Demolition Day Set for Bavarian Inn

D-Day for the Bavarian Inn's demolition is set. 

Suffolk Legis. John Kennedy, R-Nesconset, announced that the Bavarian Inn's demolition is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 23. A small ceremony will be held to celebrate this step forward in eliminating the derelict Lake Ronkonkoma restaurant and catering facility. 

Various state and local officials are expected to attend Monday's ceremony including state Sen. Lee Zelden, R-Shirley, state Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-St.James, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Kennedy and elected town officials from Brookhaven, Islip and Smithtown. 

Demolition of the abandoned restaurant is able to move forward as the Suffolk Legislature approved three certificates of necessity on Sept. 12. First, the legislature accepted the State Environmental Quality Review determination that razing the Lake Ronkonkoma building would not negatively impact the environment. Secondly, they approved setting aside $325,000 for demolition costs and thirdly, the bond that accompanies those funds.

Before the demolition begins next week, county officials are required to call in outside experts to help remove asbestos from the building before a bulldozer knocks it down. Suffolk County testing has revealed the toxic material is in the ceiling tiles and mixed into the walls' plaster. 

“Even though we originally thought we were going to use county staff to conduct the demolition, once it became apparent that there was asbestos throughout the whole building it became pretty clear that we were going to have to go ahead and engage someone who specializes in hazardous materials,” Kennedy told Patch. 

Branch Service of Ronkonkoma has been selected to remove the asbestos before payloader clear what remains of the building. 

The Bavarian Inn was once a popular restaurant and catering hall serving up German and Continental cuisine to Long Islanders. Repeated basement and property flooding caused the eatery to close down. 

In the few years since it was shut down, in addition to flooding, the Bavarian Inn has been entrenched in tribulations that include a fire, break-ins and heroin addicts using it as a place to get high.