Abandoned Borscht Belt 3: The Pines

Last October, I explored the abandoned site of The Pines resort in South Fallsburg, New York.

(Image via this wonderful collection of vintage resort postcards)

The Pines had 400 guest rooms, a golf course, tennis courts, a ski chalet, an ice rink, and two swimming pools. Its theater and nightclub hosted the usual Jewish Alps entertainers of the day such as Robert Goulet and Buddy Hackett. It closed in 1998 when a developer bought the property from the Ehrlich family. This article details the bankruptcy of that developer and possible future for the property.

The postcard above shows what The Pines looked like in the 1960s. As you might imagine, it doesn't look like this bright and tidy any more.

 

(This post covers the second day of a great weekend of Catskills exploration back in October. If you missed previous installments in my Abandoned Borscht Belt series, they are here: Part 1 and Part 2, and remember you can always click on the photos to enlarge them.)

 

 

We parked by the entrance to the resort's old ski chalet, then found a path leading through woods and tall grass to the resort.

And there she was.

The path we were on brought us to the old golf clubhouse first.

It was a cool midcentury building with an angled roof line, but is now windowless on the side facing out to the golf course.

The two-level affair was comprised of locker rooms and a pro shop, with strewn-about skis and ski boots, the odd golf bag or pair of kleats, and a burst-open box of plastic leis.

The next building we came to was guest lodging, the two-story Regency. The hallway wasn't doing so well.

 

 

The carpeting and wallpaper scheme was a ruined symphony of 1970s avocado tones.

 

This stairwell was faring even worse than the hall. The ladder placement indicates some wacko ventured down below these broken stairs on purpose. 

Yet, some of the guest rooms remain remarkably intact, even in the same building where you see that extensive damage.

Those extra pieces of carpeting you see on the floor were (rightfully) torn from the walls, where for some reason I do not understand, they were put up to hide this magnificent wallpaper. I don't think I will ever approve of any final decor updates that any of these resorts made before they closed.

There were two such ornamented areas in this room and two more in the adjoining room, presumably where the beds used to go.  Pictured above, I am calling the front desk to see about where I might order the wallpaper.

Moving on deeper into the complex, one ground-floor trash-filled room we saw through a window had a hand-lettered sign hanging from the ceiling reading "Keep everything 2 ft from ceiling Board of Health" I'm pretty sure the Board of Health is a little more formal with their advisories, but it's probably wise to keep 2 ft away from everything anyway.

Here is the Savoy wing. You can see through the windows that the roof has collapsed in this section and the upper floors have fallen in down to the second floor.

This is the view through the air conditioner hole to a room on the first floor of the Savoy wing. That's a mirrored wall directly across.

Turning to the left, a notice for would-be parking rule violators.

And facing down toward the main entrance, you could take this driveway down to the road, passing under the Essex building dead ahead.

From this central location, there were many directions to go, so our group of seven split up, which is always a wise move when you are exploring a dangerous and scary unfamiliar place.

Leah, Kennedy and I entered the main building through the rear door, passing first through the trashed dining room.

This large open area had hosted a massive paintball fight, as indicated by the round splatters  dotting the walls, windows, and furniture.

The dining room flowed into the upper lobby, which had grown a carpet of moss.

Is check-in causing too long of a pause between cocktails? Have yourself a highball, mister.

 

Down the windowed and paintball-splattered hallway, we came to where the indoor pool used to be.

 

(Vintage postcard via this fascinating website dedicated to The Pines)

 

Now it looks like this.

 

Next, a venture down to the lower lobby, where the guests checked in.

My camera memory filled up around here and I had to use Leah's, but I don't seem to have a good photo of the reception area. But yeah...not doing well.

The paint was curling off the walls. It almost looked like extreme heat burned it off, but it's probably just moisture damage.

 

 

Behind a counter, one whole wall of key cubbies still had nearly all the room keys in them. 

 Further back behind the reception area were some really dark, wet, and frightening offices containing filing cabinets, zombies, desks, ghouls, rolls of adding machine paper, various demons, some old stationery, and handy photocopied maps of the grounds (in case you've been wondering how I know the building names).

We crossed the underpass area where cars would've entered the complex to drop off the family before heading off to parking. A word of warning: there is now a hole in that central green patch where there was formerly a manhole cover.

 Over on the other side of reception was Ascot Hall.

After a quick look at another guest wing, we reunited with the rest of the group by the outdoor pool. To get there, we had to traverse the remains of the Persian Room, the Wedgewood Room, the Viceroy Room, and the coffee shop.

 

The kidney-shaped pool with the charming little footbridge had quite a festive look back in the day.

 

(via)

 But now it looks like this.

 

(Photo: Kennedy Candra)

Above: same view as postcard looking toward cabanas, and below: looking back toward the main building.

The pool is going pond, growing cattails and everything.

The pool cabanas are still standing , as is the conference center. The ice rink has been demolished, and the greenhouse is overgrown. 

