Thank you, kok328! Now I know what the hole which houses the sump pump is called. Believe it or not, the pump made it through Sandy and Irene (with a little help from a generator.) I'm considering getting a battery backup for the next one, if affordable.
What needs to happen with this sump pump? Obviously the pump itself needs to be replaced. I will have a plumber do that. But the whole set up is bad. I know a sump pump is a functional item, yet I don't want the way it looks to scare off potential buyers if we ever sell.
I don't even know...