| East Deck Motel Family Resort | |
| Demolished Date: | 2016 |
| Status: | demolished |
The East Deck Motel, formerly in Ditch Plains, Suffolk County, New York in the US, was a resort establishment from 1954 to 2016. Spanning five acres of beachfront property, the motel offered an array of amenities to ensure guests access to a beach vacation experience. The options ranged from a swim in the state-of-the-art pool, to barbecue gatherings, morning yoga sessions, or simply indulging in the Montauk sunshine on the beach. The East Deck's location, one mile east of the village of Montauk and the Montauk Harbor, allowed for access to attractions such as the Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course, town restaurants and nightlife. The East Deck had a dependable jetty break, ideal for surfing or fishing. Situated on Ditch Plain beach, the location offers a view of one of the South Fork's most frequented surfing destinations.[1] Fishing tours were available in Montauk Harbor nearby.[2] [3] [4]
In 1949, Sam and Bea Cox acquired the vacant five-acre lot and founded the motel. By 1954, they had relocated several cottages from Navy Road to this parcel and began leasing them, primarily to anglers. During the early 1960s, these individual cottages were joined to form a single motel, which continued to cater to the fishing community.[5] Steve Houseknecht operated the East Deck Motel when his grandparents opted for retirement. Over the years, it became an iconic representation of the 1950s and a fixture in Ditch Plains, embodying the spirit of Americana. In the late 1990s, the motel caught the attention of the Manhattan jet-set. Alice Houseknecht, formerly Alice Watson, recalls her mother-in-law's description of East Deck as "a collection of cottages held together by driftwood, where guests were mostly blue-collar workers who could barely afford a night's stay."[6]
After graduating from Hunter College, Alice aspired to become a teacher but ended up working as a flight attendant for TWA. Despite her career, she maintained her connection to Montauk and in 1976, she met and married her husband, Steve Houseknecht, a native of Montauk. Following their marriage, they moved into the East Deck motel, started by Steve's grandparents. Alice reminisces, "After completing my tour of duty as a flight attendant for TWA, I would return to Montauk and assist my husband in managing East Deck."
Her father, a New York City Fireman, had convinced her grandparents to buy a piece of property near Darenberg Marina in 1957. Eventually, her father and grandfather built a cottage that the extended family could use. Since then Houseknecht spent every summer in Montauk.”[7]
The East Deck had a capacity of 30 rooms, transitioning the host from managing airline passengers to motel guests. The couple's residence was next to the office. After a decade, Ms. Houseknecht earned her master's degree from Long Island University in Southampton and began teaching at Montauk Public School.
Her husband died in 1996, leaving her to juggle teaching with running the motel, a strenuous combination of duties. By 2002, she ceased teaching to focus on the motel. Additionally, she was actively involved in a PTA Youth Center, organizing weekend activities for middle school students.
Houseknecht decided to sell the property in 2013 in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. It fetched $15 million.[8] A LLC, Led by J. Darius Bikoff, the entrepreneur behind Vitamin Water became The new proprietors. They aimed to convert this vestige of old Montauk into an exclusive beach club for members only, a plan that was ultimately unsuccessful. Houseknecht set up her own 501(C)(3), The Alice and Jaclyn Houseknecht Foundation- from the proceeds, to engage in philanthropy.[9] [10] [11]
In 2016, the East Deck Motel was razed to be replaced by Montauk Colony.