Heavy-Duty Riverfront Getaway

Fredericksburg, Va., Mayor Bill Beck is by most accounts a pretty conservative guy. But in 1997, he let his wild side come out when he bought a six-story concrete pump house on the Rappahannock River and set out to turn it into a weekend retreat.

The tall, narrow building was just one open shaft, so Beck had to add two floors to create a living space. The original water filtration and pumping machinery still sit in the basement of the building. The walls are five-feet thick to guard against flooding. With their living space perched high above, Beck is living high and dry and loving life.