John Saraf, Jr. of Lockport.

Saraf and his partner John Tarantino converted the station to serve as a restaurant. After an expenditure of $250,000 to renovate, furnish, and convert it, "The Depot" opened in December 1971.

In December 1974, a fire gutted the interior but left the exterior walls intact.

Building Description

Situated in the northeast portion of the present city of Lockport approximately one block southeast of the Erie Canal, Union Station stands on the south side of the New York Central railroad tracks. Aligned parallel to the tracks, the one-and-a-half-story station is essentially rectangular in plan with variations in the form of a polygonal turret at both west corners, a small nearly square wing abutting the west end, and two projections in the south wall, the chimney stack, and a pavilion. Erected upon a foundation of coursed rock-faced stone, the brick station was covered until 1974 by a gable roof which terminated at the west and east ends in parapet gables. The configuration of the station's roof was varied by the conical roofs of the turrets, the transverse gable of a dormer in the north elevation, and the transverse gable of the pavilion in the south elevation.

The south elevation, which is the side most visible from Union Avenue, is asymmetrical in design and is divided into distinguishable parts reflective of the structure's internal function. The wall plane is varied by projections: the turret of the west corner, the chimney, and the gabled pavilion. Except for the round-arched windows of the one-story turret and the chimney stack, the south side of the station is lit predominantly by patterns of windows with stone mullions. The round-arched motif is repeated in the round Romanesque arches of the loading bays at the east end of the south elevation. The texture of this elevation, like that of the other elevations, is varied by the both smooth and rough-faced stone trim of architraves, quoins, and banding. The parapet gable of the pavilion is coped with smooth-faced stone trim which terminates at its apex with a rounded finial.

The north elevation, facing the railroad tracks, is also asymmetrical in overall design; however, the wall plane is not varied by projections. A two-story polygonal turret occupies the northwest corner of the structure but does not project as does its counterpart on the south side. East of the turret is a series of three round-arched loading bays similar to those described above. On this elevation, there is a gabled dormer rather than a projection or pavilion. The windows are predominantly stone mullion.

The south facade is composed of the gable end of the main building and the one-story gable extension. The treatment of the gable coping and finials on both of these are of a design Similar to those previously described. The second story contains a row of three round-arched stone windows while the one-story extension contains an arched stone loading bay.

The station was gutted by fire in late 1974, however the walls remain intact.

Union Station, Lockport New York South and west elevations (1976)
South and west elevations (1976)

Union Station, Lockport New York North and west elevations (1976)
North and west elevations (1976)