Renovation of decayed York Hall key to rebirth of state park, officials say

Renovation is underway at York Hall, the decayed 1930s Kings Park Psychiatric Center auditorium where patients gathered for music and recreation, and state parks officials say the building could reopen as a theater. 

That idea, which may take years and millions of dollars to realize, is one element of a master plan for Nissequogue River State Park that officials will finish this year, said Erik Kulleseid, commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, during a visit to the park last week. 

“This is a symbol for the rebirth of Nissequogue River State Park,” he said. “It’s going to be one of those icons that defines this park as we do the master plan and roll out these new features.”

Donations from IGA supermarket magnate Charlie Reichert and the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation are paying for a portion of the $570,000 reroofing and other improvements at York Hall, work that is expected to finish in coming weeks. Reichert in 2018 donated $1 million for renovation of the park’s administration building. 

Kulleseid said there were other potential donors in the wings, though he declined to identify them. 

The park, which draws 200,000 visitors annually, could add a botanical garden, horseback riding and an area for special needs children, according to a scoping document released in December. The document also listed possible reuse of other hospital buildings for a market and library or museum. The park now uses three of 59 former hospital buildings; some will likely be demolished, Kulleseid said.

From 1885 to 1996, the psychiatric center was one of the world's biggest mental hospitals, serving 9,300 patients and employing many area residents.

The state created what is now a 521-acre park on its grounds in 2000, but a lack of capital funds discouraged long-term plans, and uncertainty contributed to neglect. 

York Hall, which served not only patients but hamlet residents who used it for performances and indoor sports, was last used before the hospital closed and later deteriorated, said Joann Hahn, a Leo P. Ostebo Kings Park Heritage Museum trustee. 

Thieves stole copper flashing from the roof, contributing to water damage so severe the building was “close to failure” before repairs started in January, Kulleseid said. The building’s windows were boarded up or plastered over last week. The interior was cavernous and dark, with most seats and flooring removed. 

Theater professionals were enthusiastic but cautious about a York Hall rebirth. Tricia McDermott, founder of the Airmid Theatre Company, which produced several seasons of outdoor summer shows at the park a decade ago and once hoped to make York Hall a permanent home, told Newsday it would come down to money: “If there isn’t financial support, if you don’t see corporations and individuals of means step up,” no theater company can survive, she said. 

Kevin O’Neill, an owner of Northport’s Engeman Theater, who attended last week’s tour, said the Hall had more capacity than most Long Island theaters and “can be brought back to life in a beautiful way.” 

Reichert, peering into the darkness, said he could see the future: “This is the center of Long Island — think of all the things that can go here if it’s done right.”