Photo: goldengateinnny.com
The Golden Gate Inn (3867 Shore Parkway) is closed for business. We’ve heard that the property was sold, but the deed transfer has not yet hit the net. It last sold in 2006 for $15.4 million. No information about the buyer is available yet.
Looks like the Windjammer, a.k.a. the Lyghthouse Inn, is going to pick up traffic in the daytime quickie category.
I know, I know – most of the entries in our Postcard series have depicted Manhattan Beach. Well, what do you want? It was a resort! With all the postcards being from the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th, those hanging out in Sheepshead Bay were too busy gambling at the racetracks and shuckin’ oysters to be sending out postcards to their pampered sisters out in… wherever. Postcard sending then, as now, was a woman’s duty (Ed. – We have no historical evidence to support that fact. Just that this manly writer hates sending postcards.), and, like all women on vacation, they just wanted to sit around the hotel and… uh… stare at walls, or whatever you do at hotels.
Anyway, back to the point. This one came from eBay, and the seller says:
This perhaps is the nicest of all images I have come across that pictures the famous Oriental Hotel which was located at Manhattan Beach just above the Coney Island section … The image is captioned at the lower margin and reads Oriental Hotel , Coney Island , NY. There is also an additional caption in the upper right corner advertising the hotel was painted inside and out with King Paint , a company located in Brooklyn New York City … The reverse side mentions the publisher as being American Views , NY. It has a divided back, is postally used, bearing a 1915 cancel.
I decided to briefly look into King Paint. According to Who’s Who in New York City and State, published in 1917, it was a Williamsburg-based company, located at 449 Kent Avenue. It was owned by Robert M. King, who lived at 941 Ocean Avenue in Ditmas Park, and he also had some ownership stakes in local hardware and other companies. The business was established in 1852.
How’s that for information you’ll never use?
It’s been a while since we’ve had an entry into our Postcard series, but good things come to those who wait. This dynamic piece captures a diver in midair over what the postcard calls “Stillwater Lagoon” in Manhattan Beach. While we know the Blackstone Hotel had a lagoon, and that would certainly fit given the timeline (1923 postmark), we’re not sure if that’s the one shown here. Regardless – we appreciate that this eBay seller put it up. We’ve got another cool one for you tomorrow.
Haven’t yet seen this angle of the Oriental Hotel, which faced Sheepshead Bay between Ocean Avenue and Girard Street was somewhere else entirely [Read comments]. The photo comes from SepiaTown.com. Cool, eh?
This was originally to be a “Postcard” piece, as the image above comes from an eBay auction. But further research revealed a fascinating part of Manhattan Beach history, dating back too far to fit even in the “Remember When” series.
From the Harper’s Weekly archive, the wood engraving above is not some illustration of a far off land beset by flame and destruction. Instead it’s a fireworks display, put on in 1885 in Manhattan Beach.
Ladies and gentlemen, the end of an era has arrived. Windjammer Motor Inn has perished, and in its place stands… uh… Lyghthouse Inn (3206 Emmons Avenue). Yeah, that’s a “Y”. We don’t get it either.
(Actually, after looking through our archives we remembered the owner’s name is Terrence Lyght. Get it?!)
According to the clerks at the Comfort Inn next door, Windjammer made the change just last week. They couldn’t tell me why, and I wasn’t willing to go into Lyghthouse to ask; I have severe allergic reactions to gonorrhea and desperation.
As one observer put it, “It’s really the youth who will miss out. ‘I lost my virginity at the Lyghthouse’ just doesn’t sound the same.”
Requiescat in pace, Windjammer. You will be missed.
Anyone have memories to share?
(Photo by Leighton O’Connor)
Last Thursday, we reported on the potentially hazardous situation at the Windjammer Motor Inn on Emmons Ave. City officials had inspected the motel for reports of no alternate means of egress in case of fire, and issued a violation for 15 of the interior rooms for failing to provide natural light and ventilation.
I made a number of calls to the Windjammer to try to get some more information. Terrence Lyght, Manager, invited me to come and take pictures of the unventilated rooms. He said that the Windjammer continued in operation without any problem, ever since it was bought from the original owner. Mr. Lyght believes that that the original owner, Mr. Levenbaum, had those rooms built with no windows, because there are some patrons who want privacy without the potential of someone being able to peer through windows. I’m guessing that way back when they built the place, curtains and drapes had not been invented.
In our first conversation, I asked Mr. Lyght, if he was planning on having the rooms mentioned in the violation open for rent. His response was, “We have 17 days in which we can answer the violation. In the meantime, we assume that we can [rent the rooms].” Gene Berardelli, of the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association, said that it is his understanding that according to the violation code, use of rooms where there are no windows and no ventilation, should be discontinued.
