Some of the most historical gay property in America next to The Stonewall Inn, namely the  business strip of the Fire Island Pines home to The Pavillion Nightclub, The Blue Whale, and the harbor-front which became a destination for millions of  gay men since it was founded in 1952 have been sold at auction for $10.1 Million dollars to Manhattan Hotelier Ian Reisner

Via the New York Times:

A strip of commercial real estate along the harbor in Fire Island Pines sold for $10.1 million at auction on Thursday to developers with plans to continue the revival of a former mecca for closeted gay men. The sale price was well below the $25 million the previous owners sought when they placed it on the market last fall, and below the $17 million they paid for it in 2010. In a deal hammered out over more than six hours, the property was bought by Ian Reisner, who also owns the Out NYC, a hotel on West 42nd Street in Manhattan that focuses on a gay clientele. The deal is expected to close in February.

In a telephone interview, Mr. Reisner said he, his business partner and a small team of investors planned to spend $4 million over the next 18 months to “renovate and rejuvenate” the property, which includes a hotel, a nightclub, a restaurant, a bar and retail space. The Pavilion nightclub in Fire Island Pines was rebuilt after a 2011 fire and reopened, but in the interim the crowd moved on. “My idea for the Out was to have a place for L.G.B.T., because we didn’t have that at the time,” said Mr. Reisner, who said he has been visiting Fire Island Pines since he came out as gay in 1989. “The Pines is the Out.”

Hopefully Mr. Reisner will see the historical value to the community and spotlight some of it in the rebuilding.

As for the writer of the New York Times article that this is quoted from, Ashley Southhall (@assouthall) who starts her article with:

“A strip of commercial real estate along the harbor in Fire Island Pines sold for $10.1 million at auction on Thursday to developers with plans to continue the revival of a former mecca for closeted gay men.”

“Meccaa for CLOSETED GAY MEN”?

Ms Southall you need to learn how to do research before you write a story.

Fire Island was a mecca for ALL GAY MEN,  LESBIANS,  BISEXUALS,  DRAG QUEENS, and TRANSGENDERED people  and their straight allies and friends for more decades than you have been alive.  What you wrote Ms. Southall is not only insulting to the entire gay community and  insulting New York Times readers who know more history than you.  To which it seems there are many.