Crime-ridden Budget Inn Motel in Massapequa set to be demolished, town

Massapequa’s Budget Inn Motel — deemed in court earlier this year to be structurally dangerous and a hub for criminal activity — is now permanently closed and will be demolished by June 30, 2025, Oyster Bay Town announced.

A judge ordered the motel on Carmen Mill Road to temporarily shut down in February, after the town board filed a lawsuit alleging the inn had violated town code.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino called the closure and eventual demolishing “a tremendous victory for public safety and our suburban quality of life.” A legal settlement was reached to close and demolish all buildings on the property, he said.

“This eyesore was the location of violent criminal activity and was in a serious state of disrepair,” Saladino said. “We took immediate action to rid our community of this dangerous property, and today’s settlement is a tremendous victory for the Town of Oyster Bay and all our residents.”

Under the terms of the settlement, Oyster Bay will be reimbursed for the expenses it incurred during the litigation process. Additionally, all certificates of occupancy for the Budget Inn remain revoked, so the structure may not be occupied, Saladino said.

Previous news reports indicate that 15 arrests took place at the Budget Inn in 2023, including for criminal possession of a weapon, promotion of prostitution and assault. Of particular concern was the motel’s proximity to Alfred G. Berner Middle School and its 1,600 students.

“The closure of the Budget Inn Motel is a major step forward in our efforts to address properties that pose a danger to the public,” Saladino said.

Below are some examples of the criminal activity police have reported happening at the Budget Inn over the years.

— In March 2023, a resident of the motel was arrested in the knifepoint robbery of another resident at the motel.

— In April 2023, a Kentucky man was arrested for illegally carrying a fully loaded gun at the motel.

— In November 2019, an Amityville man and a North Carolina woman, both 22, were nabbed on robbery charges for allegedly threatening a man with a machete and robbing him.

_{Top photo: Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (oysterbaytown.com)}