Fire in Phoenicia

[Jay H]

Zer0-G mentioned to a few of us about a fire in Phoenicia (Not Brios!!!!) that took out some abandoned building but also a few surrounding structures like the Phoenicia Hotel and a real estate (Ricciadellis???). Any news on the happenings...


http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18642145&BRD=1769&PAG=461&dept_id=74969&rfi=6

http://www.phoeniciatimes.com/phoenicia/followup.html

Looks like it wasthe hotel that went up... insurance scam/arson... time will tell. but ixnay on the surroundings, sounds like the fire was contained to just the vacant hotel and thankfully, nobody was killed...

Jay

[daLunartik]

I was in Phonecia on Sunday. The Hotel is definetly destroyed (roof all caved in and charred) - there are orange road cones all along that side of the street in front of the building.

Don't really know what the plans are, but I'm not sure the hotel structure can be salvaged.

[funkyfreddy]

That's too bad, wish I could have bought that funky old hotel! That place had a lot of atmosphere and history, was a hang out for Dutch Shultz and others.

[Mark Schaefer]

I had seen the Kingston newspaper report. Thanks for the local Phoenicia newspaper link. The Kingston paper mentioned the gangster Legs Diamond as having stayed at the hotel. I had not previously heard of his connection to Phoenicia, although he had connections to Monticello, Catskill, and Albany (where he eventually resided to get away from his rival Dutch Schultz).

Perhaps, given the somewhat sloppy fact checking at the Kingston Freeman, maybe the writer was actually referring to Dutch Schultz. According to one of the legends (http://www.catskill.net/purple/schultz.htm), Dutch Schultz had lunch at the Phoenicia Hotel, buried his treasure somewhere in the area, and was later gunned down at the Palace Chop House in Newark NJ, all in the same day. Perhaps the ghost of Dutch Schultz is now looking for new accommodations. It figures he would not wander far from his buried treasure.

Babe Ruth was also reported to have stayed at the Phoenicia Hotel, but the last I heard his ghost was still in the Bronx.

[funkyfreddy]

Thanks for the great link, Mark! Very informative as well as entertaining! :D

[1ADAM12]

Thanks for the great link, Mark! Very informative as well as entertaining! :D


So when are we going treasure hunting :tup:

[Jay H]

I've am always looking for the illusive Catskills ice cream cache, but have yet to come across it. I'll leave Dutch Schultz treasure for FunkyFreddy, I think ice cream just tastes better!

Jay

[Mark Schaefer]

Phoencia Hotel to be torn down today (http://www.dailyfreeman.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19800969&BRD=1769&PAG=461). The final diamond leg in the coffin I suppose.

Warning! there may be a few more ghosts wandering the Catskills on your next hike. The Phriemin website could not even spell the name of the hotel correctly in the headline, so the ghosts may be more ornery than normal. :rolleyes: :eek: :twisted:

[Jay H]

Was in Phoenicia with Snickers a few weekends ago, they had the whole hotel covered in a tarp.

Maybe they'll find Dutch Schultz treasure now? :razz: Somebody tell Funkyfreddy!

jay