Bay Shore's Boulton Center marquee collapses in busy Main Street; no injuries reported

No one was hurt but it fell down right when witnesses said numerous people were walking on busy Main Street.

News 12 Staff

Sep 25, 2022, 3:05 AM

Updated 807 days ago

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The marquee of the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore collapsed Saturday afternoon with debris raining down on the sidewalk below.
It happened around 12:30 p.m.
No one was hurt but it fell down right when witnesses said numerous people were walking on busy Main Street.
"Thank goodness no one was underneath when it came down. It was a beautiful day. People were going to the restaurants," said Diane Sgueglia, of West Islip.
Witnesses said it could have been a lot worse.
The marquee of the Boulton Center collapsed right around the busy Saturday brunch hour in Bay Shore.
Penny Hallenback, of Deer Park, walked by 30 minutes before it fell and was inside a neighboring business.
"We looked outside and the police were coming... and we looked at the building and it was falling," Hallenback recounted.
The Boulton Center, once a popular venue for music and other performers, was being run by the YMCA but has been closed during the pandemic.
The YMCA said in a statement that no one was hurt and added, "We are currently investigating the cause of the incident."
Some believe heavy winds on Friday night and possibly the age of the building may have been contributing factors.
"It was really windy down here last night. A ton of wind last night," Sguegla said.
By Saturday evening, the building's owner had removed the debris and Main Street had reopened.
The fire marshal closed the building and the Town of Islip said an engineer will inspect the building to see if its safe, though the sidewalk remains open.
"It's really a great place. Kind off waiting for it to open. They would sit outside during all of the 'Live at 5's' with bands. It's a big part of the community," Hallenback said.
Since the Boulton Center has been closed during the pandemic, could this incident shut its doors forever? That's unsure right now but the YMCA said its continuing to evaluate its feasibility and sustainability.