On Saturday February 21, 2015 New York State Troopers arrested four New York City men for Criminal Trespass.

Wurtsboro Troopers responded to a trespass call at the old Homowack Lodge in Phillipsport on Saturday afternoon. Upon arrival to location Troopers located four males from New York City in the building with camera’s and smoke fire works filming. Awad Ramy, of Woodside, Noah Vasquez, of Elmhurst, Adam Luchansky, of Manhattan, and Armando Davila, of Corona, were all arrested by Troopers and transported to SP Wurtsboro for processing. All four men were charged with Criminal Trespass 3rd and Possession of Fireworks. All four men were arraigned in Town of Mamakating Court and are due to reappear at a later date.

In August of 2007, YWN had reported that thousands of Jews from all walks of life had gathered at the Homowack Lodge to celebrate what was called an “historic founding of a new heimishe Skver Shtetl in upstate New York”. Hundreds of Rabbonim, Admorim, Roshei Yeshivos and Dayonim were attendance as well. Founded more than 50 years ago by the Skver Rebbe ZATZAL, New Square Shtetel – located in Spring Valley – has reached its population limit; so about 10 years ago, New Square askanim started searching for a suitable location on which to build a twin community to the current shtetl. The Homowack Hotel was chosen for this.

Those plans were cancelled a few years later, and the property was once again sold.

According to Abandoned Playgrounds, the defunct Homowack Lodge was one of the many Borscht Belt summer resorts in the Catskills that are now abandoned. The resort resides near the Homowack Creek, where it derives its name. The history of the Homowack Lodge is scarce, when it opened was probably in the 1920’s or after and its decline ran through the 1970’s through possibly the 1980’s, like with the Grossinger’s Resort.

The Homowack Lodge in its prime offerend many things to do such as physical activities like tennis, bowling and swimming. It also offered relaxing things like a theater stage to watch performers, a cocktail lounge and regular lounge.

The eventual decline and extreme decay of the Homowack Lodge increased over the years. An incident that occurred in 2009 of the lodge being used as a girls camp with a new name Machne Bnos Square, cause much controversy. The town of Mamakating had cited numerous violations and tried to have the camp shut down, it was not until the New York State Department of Health intervened that the camp was closed. The campers and staff were endangered by the toxic mold, exposed wiring and insulation, and there were fire safety violations.

(Chaim Shapiro – YWN Sullivan County Newsroom)