Article Author:
Associated Press
LIBERTY, NY (AP) — A fire destroyed a building on the grounds of the long-closed Grossingers Resort, once one of the most famous and charming hotels in New York's Catskills. Did.
In its post-World War II heyday, Grossingers attracted hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers annually, many of them Jewish. The resort had a 27-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor pools, a nightclub, two kosher kitchens, and a 1,500-seat dining room. Portraying the Eddie Fisher-like crooner and cited as the inspiration for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing.
Tuesday night on the grounds of an old hotel A fire broke out in his 3.5-story building. Firefighters dispatched to the scene had to pass through a gate, blocked by overgrowth and a concrete barrier. An excavator knocked over an unidentified building after the fire was extinguished, according to a Facebook post from the Liberty Fire Department.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The former 812-acre resort is located approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of New York City.
Fisher not only made his Grossingers debut, but also married his fellow entertainer Debbie Reynolds in 1955. The resort also featured Joel Gray and Leslie Uggams, as well as boxers Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey.
Grossinger's remained in business for nearly 70 years before closing in 1986, suffering the fate of many local hotels after the area's charm faded. The site fell into disrepair in a redevelopment effort.
