The Town of Oyster Bay has demolished a dilapidated zombie house on Carman Mill Road in Massapequa.
The town said the court system granted it authority in 2024 to remove this longtime eyesore following years of neglect and neighbors’ complaints.
“This structure had fallen into severe disrepair after being abandoned mid-renovation many years ago,” Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “With uninhabitable and unsanitary conditions throughout, no neighborhood should be forced to endure such a blight on their block. Town inspectors identified extensive signs of neglect — from severely damaged or missing walls to collapsed ceilings and widespread deterioration. After securing court approval, we took action to remove this eyesore and are now laying the groundwork for a new, safe home to enhance our community.”
The town’s Quality of Life Task Force said the local police precinct notified it in 2020 about illegal occupancy in the house. Soon after, the property was abandoned, and windows and doors had been boarded up.
Renovation work began in 2021, but the outside area was not properly maintained, and the town said it had to perform multiple cleanups. The town conducted an interior inspection in August 2022, and at that time, it began court proceedings to have it torn down.
The town said inspections revealed numerous code violations, including significant water damage, missing insulation and walls, unfinished plumbing, exposed electrical components, destroyed and missing ceilings, and debris scattered throughout the property.
“The success of our task force truly speaks for itself — we’ve now demolished 39 unsafe structures since its formation,” Town Council Member Lou Imbroto said. “Thanks to the commitment and expertise of our building and legal teams, we’ve made real progress in eliminating neighborhood blight and protecting the quality of life our residents deserve.”
