Mystery Friday Foto #57 Solved: The Petit Trianon Annex Building
Did you identify this weekend's Mystery Foto of the Petit Trianon Annex building in Lake Ronkonkoma?
Identify;
- The building- Link it to the Motor Parkway
When the Petit Trianon Inn was built at the eastern terminus of the Motor Parkway in Lake Ronkonkoma, William K. Vanderbilt Jr. also commissioned an annex building for the staff. The building was also used as a place for visitor's chauffeurs to stay while their employers spent time at the Petit Trianon Inn.
- Year it was built- is it still standing?
The Annex was built along with the Petit Trianon in 1911. After a few different uses over the years, it was finally demolished in 2006.
- The architect
John Russell Pope, who also was commissioned for the 6 original Motor parkway gatelodges.
- Uses after it's original purpose had ended
In 1931, the Annex was converted into an inn by proprietor Max Greis. By the late 70's, the Annex was converted into the Park Lake Rest Home.
Congrats to Steve Lucas and Frank Femenias for identifying the Petit Trianon Annex building.
Greg O.
The relation of the annex to the Petit Trianon Inn, the lake and the Motor Parkway was shown in this 1925 blueprint. Like the Petit Trianon, the annex was designed by John Russell Pope and retained many of the features of the inn.
The Petit Trianon and Annex layout over the current satelite view.
The mystery photo is from the 1930's, when, by that time, the Annex was converted into an inn by proprietor Max Greis. The basement featured a German tavern called the Rathskeller.
These photos, taken by Ron Ridolph in 1981, show when the Annex served as the Park Lake Rest Home.
In 2006, the building was demolished and finally replaced with a private residence in 2013.
Comments
That’s the “Annex” of the Petit Trianon built close by on the same property as the main building at the eastern terminus of the LIMP. It was built around the same time as the Petit Trianon itself in 1911. Sadly, it was demolished in 2006. The architect was John Russell Pope. Originally used for Petit Trianon staff, it later became a hotel, the “Parkway Inn”, with a restaurant on the main floor and a tavern in the basement, the “Rathskeller”. Later on it was a senior citizens home called the “Park Lane Rest Home”.
The Petit Trianon Inn’s (1911-1958) Annex building (1911-2006), housing for the Inn’s employees, looking Southeast. Both structures were designed by John Russel Pope at the Motor Parkway’s eastern terminus in Ronkonkoma. Walking employees traveled 475 feet (0.09 miles) daily to reach the Inn’s East service entrance, one staircase below ground into the kitchen area. After the Inn’s fire and demolition in 1958 the Annex was repurposed as a restaurant, then later The Park Lake Rest Home for the elderly. The Annex was destroyed in 2006. The residence at 24 Washington Av now occupies the space. Pope also designed the six original toll lodges used on the Motor Parkway
The annex building was built in 1913. Designed by John Russell Pope, it was built by the Morton-Lange Construction Company of New York City who were paid $10,100. It had 9 bedrooms and a lounge on the first floor and 8 bedrooms on the second. Vanderbilt sold the Petit Trianon Inn property’s around 1930 and the annex building opened as the Motor Parkway Inn with a Rathskeller in the basement. On the door at the bottom of the steps was a sign stating “Persons unknown to us will be required to give a reference” At the time prohibition was still in effect. I seem to recall the restaurant under various ownerships, survived into the 1950’s.
Thanks Al! I tried calling you today for some of these details, but I guess you were out. Thanks for the additional factoids!
Greg, A bit of information about the Petit Trianon… It was never referred to as the Petit Trianon Inn it when owned by Vanderbilt/Long island Motor Parkway. It was simply the Petit Trianon, Occasionally Restaurant, when operated by Myers but thats it. The confusion came about when it was announced that the Parkway was going to open the Motor Parkway Inn at Lake Ronkonkoma. Selected to operate it was the Hotel Astor of New York City. The management told Vanderbilt “we don’t Inns, we do upscale”. example, ...Greg, please put up the menu. Inn was added by the new operators around 1930.
From Greg O.
https://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/the_1914_petit_trianon_menu
Greg, Forgot to mention…It was the management of the Astor Hotel that suggested changing the name from Motor Parkway Inn to something with more “Grande Classe”. Thats how we ended up with Petit Trianon.