List of fake buildings

This is a list of fake buildings which are structures that use urban and suburban camouflage to disguise equipment and city infrastructure facilities that are aesthetically unpleasing in non-industrial neighborhoods. The list does not include utility sheds such as small pumphouses.

Communication

This lists fake buildings used as communication facilities, such as telephone exchanges and data centers.

Name Image Address Town / City Country Coordinates Purpose Notes and references
West Hartford Data Center 130 South Main Street West Hartford, Connecticut United States 41°45′12″N 72°44′36″W / 41.75336°N 72.74336°W / 41.75336; -72.74336 Data center Built for telephone exchange, but later converted into a data center.[1][2]
636 Orange Center Road 636 Orange Center Road Orange, Connecticut United States 41°16′48″N 73°01′38″W / 41.27995°N 73.02723°W / 41.27995; -73.02723 Telecommunication equipment Frontier Communications building disguised as a single-family home with blackout windows[3]
335 Glen Road 335 Glen Road Rochester, New York United States 43°07′39″N 77°31′09″W / 43.12738°N 77.51907°W / 43.12738; -77.51907 Telecommunication equipment [4]
91 Pinegrove Avenue 91 Pinegrove Avenue Rochester, New York United States 43°13′33″N 77°35′49″W / 43.22593°N 77.59686°W / 43.22593; -77.59686 Telecommunication equipment [5]
Henson 13352 Blossomheath Lane Dallas, Texas United States 32°55′48″N 96°46′10″W / 32.93005°N 96.769412°W / 32.93005; -96.769412 Data center Owned by AT&T. Disguised as a large suburban house.[6][7]
Henson 2 13229 Southview Lane Dallas, Texas United States 32°55′47″N 96°46′10″W / 32.92961°N 96.76949°W / 32.92961; -96.76949 Data center Previously owned by AT&T. Disguised as a large suburban house.[8][9]

Ventilation

This lists fake buildings used for ventilation of enclosed spaces such as tunnels.

Name Image Address Town / City Country Coordinates Purpose Notes and references
Thornton Tunnel Ventilation House Upload image 3911 Frances Street Burnaby, British Columbia Canada 49°16′46″N 123°01′06″W / 49.27954°N 123.01840°W / 49.27954; -123.01840 Ventilation shaft Part of Thornton Tunnel for Canadian National Railway[10]
Towers substation Upload image 1423 rue Towers Montreal, Quebec Canada 45°29′34″N 73°34′53″W / 45.49273°N 73.58139°W / 45.49273; -73.58139 Ventilation shaft Historical landmark rebuilt as a ventilation station for the Montreal Metro[11]
23–24 Leinster Gardens 23–24 Leinster Gardens Bayswater, London England 51°30′45″N 0°11′01″W / 51.51261°N 0.18361°W / 51.51261; -0.18361 Ventilation shaft For the London Underground. Disguised with grayed out windows[12]
2 Old Eldon Square 2, Old Eldon Square Newcastle upon Tyne England 54°58′27″N 1°36′52″W / 54.97430°N 1.61445°W / 54.97430; -1.61445 Ventilation shaft For Tyne and Wear Metro, vents on the roof (seen on the right of the photo)[13]
Chalfont St Giles Ventilation Shaft Upload image Bottom House Farm Lane Chalfont St Giles England 51°38′38″N 0°35′48″W / 51.64388°N 0.59665°W / 51.64388; -0.59665 Ventilation shaft High Speed 2 ventilation shaft disguised as a barn[14][15]
Chalfont St Peter Ventilation Shaft Upload image Chesham Lane Chalfont St Peter England 51°37′42″N 0°33′21″W / 51.62846°N 0.55578°W / 51.62846; -0.55578 Ventilation shaft High Speed 2 ventilation shaft disguised as a barn[16][17]
145, rue La Fayette 145, rue La Fayette 10th arrondissement of Paris France 48°52′45″N 2°21′22″E / 48.87920°N 2.35614°E / 48.87920; 2.35614 Ventilation shaft For RATP Paris Métro[18]
29 rue Quincampoix 29 rue Quincampoix 4th arrondissement of Paris France 48°51′37″N 2°21′00″E / 48.86029°N 2.35008°E / 48.86029; 2.35008 Ventilation shaft For RATP. Trompe l'oeil paintings on windows.[19]
Ventilation shaft of the Magenta station Upload image 174 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis 10th arrondissement of Paris France 48°52′48″N 2°21′27″E / 48.87998°N 2.35763°E / 48.87998; 2.35763 Ventilation shaft Part of EOLE project[20]
3 rue de l'Aqueduc Upload image 3 rue de l'Aqueduc 10th arrondissement of Paris France 48°52′47″N 2°21′29″E / 48.87978°N 2.35800°E / 48.87978; 2.35800 Technical shaft Part of EOLE project[21]
Yarmouth Street Ventilation Shaft Yarmouth Street Boston, Massachusetts United States 42°20′46″N 71°04′38″W / 42.346207°N 71.077265°W / 42.346207; -71.077265 Ventilation shaft The ventilation shaft (the rightmost portion) was wrapped by a brick facade to create an appearance of a bow-front townhouse[22]
58 Joralemon Street 58 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, New York United States 40°41′36″N 73°59′51″W / 40.69345°N 73.99740°W / 40.69345; -73.99740 Ventilation shaft and emergency exit For the New York City Subway. Disguised with blacked-out windows.[23]