Behind the pool cabanas are some older-looking lodging buildings (I'm guessing staff quarters) named the Dorchester, the Sheraton, and two others, joined by a breezeway that once led all the way through the pool structure and into the main building. We didn't go more than a few steps in, very conscious of the light draining from the afternoon.

We finally had our flashlights after initially leaving them back in the car, so we went for a last swing through a pitch-dark hall in the lower lobby that had some shops, including the beauty shop, barber shop, and an arcade, lit only by a few flashlights.

The thick, wet, mildewy, moldy air made me want to turn back right away. I thought, "Why do I put myself in these situations?" No, really-- why was I traversing a rotting building, subjecting my lungs to this, while other people were spending their weekends doing normal things with their families?

 I felt the first panicky flickers of claustrophobia. I wanted out, but not enough to go by myself in the dark. I was D-O-N-E for the day, and fortunately after a few minutes, so was the rest of the gang, although I still feel like there's lots more to see there.

We hightailed it to Liberty and threw down what I'm just going to declare the most authentic Mexican food in the Catskills (someone prove me wrong, I'd be happy to know of more places).

I love discovering these ruins, getting scared and laughing and feeling nostalgic for a lost time I didn't live through and people I didn't know.  These places are part of the story of so many lives. Just as one example, for a couple named Sandy and Stanley, the Pines was a stopover when they returned from a trip to Expo 67. (That online tribute Stanley made about his wife and their shared life together is one of the more touching sites I've ever seen on the Internet.)

I very much plan for Leah and I to continue exploring in 2012. If anyone has connections, invitations, or location suggestions, or perhaps even a publisher would like this professional writer to write up something more substantive on these places, don't hesitate to comment or get in touch.

 

 

Comments

[Alicia]

Another great adventure for we the readers!

[Alicia]

OMG,the site for Sandy...something in my eye.

[James Thomas]

Love your site avid follower!!! You or one brave women!!

[Leah]

Goulet!

[Dev]

Oh My god! I have always wanted to go there! I was born a year after it closed. :(

I found it when it still has the indoor pool building, and skating rink. I really wish I could've seen it in its glory day.

[cath]

there is a great place here in dunedin nz but it is a long way and unfortunately it has just been bought. it is an old returned servicemen retirement home i have some photos somewhere it is definitely haunted i think! lol

[Stanley Feigenbaum]

Colleen - for you, not for posting.
I am the Stanley you mentioned in the Pines piece. I thank you for your nice comment on my Sandy's website. How did you happen to wander across it?

[cokane]

Thanks all. Stanley, I found your lovely website by Google searching The Pines resort. It was so touching to see someone's personal memory of the place.

[Adam]

I remember when I used to work there in the 80's and ran the Ice rink as well as being a part time camp counselor.. Omg the stories I can tell of what went on behind the scenes and in the staff quarters.. I miss those days,,,,

[Heidi Heiderich Barbero]

My dad, Gordon Heiderich, was the drummer there for many years. I'm thinking 70's through early 80's. Not sure which years. He worked many of the hotels in the Catskills. I remember the Ice Rink, Pools, and especially the arcade. Loved those pinball machines. The Pines was beautiful. It's heartbreaking to see the remains.

[Danny]

Gene Simmons (Klein) was a lifeguard there while he went to college. Maybe they can turn it into a KISS resort *L*

[cokane]

Thanks for the memories Adam and Heidi. And Danny, Ha! I did not know that fun fact. Thank you.

[Marian]

You just explored the The Pines Hotel or like to explore other abandoned places too? I love exploring abandoned places - hotels to see how they're are now and if there are old "vintage" things of the hotel left behind by it's last owners (I like collecting old stuff and dream in founding a Cup, gobblet, teapot, anything count) Did you felt afraid to explore the Pines, was scary?

[David dcohen@bergen]

Worked at the pines as a bellhop..1966-1968. best time of my life up till then.wonderful guests and owners miss it

[Jose Paz]

Dis anyone remember the name of the ski chalet instructor in the late 70's. Please I will like to know, thank you. She used to work at the gift shop at Brickman Hotel too.

[Don Reed]

Researching Van Harris, a comedian who use to play dates at the Pines, led me here. Fascinating, but please don't endanger your life just to find out that swimming pools are "going pond"! Thank you. Don Reed

[Howard Koor]

A bittersweet expose of a special place in a special era. Thank you.

[David K.]

I used to go the Chalet on Saturday nights with all my friend in the early 80's. The best times of my life.

[louie corona]

I was there in the mid 80s as a teen with a few friends. Had an awsome time. Wish it was still open

[Genyne Mroz]

Thank you for walking me down memory lane. My family would visit the Pines each year the first weekend after New Years Day for a ski weekend.

We would go with a group from a local VFW Post in Yonkers, NY. I learned how to ski and ice skate there. Wish the Pines was still open to create those type of memories for my daughters.

[Claudia Cipolla]

My husband & I honeymooned at the Concord in 1981. We went for a weekend there with friends a few years after we were married. Now it's gone. So sad all of these resorts have been abandoned.