When I asked Mr. Lyght how often they conduct fire and safety drills on site, he said that they are conducted regularly. When I asked how regularly that would be, he said that they conduct fire drills according to the codes. Mr. Lyght was unsure how often the code requires safety drills, but he is certain that the Windjammer conducts them every couple of weeks.
Before I could make the appointment to go in to get pictures for you, readers, management had changed its mind. Mr. Lyght now insists that I come in so that I could meet him in person and show him my identification, but I will not be allowed to take any photographs. Apparently, the Brooklyn View newspaper made a visit to the Windjammer and they were not allowed to get pictures. It seems that now, too, that our questions to Mr. Lyght about the rooms being in operation may have prompted him to question his original assumption that it would be okay to rent out the 15 firetraps mentioned in the violation, since it appears that management has had a change of heart on this issue.
At no time during the conversation, did Mr. Lyght mention that they are working to remedy the situation about the unventilated rooms. There was no talk about reconstruction or fixes to make it safe for guests, but there was talk about answering the violation and waiting to see what would happen. I would suggest that while waiting to hear from the court about whether housing people in potentially dangerous boxes is within the law, you might like to shed some light into this situation by calling some reputable contractors.
Sorry, all you Windjammers, who were just banging down the doors to get your windowless, ultra-private, super-dark, extra-stuffy interior rooms, you’ll have to wait until the judge strikes his gavel for us to see what the Windjammer thinks of your safety.
(NYC Department of Buildings Screenshot 10/9/08 11:50 a.m.)
The New York City Department of Buildings has issued violations to 3206 Emmons Avenue Realty, LLC for the unsafe Windjammer Motor Inn.
Gene Berardelli, attorney for the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association, informed us that last Thursday, 10/2/08, officials investigated the motel for complaints regarding unsafe conditions. Violations were served this morning to hotel management for failing to provide natural light and ventilation for 15 of its interior rooms.
Another cause for concern is that these rooms are potential firetraps. According to a customer service representative reached by phone, there are no windows in the affected rooms. If a fire originated from the hallway, motel patrons would not be able to escape, because there are no alternative means of egress.
The manager was not immediately available for comment. Mr. Berardelli feels that the situation at the Windjammer is begging for a solution, especially since the area across the street is slated for development as The Brigham Street Park Project.
If you were to ask Bay residents what the most scuzzy, shady and nefarious business on the waterfront was, I’m sure more than a fair share would point their fingers to the Windjammer Motor Inn on 3206 Emmons Ave. The hideous motel has garnered quite a reputation over the years, with accusations of activities including prostitution and peeping toms (or peeping pigs, in some cases). On the suggestion of a friend, I decided to look up some of the online reviews of this hell hole, and the results were beyond hilarious. Below is the best of those reviews.
Top awards go to this romantic chump on Yelp.com:
For an all too brief moment of rekindled passion, I delved into the wondrous caverns of your nether region, and dug deep to unearth the core of divine ecstasy itself. It had been three months since you left. On this night, you showed up at my door, speaking the language of aged scotch and false promises. I was only too happy to accomodate your deceitful ways.
You escaped into the unforgiving chill of a bitter cold Sheepshead Bay night. Leaving me to foot the bill for the room while you did god knows what with god knows who. Through a thinly layered wall next to my bed, I could hear a Russian prostitute bark commands at a john. Darkness swallowed the last remaining light of dusk, and engulfed my room in lonely shadows. I dug my feet into the orange shag carpet and smiled. This was the breakthrough we were looking for.
One day…soon, we shall jam in the wind once more.
TripAdvisor.com users definitely advise to stay away:
Title: “A Turkish prison would have been better!”
This is the biggest turd hole on the planet. When I opened the door, I knew I was in trouble, there was previous biologicals all over . I slept with my cloths on on towels. I turned the tv. on and it was stuck on channel 33, free porn, usually that would not be all that bad, but in this instance I was so mortified that even that repulsed me. And speaking of thin walls, I had a wake up call with a very loud women at 3 am if you know what I mean. Save your money and sleep in the alley, there will be less germs! I almost forgot the hairy mold growing in the shower.Title: “Nasty, Dirty, Stinks, No Privacy”
it would have been much better if I did spend my night in my car. I would not let my neighbor’s dog spend the night there even if his life was in danger. The place has a funky smell, the carpet is horrible, the guest would be better off sleeping on the street pavement instead of sleeping on the bed they have for them.
While consensus with the above was found nearly everwhere, one Yahoo! user did feel the urge to speak up and defend Skankville Inn the Windjammer:
hotel with hourly rates: After reading the other remarks I had to comment. What else do you expect from a place that offers hourly rates. Yes it a hole in the wall, and yes its flithy, and yes there are a lot of degerates hanging out in front. But this is the clientale that they cater to. I have used this hotels for quickies with my boyfriend on several occassions – you can’t beat paying $50 for 4 hours.
Did I say defend? I guess that’s what that was.