Water and wastewater management

This lists fake buildings that are used to house equipment for water distribution networks, sewage management, and stormwater management.

Name Image Address Town / City Country Coordinates Purpose Notes and references
Duffus Street pumping station Upload image 5211 Duffus Street Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada 44°40′15″N 63°36′07″W / 44.67087°N 63.60195°W / 44.67087; -63.60195 Sewage pumping station Halifax Water underground station with an entrance disguised as a split-level home.[24]
North Oakville East Wastewater Pumping Station Upload image 345 Dundas Street West Oakville, Ontario Canada 43°28′12″N 79°44′24″W / 43.470066°N 79.739913°W / 43.470066; -79.739913 Sewage pumping station Disguised as an early 20th-century fire station.[25]
WNY1 Solids & Floatables Facility South of 6400 Anthony M. Defino Way West New York, New Jersey United States 40°47′11″N 74°00′12″W / 40.78640°N 74.00329°W / 40.78640; -74.00329 Combined sewer overflow screening facility A facility disguised as townhouses, built in 2009 by North Hudson Sewerage Authority[26]
H1 Screening and Wet Weather Pump Station 99 Observer Highway Hoboken, New Jersey United States 40°44′08″N 74°01′53″W / 40.73546°N 74.03131°W / 40.73546; -74.03131 Combined sewer overflow screening and flood pumping station Disguised as a modern building that has an architectural connection to the Hoboken Terminal[27][28]
Belindeer Pump Station Upload image 5700 Belinder Avenue Fairway, Kansas United States 39°01′33″N 94°37′01″W / 39.02586°N 94.61692°W / 39.02586; -94.61692 Sewage pumping station Johnson County Wastewater[29]
Nall Avenue Holding Station Upload image 7490 Nall Avenue Prairie Village, Kansas United States 38°59′36″N 94°38′58″W / 38.99347°N 94.64951°W / 38.99347; -94.64951 Sewage pumping station Johnson County Wastewater[29]
Wade Avenue Pump Station Upload image 3215 Wade Avenue Raleigh, North Carolina United States 35°48′03″N 78°40′43″W / 35.80076°N 78.67854°W / 35.80076; -78.67854 Water booster pumping station Raleigh Public Utilities Department[30]
Lake Gaston Pipeline Pump Station Upload image 207 Beddingfield Way Valentines, Virginia United States 36°32′48″N 77°51′46″W / 36.54661°N 77.86273°W / 36.54661; -77.86273 Water source pipeline pumping station Lake Gaston is a water source for Virginia Beach, Virginia. The station is disguised as a lake house.[31]
Alline Avenue Pump Station Upload image 2921 W Alline Avenue Tampa, Florida United States 27°53′54″N 82°29′32″W / 27.89821°N 82.49224°W / 27.89821; -82.49224 Stormwater pumping station Disguised as a bungalow[32]
Locust Valley Pump Station 20 Meleny Rd Locust Valley, New York United States 40°54′17″N 73°34′58″W / 40.90480°N 73.58274°W / 40.90480; -73.58274 Sewage pumping station Disguised as a small single family house[33][34]
Glannon Pump Station 3788 Mt Royal Boulevard Allison Park, Pennsylvania United States 40°33′15″N 79°58′16″W / 40.55423°N 79.97106°W / 40.55423; -79.97106 Sewage pumping station Disguised as a single family home with a front porch[35]
Highland Park Wastewater Treatment Facility 316 Highland Park Road Sellersville, Pennsylvania United States 40°20′42″N 75°18′06″W / 40.34509°N 75.30164°W / 40.34509; -75.30164 Wastewater treatment plant Hilltown Township Water & Sewer Authority. Plant disguised as a red barn.[36]
Wyndgate Subdivision Wastewater Treatment Plant Upload image 128 Wyndgate Valley Drive O'Fallon, Missouri United States 38°44′53″N 90°48′30″W / 38.74815°N 90.80847°W / 38.74815; -90.80847 Membrane bioreactors wastewater treatment plant A subdivision of Duckett Creek Sanitary District. Plant disguised as a two-story single-family house to blend in with the neighbors.[37][38]
Riverdale Subdivision Wastewater Treatment Facility Upload image 1400 Riverdale Manor Drive O'Fallon, Missouri United States 38°53′01″N 90°44′38″W / 38.88364°N 90.74379°W / 38.88364; -90.74379 Membrane bioreactors wastewater treatment plant A subdivision of Duckett Creek Sanitary District. Plant disguised as a horse barn.[37][39]
Johns Creek Environmental Campus Upload image 8100 Holcomb Bridge Road Alpharetta, Georgia United States 33°58′37″N 84°15′58″W / 33.97691°N 84.26613°W / 33.97691; -84.26613 Wastewater treatment plant Camouflaged to look like an old mill complex[40]
Southport Unit 5 Vacuum Station Upload image 2281 SE Sidonia Street Port St. Lucie, Florida United States 27°16′22″N 80°18′14″W / 27.27287°N 80.30376°W / 27.27287; -80.30376 Sewage pumping station Disguised as a bungalow.[41]
Kennedy Avenue Pump Station 6448 Kennedy Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio United States 39°11′16″N 84°24′49″W / 39.18771°N 84.41348°W / 39.18771; -84.41348 Water pumping station Disguised as an apartment building in the Kennedy Heights neighborhood.[42]
Muddy Creek-Westbourne High Rate Treatment Facility 5723 Muddy Creek Road Cincinnati, Ohio United States 39°08′01″N 84°38′04″W / 39.13361°N 84.63454°W / 39.13361; -84.63454 Wastewater treatment plant Enhanced high rate settling facility to treat combined sewer overflow.[43] Disguised as a one-story home or office building,[42][44]

