The Poughkeepsie Cistern
The Poughkeepsie Cistern is a monumental underground structure with extraordinary artistic and cultural potential, poised to become a new creative anchor for the Hudson Valley.
Buried beneath College Hill Park in Poughkeepsie, NY, this 36,500-square-foot cast-in-place concrete reservoir was built in 1924 to store the city’s potable water and decommissioned in 2021. To prevent its demolition, MASS worked with local partners to reimagine the cistern as a world-class performing arts venue and beacon of community-driven revitalization.
MASS
The project is about more than adaptive reuse. It represents a vision for reconnecting and reactivating College Hill Park, a 100-acre Downing & Vaux–designed landscape steeped in history yet in need of new life. Once home to a private college and the site of a powerful speech by Frederick Douglass, the park today is underutilized and disconnected from the surrounding Northside neighborhood. Located just five minutes from the Walkway Over the Hudson, the cistern project proposes to restore the park’s civic relevance through thoughtful design, improved circulation, and dynamic cultural programming.
Small Venue: 50 Occupants
Large Venue: 2,100 Occupants
To make the space publicly accessible, MASS collaborated with structural engineer Guy Nordenson, Langan Engineering, and cost estimator Stuart Lynn to develop three scalable design options.
- The Small scheme, estimated at $5.6 million, proposes a modular platform system above the standing water, paired with accessible pathways from the park, accommodating up to 500 guests.
- The Medium option envisions an occupiable roof and a third mezzanine-level entrance through the historic pump house, expanding capacity to 1,000 visitors.
- The Large scheme proposes a fully realized welcome center—with a lobby, café, ticketing area, and green rooms—positioning the Cistern as a global performance destination for up to 2,100 guests.
Beyond the cistern itself, the project is an opportunity to activate College Hill Park. Its vegetated roof and park setting can host temporary or permanent gatherings, while new pathways will better connect the site to the Northside neighborhood and downtown. Since 2017, MASS and the Revive College Hill Park Coalition have collaborated on community projects—from painting basketball courts to organizing seasonal events—laying the groundwork for broader engagement.
