Port Jefferson Station ------> 3rd World Dump (Hempstead, Brookhaven: sales, rentals)

[ny789987]

Grew up there, graduated from Comsewogue in the mid-90's, and finally made it back after all these years. HOW DEPRESSING! It hits you in the gut when you see your childtown home degraded into a 3rd world dump.

Stepping off the train, I was shocked at how the outside of the station stank with urination. Derelicts/druggies were milling about everywhere. 112 around that area now looks like Tijuana. Definitely NOT a safe area to be in. Also, I saw the tell tale signs of gang graffiti. The residential area was still decent, but definitely showing its age. Would be very concerned about crime (burglaries, home invasions, or even worse) bleeding into the surrounding residential areas. The 347 corridor looks NOTHING like I remember it (used to be like a country road in many places) and now looks like Hempstead Turnpike.

In short, I CANNOT believe how fast things have gone downhill here in the last 15 years.

[Johninwestbury]

I know, it's yet another LI community that has gone down the tubes. I know it's never been great but it's so much worse now. I definately go out of my way to avoid waiting for the bus there.
Unfortunately it seems to be a dumping ground for the ill and the day laborers that are used by the wealthy residents in nearby Belle Terre, Setauket, Miller Place,etc.
It seems since Bravo opened it has acted as a "catylist" for speeding up the decline of the area. The sporting goods store in that shopping center already left for greener pastures, I'm sure others will be next.

[dman72]

I've been going "down Port" for over 30 years...347 has not changed at all, and the area aroundPort Jefferson Train Station has always been seedy, but it has gotten a bit worse.

[Walter Greenspan]

For those who may not be familiar with the area ...

A map of the Hamlet of Port Jefferson Station in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County:


Port Jefferson Station is one of those many villages and hamlets on Long Island where many of the places with the community name in their mailing address are not in the hamlet: places that have a "Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776" mailing address that are not in the Hamlet of Port Jefferson Station are in the Village of Port Jefferson, the Hamlet of Mount Sinai, the Hamlet of Coram, the Hamlet of Terryville and the Hamlet of Setauket-East Setauket; and, at the same time, there are places in the Hamlet of Port Jefferson Station with an "East Setauket, NY 11733" mailing address.

[qlty]

Some areas seem to never make it and PJ Station seems to be one of them.We bought a business there in the early 70s and even though we increased sales over prior owners it reached a saturation point and would not increase beyond that.Lucky for us we sold out and moved west on LI to a better area.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

I know, it's yet another LI community that has gone down the tubes. I know it's never been great but it's so much worse now. I definately go out of my way to avoid waiting for the bus there.
Unfortunately it seems to be a dumping ground for the ill and the day laborers that are used by the wealthy residents in nearby Belle Terre, Setauket, Miller Place,etc.
It seems since Bravo opened it has acted as a "catylist" for speeding up the decline of the area. The sporting goods store in that shopping center already left for greener pastures, I'm sure others will be next.

The area in the vicinity of the LIRR has certainly declined, but you can not place the blame solely on illegals and 'wealthy' people.

Citing the 'wealthy residents' of Setauket and Miller Place and their day laborers is foolish -- there are areas within both communities where people are regular working class, holding down two jobs and struggling to stay afloat. The picture you've painted is unrealistic.

Yes, there are institutions/day programs for the ill; is it at all possible they wound up there because of their proximity to the hospital and mass transit?

The sporting goods store just moved to a much larger building a little further south on 112 where the former Ramp Chevrolet was. Bigger building, more parking, AND the people who live near the vacant Ramp showroom no longer have an eyesore. Do you honestly believe they were driven out by illegals?

There has been an empty fast food store, boarded up at the corner of 112 & 25A/Hallock for a couple of decades. It predates the illegals. Other businesses in the upper Port 112 corridor started looking a little shabbier, too. Patients and guests of the aforementioned day programs began loitering, the former biker bar wasn't helping the situation either. As the area grew more depressed, absentee landlords didn't care who was renting so long as they got their money. Rents were cheap and soon a shift in the local demographic took place.

Bravo didn't serve as a catalyst to speed up the decline of the area. It appeared as a symptom of an already spreading issue -- Bravo doesn't situate it's markets in area where there is no demand; that's foolish from a business perspective. They saw a need, saw potential for good sales and then located a store there.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by dman72

I've been going "down Port" for over 30 years...347 has not changed at all, and the area aroundPort Jefferson Train Station has always been seedy, but it has gotten a bit worse.

Pretty true. The section of 347 in PJS has only seen the addition of some new buildings in those 30 years but nothing radical.

[ny789987]

I misspoke. I was referring to the stretch of 347 that isn't in PJS more toward Stony Brook.

I agree, the area around the station has never been the greatest. When I was in high school there was this charlatan priest who dressed up as Jesus, who set up a charity house and would brag about attracting all the derelicts and bums from far and wide. He and his cronies must have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams because I was downright SHOCKED, just SHOCKED at how bad it has become. I would feel safe in most places in NYC at night, but not there. The smell of urination, strange people milling about, carefully eyeing you like they were up to something. Garbage scattered everywhere and graffiti tags. With what people pay in taxes out there, you would think they would revolt and not put up with their community being turned into a inner-urban ghetto.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by ny789987

Grew up there, graduated from Comsewogue in the mid-90's, and finally made it back after all these years. HOW DEPRESSING! It hits you in the gut when you see your childtown home degraded into a 3rd world dump.

Stepping off the train, I was shocked at how the outside of the station stank with urination. Derelicts/druggies were milling about everywhere. 112 around that area now looks like Tijuana. Definitely NOT a safe area to be in. Also, I saw the tell tale signs of gang graffiti. The residential area was still decent, but definitely showing its age. Would be very concerned about crime (burglaries, home invasions, or even worse) bleeding into the surrounding residential areas. The 347 corridor looks NOTHING like I remember it (used to be like a country road in many places) and now looks like Hempstead Turnpike.

In short, I CANNOT believe how fast things have gone downhill here in the last 15 years.

Originally Posted by ny789987

I misspoke. I was referring to the stretch of 347 that isn't in PJS more toward Stony Brook.

I agree, the area around the station has never been the greatest. When I was in high school there was this charlatan priest who dressed up as Jesus, who set up a charity house and would brag about attracting all the derelicts and bums from far and wide. He and his cronies must have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams because I was downright SHOCKED, just SHOCKED at how bad it has become. I would feel safe in most places in NYC at night, but not there. The smell of urination, strange people milling about, carefully eyeing you like they were up to something. Garbage scattered everywhere and graffiti tags. With what people pay in taxes out there, you would think they would revolt and not put up with their community being turned into a inner-urban ghetto.

So which is it? You're OP leads everyone to believe that you're referring to the PJS area. Are you referring to the portion of 347 in Setauket from Old Town to Nicolls?

A lot of stuff has gone up over that way; between all the stores on the north side as well as the Pond/347 area, the doctor's offices, assisted living, nursing home and the bank/stores/rentals by Old Town & 347, the stretch is looking more like *ugh* Hempstead Tpke back when I lived in Nassau over 30 years ago.

[ny789987]

I apologize. You are right, I wasn't clear.

For the ghettoization, I was referring to PJS, specifically the area around the tracks. For congestion, I was was discussing the stretch of 347 outside of PJS that runs towards the mall. Completely changed, looks like Hempstead Turnpike.