Demolition Day For The Bavarian Inn

L-R Leg. Cilmi, NYS Senator Zeldin, Leg.Kennedy,County Exec. Bellone, Supervisor Vecchio, Leg. Nowick, Supervisor RomaineWith great fanfare the Bavarian Inn in Ronkonkoma was the scene of a demolition “event” Monday morning. Hosting the event was Suffolk County Legislator John Kennedy, who has advocated  the demolition of the building and the creation of a passive park at the site. Kennedy’s elected guests included Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio, Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine, Legislators Lynne Nowick and Tom Cilmi and NYS Senator Lee Zeldin.

The former Bavarian Inn, once a popular dinning and catering facility, fell into disrepair around 2006 and never recovered. The site became a hangout for teenagers and the building a canvas for graffiti. Illegal drug use at the site was a problem, as was flooding in the basement of the building. Smithtown’s Department of public safety was called to the building many times over the years to secure the building to prevent illegal entry and injury. 

The Bavarian Inn, once the site of so many wonderful events, became a blight on the community, the lake and the town. Earlier this year the County took ownership of the property due to non-payment of taxes.

With support from the Nesconset-Sachem Civic Association (NSCA), Legislator Kennedy kept the Bavarian Inn at the forefront of his legislative agenda and recruited support for the demolition from Smithtown and the County.

The property, 2.6 acres on Lake Ronkonkoma’s waterfront, is in the Town of Smithtown and is adjacent to parkland. Kennedy has sponsored a resolution (currently tabled)  to create a park at the site. This idea is very popular with the NSCA and with local residents. Fred Gorman, president of NSCA has long advocated the development of parkland and has promised to do what needs to be done to make the area a beautiful park that local residents can be proud of and can enjoy. 

Some residents, hearing about the demolition came to take photos or have one last look at the building that hosted their wedding, engagement party or school event. Although saddened by the demolition of a site that meant so much to them, they were realistic and recognized that this empty shell of a building was not what they wanted to remember.

Bavarian Inn Chef Peter BodnarStanding in the crowd was Peter Bodnar a former chef at the Bavarian Inn. He briefly spoke at the podium expressing his fond memories of the Bavarian Inn and sadness in seeing the building in its current condition. “I’m going to remember it for the rest of my life.”

A surprise announcement was made by Brookhaven Supervisor Edward Romaine that a memorandum of understanding to preserve Lake Ronkonkoma’s waterfront was to be signed by the Towns of Brookhaven, Islip and Smithtown.

The demolition is scheduled to take place over the next two weeks.