Heating and cooling

This lists fake buildings used to provide heating and cooling services, such as district heating, district cooling and cold district heating.

Name Image Address Town / City Country Coordinates Purpose Notes and references
Metro Nashville District Energy System Upload image 90 Peabody Street Nashville, Tennessee United States 36°09′30″N 86°46′13″W / 36.15847°N 86.77039°W / 36.15847; -86.77039 District heating / District cooling Enclosure with facade that has fake windows[30][45]

Electric power distribution

This lists fake buildings that are used for electric power distribution, such as distribution substations and transformer houses.

Name Image Address Town / City Country Coordinates Purpose Notes and references
Strecker Memorial Laboratory Southpoint Park, Roosevelt Island New York, New York United States 40°45′08″N 73°57′30″W / 40.75230°N 73.95822°W / 40.75230; -73.95822 Power conversion substation Converted from an infectious disease laboratory[18]
Mott Haven Substation 415 Bruckner Boulevard Bronx, New York United States 40°48′28″N 73°54′22″W / 40.80783°N 73.90622°W / 40.80783; -73.90622 Substation ConEdison substation made to look like townhouses in a gated community.[46][47]
51 W Ontario Street 51 W Ontario Street Chicago, Illinois United States 41°53′35″N 87°37′48″W / 41.89306°N 87.63000°W / 41.89306; -87.63000 Substation Georgian building with fake front doors and windows used as vents.[18]
4227 40th St NW 4227 40th St NW Washington, DC United States 38°56′39″N 77°04′42″W / 38.94409°N 77.07843°W / 38.94409; -77.07843 Substation Pepco substation disguised as a two-story brick house. Side windows painted as blinds.[48]
4225 40th St NW 4225 40th St NW Washington, DC United States 38°56′39″N 77°04′42″W / 38.94414°N 77.07820°W / 38.94414; -77.07820 Substation Disguised as a shed behind 4227 40th St NW[48]
4000 Van Ness St NW 4000 Van Ness St NW Washington, DC United States 38°56′34″N 77°04′44″W / 38.94264°N 77.07900°W / 38.94264; -77.07900 Substation Pepco substation disguised as an office building with blacked-out windows[49]
1001 Harvard St NW 1001 Harvard St NW Washington, DC United States 38°55′37″N 77°01′35″W / 38.92698°N 77.02645°W / 38.92698; -77.02645 Substation Pepco substation that imitates an old train station but with whitewashed windows[49]
Pepco Darnestown Substation 16010 Riffle Ford Road Gaithersburg, Maryland United States 39°07′04″N 77°15′46″W / 39.11778°N 77.26282°W / 39.11778; -77.26282 Substation Pepco substation that imitates a large barn with metal silo in a rural area[49]
2530 Norton Street 2530 Norton Street Rochester, New York United States 43°11′19″N 77°33′13″W / 43.18862°N 77.55358°W / 43.18862; -77.55358 Substation [50]
250 Seneca Park Avenue 250 Seneca Park Avenue Rochester, New York United States 43°13′32″N 77°36′28″W / 43.22552°N 77.60778°W / 43.22552; -77.60778 Substation [51]
Detroit Edison Lake Orion substation 215 E. Church Street Lake Orion, Michigan United States 42°47′15″N 83°14′13″W / 42.78745°N 83.23695°W / 42.78745; -83.23695 Substation Constructed in 1926 in Tudor Revival style to match the residential neighborhood.[52]
Peermont Substation 271 61st Street Avalon, New Jersey United States 39°04′37″N 74°44′27″W / 39.07707°N 74.74086°W / 39.07707; -74.74086 Substation Atlantic City Electric Company substation disguised as a shore house[53][54]
542 51st Street 542 51st Street Oakland, California United States 37°50′15″N 122°15′49″W / 37.83757°N 122.26371°W / 37.83757; -122.26371 Substation Pacific Gas and Electric Company substation disguised as a brutalist structure.[55]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "130 South Main Street". West Hartford, CT. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  2. ↑ Monthly Permit Report: Report generated from 09/01/2020 To 09/30/2020 (PDF). Town of West Hartford, Connecticut. 15 October 2020. pp. 111–112. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "636 Orange Center Road". Orange, Connecticut. