The Olympia Hotel

Many have complained bitterly about the shabbiness of the defunct Olympia Hotel in the center of the hamlet of Callicoon.“This complaint comes up every few years but there isn’t anything we can do about it,” said supervisor Bill Moran.“It’s private property.”

The old hotel, which is a vestige of an era of prosperity when scores of visitors came up from the city by train, stands diagonally across the Western Hotel. "We have offered the owner a number of opportunities to be part of a grant program to fix his building but he doesn’t want to participate,” Moran said.“The timing isn’t right for me,” said owner Joseph Naughton, who also owns the Western Hotel.

Naughton claims that the Main Street façade program from the county was limited to just one side of the building that faces the street. His building can be seen on three sides!“I fully intend to refurbish the building but I can’t right now,” Naughton said. Until then, the Olympia Hotel shall retain its’ title as the single scariest hotel in America.

Not sure of the exact point Mr. Amormino is making here... except maybe to point out the CUTTING NOSE OFF TO SPITE FACE idiocy of Mr. Naughton. Man runs a hotel across the street from a fire trap eyesore. And how can Supervisor Moran say there is nothing to be done? The Olympia is an inch from the street... broken, unsecured windows, unpainted... in the very center of the village! Can it possibly not be in violation of more than a few codes? A real shame it has been allowed to fall apart and that it is owned by a man with such little imagination and ability. For one thing, Naughton could appeal for help to fix up a landmark! We can only be thankful The Western Hotel isn't in worse shape than it is, and it IS a pretty shabby, poorly restored and maintained place. It, and Callicoon are real achitectural and historic treasures.

Jim Amormino wrote:

Many have complained bitterly about the shabbiness of the defunct Olympia Hotel in the center of the hamlet of Callicoon.“This complaint comes up every few years but there isn’t anything we can do about it,” said supervisor Bill Moran.“It’s private property.”
The old hotel, which is a vestige of an era of prosperity when scores of visitors came up from the city by train, stands diagonally across the Western Hotel. "We have offered the owner a number of opportunities to be part of a grant program to fix his building but he doesn’t want to participate,” Moran said.“The timing isn’t right for me,” said owner Joseph Naughton, who also owns the Western Hotel.
Naughton claims that the Main Street façade program from the county was limited to just one side of the building that faces the street. His building can be seen on three sides!“I fully intend to refurbish the building but I can’t right now,” Naughton said. Until then, the Olympia Hotel shall retain its’ title as the single scariest hotel in America.

The Western and the Olympia are private property. If you don't like what they look like why don't you buy them and fix them up yourself. The Western is in fact for sale with Remax Realty. Put your money where your mouth is big shot.

The owner of both of these is a real scumbag . Drive into his parking lot doing more than 3 miles an hour and his undies go right up his butt. This guy is a nasty creep who treats his workers like crap. He is a NAZI or some thing. He won't sell either of them trust me. he has nowhere else to go. This guy definately needs an attitude adjustment. I hjave to pass this fool everyday. As for putting your money where your mouth is. I offered to buy each and was turned down so get it right. He goes into the olympia and spend 4 hours putting up a piece of molding. Whats that all about?

I look at the Olympia every day and it doesn't bother me at all. Lends a bit of an historic, old-fashioned air to the town.

PS Joe has some good qualities, too.

Follow up to my earlier comments. OK, let's not make it personal... my mistake. But what I say I stand by, in general. What kind of community survives in a healthy fashion if "private property" is the ultimate excuse? Oh, it's "private property." The hell with everybody else's private property or the rest of the town. I know, why not tear down the Western and the Olympia? Why not put a parking lot in both of them, or a garbage dump, etc. etc. You can see where that goes. "It doesn't bother me one bit." Of course not, you are used to seeing a falling down eyesore in the center of town. But what if it was fixed up? Used for a better purpose. Duh... it's still a massive lack of imagination, will-power, community spirit, foresight. A disgrace to anyone who really cares about the town or history.

the hotel is a symbol of callicoon ny and it should NEVER be torn down or renevated.and thanx to the idiot who owns it now,it is.thanx alot.

There is movement on the hotel. I was up there this past weekend and there is a change

Buildings should not be left to deteriorate. If owners and residents care about where they live they should continually strive to maintain and update their business or their homes. If this is economically or financially impossible, then perhaps they should sell it to someone who can. In the case of the Olympia Hotel it seems that this has, thankfully,finally happened.

Someone actually bought the Olympia? Who? How much?

Joseph Offenberg
Methol, NY

i really dont think that the olympia should be torn down, just because it is a burntout eyesore

Joseph,

It was bought by a man from out of town who is interested in local railroad history and is planning to make it into a railroad museum and maybe even serve beer. Even over the cold Winter months, they've made a lot of progress on the building.

The Olympia is not going to be torn down. It is being renovated like it should be.It should have been renovated years ago.For someone to come in and have the imagination to turn it into a railroad museum is commendable. The railroad is what established Callicoon and it is only fitting to have a building near the train station to honor this. Thank you to the person or persons who invested in this property.

looking for info on hotel charles in youngsville from the 1960 to present times
email david.cantor@columbiasussex.co m

For the last month or so the renovation of the Olympia seems to have stalled. Rumor is that the project has run out of funds... which seems strange, if true. Does anyone know the truth? It used to be a sad old wreck... not it's an ugly Tivek covered construction site.

It would be a symbol if it wasn't a firetrap wreck! Nobody with any sense of history wants it torn down.

yer mom wrote:

the hotel is a symbol of callicoon ny and it should NEVER be torn down or renevated.and thanx to the idiot who owns it now,it is.thanx alot.

I spent an hour or two in Callicoon in September, and the Western Hotel is being renovated.

Whoops, I meant to say the Olympia Hotel is being renovated.

Carolyn wrote:

Whoops, I meant to say the Olympia Hotel is being renovated.

Thanks for the update... but it's now November and no work has apparently been done on the Olympia since the spring. What you noticed is no news at all.

With the modern insulation covering it, the place looks worse than ever and has even lost the authentic decrepit charm it once had.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT?