Visiting Monroe past and maybe future

Several Monroe residents gathered at Pinecrest Lane on October 9 to experience a piece of the town’s residential history: Pinecrest Bungalow Colony, a property both preserved and slated for restoration.

This 20-acre site features 20 cottages, a recreation hall, a five-acre lake and a swimming pool, all surrounded by forest. These bungalows were built in the 1930s and primarily housed New York City residents looking for an upstate getaway.

“There’s a lot hidden away in the woods here,” said Tim Mitts, property manager of the colony and host of the gathering. Mitts and his partner, Pamela A. Lee, purchased the site in February 2022 with the desire to not only preserve but restore it to its original state, whether touching up some bungalows or rebuilding them from the ground up. Using personal funding, they plan to revitalize the bungalows into year-round rentals and incorporate activities like hiking and swimming. Mitts predicts that one or two units should be ready by winter and several more by spring.

Additionally, as of October 4, the colony is officially recognized as a historical site for Monroe and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. James A. Nelson, Town of Monroe Historian, wrote a letter to Lee saying that the property qualified based on its “character, architectural detail,” and as a housing development of summer cottages.

Attendees at the event took a hike around the colony, walking past several cottages and weaving through the woods. Doc Bayne, president of Friends of Sterling Forest, guided the group and provided insight into the local wildlife through various “clues” left behind, whether they were acorns with particular bite marks or footprints on the ground.

“I couldn’t believe how much nature was still here,” Bayne said. The hike ended at the edge of Pinecrest Lake, where the group watched a family of swans.

“It’s marvelous to maintain what we already have,” said Susan Stewart, 62, a Monroe resident who just recently moved into the area. Her favorite part of the trip was “to be able to listen to people of expertise explain the art” of nature.

“It’s inspiring to see Timonthy’s passion for preserving the environment,” said Alex Rivera, 60, a resident who enjoyed “the peace and tranquility” and felt that the concept became “three-dimensional” once he saw it in person.

“This is a necessary education in Monroe...to show what it can be and what it should be,” said Maureen Richardson, another resident, and co-founder of Preserve Monroe. She and other members who attended thanked Mitts, and many agreed that this restoration is an example of creating affordable housing in Monroe without disrupting the surrounding nature.