Bay Shore

Bay Shore is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is situated on the South Shore of Long Island, adjoining the Great South Bay.

Bay Shore became renowned in the late 19th century for its shopping district and resorts. The rural hamlet became popular with affluent New Yorkers looking to escape the city to white sand beaches of the Great South Bay and the fishing villages of Fire Island. Work to restore Bay Shore has been ongoing since the 1980s. Upscale townhouses and condominiums were built in gated communities on the grounds of old estates. The former Bay Shore Theater and one-time opera house was renovated and expanded into a YMCA. The redevelopment of Main Street is ongoing; efforts include new sidewalks, antique-style streetlights, new landscaping and restored parks. Main Street has regained much of its popularity. There are many attractive new restaurants, clothing boutiques and other stores and offices. The Bay Shore Beautification Society transformed an empty lot on Main Street into a meditation garden that has since been recognized for its excellent design.

South of Main Street, also known as Montauk Highway, is an area of mansions and other large homes, built from the 1880s through the 1920s. West of downtown, extending into neighboring Brightwaters, is the best-known section of extant, older mansions and large houses. The private association, known as O-Conee Estates, also lies just west of downtown Bay Shore, and is considered the town's most prominent and impressive remaining estate section.

source: wikipedia.org