That Little House on the Northern State? (Commack, Dix Hills: middle school, maintenance)

[Peppin0]

Has anyone else noticed a small house-like structure located on the median between the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Northern State around the Commack / Dix Hills area (it's a third of a mile north-by-northwest of Commack Middle School) between exits 42 and 43?

Anyone know anything about, or what it is / was / will be?

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by Pinuzzo

Has anyone else noticed a small house-like structure located on the median between the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Northern State around the Commack / Dix Hills area (it's a third of a mile north-by-northwest of Commack Middle School) between exits 42 and 43?

Anyone know anything about, or what it is / was / will be?

Yes, I've noticed it. It is most likely a county or state storage or maintenance building for either policing or traffic purposes (e.g., State or County Police keeping certain police vehicles there, such as vehicles for those who monitor traffic or speeders, or for roadblocks or visibility flares, et al) or for maintenance purposes (e.g., the Highway Dept. storing highway maintenance-related vehcles or other equipment & supplies such as roadway paint, asphalt supplies, asphalt mixers, et al). They (the government) would be the only parties who could possibly be authorized to have a building structure such as this in the median between the opposing lanes of an expressway.

[PC51]

Originally Posted by Pinuzzo

Has anyone else noticed a small house-like structure located on the median between the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Northern State around the Commack / Dix Hills area (it's a third of a mile north-by-northwest of Commack Middle School) between exits 42 and 43?

Anyone know anything about, or what it is / was / will be?

I've read in the past that that building and others like it (since demolished) on other parkways were originally service/rest stations.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Yup, it's the last service station that was built for the Northern State. It was closed in the mid-80s.

[twingles]

Used to be a gas station. was open up thru the 80s.
I feel old to be answering questions like this.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Back from the days when the Island was pretty rural and a playground for the rich.

[twingles]

...yes.try slowing down now to exit for a service station...cant even imagine.

[agw123]

Originally Posted by UsAll

Yes, I've noticed it. It is most likely a county or state storage or maintenance building for either policing or traffic purposes (e.g., State or County Police keeping certain police vehicles there, such as vehicles for those who monitor traffic or speeders, or for roadblocks or visibility flares, et al) or for maintenance purposes (e.g., the Highway Dept. storing highway maintenance-related vehcles or other equipment & supplies such as roadway paint, asphalt supplies, asphalt mixers, et al). They (the government) would be the only parties who could possibly be authorized to have a building structure such as this in the median between the opposing lanes of an expressway.

No, it was a rest area/service station.

[motoracer51]

Originally Posted by PC51

I've read in the past that that building and others like it (since demolished) on other parkways were originally service/rest stations.

This.

I remember as a kid going to work with my father seeing the service stations.

[ClarkStreetKid]

I remember using them.