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "335 Glen Rd Rochester, NY 14610". Monroe County, NY. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "91 Pinegrove Ave Rochester, NY 14617". Monroe County, NY. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Gault, Matthew (30 July 2021). "McMansion With Shocking Infrastructure Secret Can Be Yours for $989,000". Motherboard. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  7. ↑ "Commercial Account #007497002914A0000". Dallas Central Appraisal District. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Dallas data center disguised as McMansion lists for $1M". The Real Deal. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Commercial Account #007497002911B0000". Dallas Central Appraisal District. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  10. ↑ Lawrence, Anne-Marie (24 November 2023). "Bridge over Burrard's Water". North Shore Heritage. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "This old Victorian home has a secret: it's part of the Montreal Metro system". Radio Canada International. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  12. ↑ Slocombe, Mike (January 2007). "Dummy houses in the heart of London". London Landmarks. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  13. ↑ Brownson, Sophie (4 June 2022). "The secret hidden inside stunning building in Newcastle's Old Eldon Square". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  14. ↑ Ravenscroft, Tom (8 February 2021). "Grimshaw unveils latest HS2 ventilation shaft disguised as barn". dezeen. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  15. ↑ Chalfont St Giles Ventilation Shaft Design & Access Statement (PDF). HS2 Ltd. December 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  16. ↑ Block, India (24 July 2020). "Grimshaw unveils design for HS2 ventilation shaft disguised as barn". dezeen. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  17. ↑ Chalfont St Peter Ventilation Shaft Design & Access Statement (PDF). HS2 Ltd. August 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  18. 1 2 3 Nguyen, Clinton. "8 fake buildings that are actually secret portals". Business Insider. Insider Inc. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  19. ↑ "20 unusual places to see in Paris". Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  20. ↑ "174 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis 75010" (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  21. ↑ "3 rue de l'Aqueduc 75010 Paris" (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  22. ↑ "Yarmouth Street Vent Shaft, Boston, Massachusetts" (PDF). Stull and Lee Incorporated. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  23. ↑ Carlson, Jen (8 Feb 2022). "It's a historic townhouse, but 58 Joralemon is also a secret subway exit and shaft house owned by the MTA". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  24. ↑ Ruskin, Brett (3 August 2022). "Inside the underground pumping station blamed for Halifax Water warnings". CBC News. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  25. ↑ "North Oakville East Wastewater Pumping Station". Town of Oakville. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  26. ↑ Combined Sewer System Characterization Report for the River Road Wastewater Treatment Plant (PDF). North Hudson Sewerage Authority. 1 July 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  27. ↑ Hortillosa, Summer Dawn (17 October 2011). "Wet weather pump station in Hoboken now ready to alleviate city's flooding woes". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  28. ↑ Colaneri, Katie (23 August 2010). "Hoboken reveals new wet weather pump station design". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  29. 1 2 Living the Pipe Dream (PDF). Johnson County Wastewater. p. 13.
