Pines Hotel, Catskills
Though Pines hotel is not in Catskills anymore, but those who have seen it, still have its memories fresh in their minds. Pines hotel was known for its joyous atmosphere filled with the chattering of vacationers. Even today, one can imagine joyous couples relaxing in its concrete arch. But, that time has gone now and no one knows whether it will ever come back again or not. Dilapidated nuisance has replaced everything and today one can find Pines hotel in an abandoned condition and the attraction which it used to have has disappeared.
Vandals and thieves have stripped the dignity of Pines hotel located in Catskills. In the year 2003, the Carleton staff building caught fire on July 20. All the copper pipes and electrical wiring of the resort were stolen away by thieves. The present condition of the hotel has become pitiful. One can see its ceilings covered with mold and moss. Glass panes of the windows are hanging out and many of them are scattered over the ground.
It closed in the year 1998 when the Ehrlich family sold it to a developer (the Fallsbung Estates LLC). But something else was written in the fate of this resort as a bankruptcy case was filed by the developer in the year 2002 challenging its property assessments and the Pines was never able to see the rise in its fate again. However, the tax case came to an end in July and the amount of $1 million was allowed as back taxes but Pines hotel got an amount of $500,000 for its assessment. Consequently, all this was sufficient to make this hotel an easy target and it became a squatter’s den.
Though this 96-acre Pines hotel is fenced but still it is not able to keep the outsiders away from it as the gates remain wide open in the absence of any caretaker. The Pines was not the biggest resort at that time even with its 400 rooms. There were other big hotels too such as Buddy Hackett and Tito Puente and they had nightclubs too.
The Pines had indoor and outdoor pools, a ski hall, a golf course, and spacious tennis courts along with an ice-skating rink. It also had card rooms which were famous not only among the guests but among locals too. According to the developers, development work will soon be initiated for all of its rooms and the golf course will be renovated too. Though the things are still not clear but it has been predicted that most probably the hotel will be demolished. So, no one is sure about the ultimate fate of the building.
In the end, the Pines hotel in Catskills is lying idly open to the elements. However, there is a hope that ultimately it will shine once again in the region of Catskills.