An Unlikely Renaissance on Walnut Street: A Historic Carriage House Sees a Second Life
The green carriage house at 414 Walnut Street in Williamsport embodies a remarkable revival story: a former stable transformed into a vibrant event space, with roots that reach from its early days to a contemporary celebration of food and gatherings. Its journey stretches from modest beginnings to a storied chapter that features the Woman’s Club of Williamsport and even a Grammy-winning musician, George Winston.
Today, the building is owned by Chef Richard Hoschar—known professionally as Chef Hosch—and his wife, Ann Hoschar. Their operation combines on-site dining with off-site catering, turning the carriage house into a versatile venue for weddings, parties, and special events.
Construction of the 6,200-square-foot structure dates to around 1870, built to accompany the Smith Ullman residence on Millionaire’s Row, the same era that produced the nearby Victorian mansion at 634 West Fourth Street. Local lore notes that in November 1923 a group of women representing five leading clubs—Clio, college, civic, garden, and business and professional women—met at the Sprout home and agreed on a shared space for their gatherings. They subsequently purchased the Walnut Street carriage house.
Under the careful guidance of architect Carl V. Welker, renovations transformed the old stable into a welcoming meeting place. The hayloft became a spacious assembly room, complete with a fireplace and villa-style wrought-iron balconies, while a second fireplace was added on the first floor. The club officially opened on September 2, 1925, and the space soon became a hub for weddings, receptions, holiday feasts, bridge luncheons, and tea gatherings, according to a 1975 Sun-Gazette feature.
A notable piece of its legacy involved a 1918 Steinway piano once owned by the Stroehmann family. When the Woman’s Club relocated its meetings to the Williamsport Country Club, the piano remained behind. In 2017, when the Hoschars purchased the property, the piano came with it, and it would later attract a global figure: Grammy-winning pianist George Winston.
Winston, renowned for his solo piano work in the new age genre and his 1994 Grammy for Forest, spent his final years in Williamsport, aided by Dave Whitnack—an longtime collaborator who managed Winston’s touring and later served as Senior Vice-President of Touring & Production.
Whitnack recalls the pandemic period when touring halted and Winston chose to stay in the Northeast. The carriage house, then shuttered due to COVID-19, provided a private rehearsal space for him. Whitnack knew the venue’s piano was there, and thus a unique partnership formed: Winston played, practiced, and even hosted virtual concerts from the quiet, welcoming space during lockdowns.
Winston cherished the piano’s history and the hospitality of Chef and Ann, often playing late into the night. A touching moment Whitnack shares is Winston’s habit of opening the exit door by the piano to feed stray cats—an emblem of his affection for animals.
What began as a temporary stay in Williamsport in 2020 extended nearly three years, largely because Winston valued the privacy and calm of the town. He felt at home there, and so did his hosts, who were also managing him at the time. The arrangement became a lasting memory when, on June 4, 2023, Winston succumbed to cancer during his Williamsport residency. His passing prompted notices in The New York Times and Rolling Stone and a tribute at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
The piano remains at the carriage house, signed with Winston’s autograph and dated August 7, 2020—an enduring artifact for future generations to reflect on the venue’s layered history.
As for what lies ahead, the carriage house has entered the market, listed at $485,000 and represented by John Brindger of RE/MAX Commercial in Williamsport. Brindger frames the sale as an invitation to write the next chapter of Williamsport’s story: “Own the carriage house and leave your mark on the city’s history.”
Would you seize the opportunity to own a piece of Williamsport’s past and shape its future, or would you prefer to see it preserved as a living museum of local heritage? What aspects of this historic transition—from stable to social hub to private residence—resonate most with you, and what questions would you pose to potential buyers or the community in the comments?