  30. 1 2 Mennel, Eric (15 January 2014). "VIDEO: What's Inside This House On Wade Avenue?". WUNC. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  31. ↑ Christie, Jordan (15 June 2021). "Tapping Gaston: A Water Pipeline "Breathes New Life" Into Virginia Beach". WHRO. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  32. ↑ "Pump station disguised as a bungalow will keep South Tampa neighborhood dry". Tampa Bay Times. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  33. ↑ "Pump Stations Go Undercover (And Viral)". Water Online. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  34. ↑ Nardiello, Carolyn (6 January 2008). "Plan for Sewage Plant Splits Neighborhood". New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  35. ↑ Panizzi, Tawnya (12 August 2021). "New pump station in Hampton strategically disguised to look like a home". Trib Total Media. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  36. ↑ Smith, Jeff (February 2018). "A Pennsylvania Clean-Water Plant Masquerades as a Red Barn to Blend in With Its Scenic Surroundings". Treatment Plant Operator. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  37. 1 2 "Facilities". Duckett Creek Sanitary District. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  38. ↑ Missouri State Operating Permit: MO-0131300 (PDF). Missouri Clean Water Commission. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  39. ↑ Missouri State Operating Permit: MO-0132152 (PDF). Missouri Clean Water Commission. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  40. ↑ Bratby, John; Chitty, Jim; Williams, Ray; Comstock, Kelly; Schuler, Pete; Pope, Rod; Williams, Paul; Suwanarpa, Kun (1 January 2010). "Startup of a State of the Art Nutrient Removal MBR Facility Under Stringent Operating Guarantees". Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation. 2010 (10): 6047–6056. doi:10.2175/193864710798194274.
  41. ↑ Fontenay, Blake (29 September 2021). "Port St. Lucie officials experiment with 'stealth' sewage pumping station". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  42. 1 2 Weingartner, Tana (22 August 2014). "Hidden Works: What's really inside that house?". WVXU. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  43. ↑ Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati Capital Budget and Capital Improvement Program Year 2019 (PDF). Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati. 2018. p. 20. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  44. ↑ "The Invisible Sewage Plant". Water Online. 6 December 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  45. ↑ "Metro Nashville District Energy System" (PDF). No. Winter 2003. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  46. ↑ Inoa, Christopher (23 June 2014). "Daily What?! These Picture Perfect Townhouses in the Bronx Are Not What They Seem". Untapped New York. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  47. ↑ "Mott Haven Substation". Thrillist. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  48. 1 2 Basch, Michelle (14 December 2017). "This DC 'home' has been fooling people since the '50s". WTOP News. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  49. 1 2 3 Basch, Michelle (13 December 2017). "Is it a house? Is it a barn? What Pepco's hiding in plain sight in your neighborhood". WTOP News. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  50. ↑ "2530 Norton St Rochester, NY 14609". Monroe County, NY. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  51. ↑ "250 Seneca Park Ave Rochester, NY 14617". Monroe County, NY. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  52. ↑ National Register of Historic Places Form: Lake Orion Historic District (PDF). National Park Service. 6 July 2006. p. 7-6. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  53. ↑ "Peermont Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). Atlantic City Electric. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  54. ↑ "In Focus: Peermont Substation - "Camo-tecture" Down the Shore" (PDF). PS&S. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  55. ↑ "STQRY Guide". discover.stqry.app. Retrieved 2026-06-29.
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