A legend is destroyed.

Crews began taking apart the historic Pavilion nightclub at Fire Island Pines over the weekend of September 23 in preparation for the construction of a new structure which will incorporate retail shops, a lounge, and a new nightclub. It is set to be finished in time for next year's summer season.

Towleroad correspondent Dean Kurth sends the following exclusive shots, which to those who have spent many a night cocktailing at the Pavilion at tea and late night dance parties, may prove to be quite a shock.

For a short history of the Pavilion, which was built up around a former club called The Sandpiper (one current Pines resident told me that as the workmen were destroying the walls of the current structure, the walls of part of the old Sandpiper began to reveal themselves.

There's a discussion about the Sandpiper and Pavilion and some of its past ownership history here. If anyone has anything to add about the Pavilion's history or reminiscences, please do so in the comments!

The Pavilion is really the architectural and social anchor of Fire Island Pines. It (or its predecessor, the Sandpiper) has been mentioned in several novels from Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance to Edmund White's Forgetting Elena. I'm sure there are others as well.

Shots above by Towleroad correspondent Dean Kurth. (Must credit both).

I was able to see the beginning of the destruction when I was out there (when it looked much like the shot below, sent to Towleroad by Karen Boss)