The Matinecock Masonic Lodge 806 will rise from the ashes of their site at 14 West Main Street. The week after the Oyster Festival, on Oct. 21, they appeared before the Oyster Bay ZBA a few days before the anniversary of the fire that happened on Oct. 25, 2003 and burned the lodge to the ground.

Warren Obes, chair of the renovation committee, said the ZBA was in favor of their parking and setback requirements. "We can rebuild what we had there, using the existing footprint," he said. "It's not without some cost. We have been getting estimates of $130 sq. ft. to $175 sq. ft. The building is 11,000 sq. ft. so the cost is a million and a half dollars or so. There will be no stairs in front. We are leveling it with the sidewalk so you can walk right in the entrance. The porch will be there, but at ground level. The Town of Oyster Bay Landmark status of the building went with it when it burned. We are building it to last at least another 100 years. It will have elevators, and be up to code with sprinklers and handicap access, but with no ramping since we will be on street level."

What they need to do now, is raise funds for the project. "We need money. We have a certain amount from the insurance, about $850,000 and we are having a second fund-raising meeting on Dec. 11 to consider how to raise an additional half a million dollars."

He said right now they are in the process of putting together construction drawings to go out to bid. "We expect to send them out in January and will ask for responses in three weeks. Then we will present the plans to the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Planning and Development for approval for a building permit. We would like to dig the hole and start the foundation in March."

Mr. Obes said they have not recovered everything from the site at this point. "The town stepped in while the fire was still burning and declared it unsafe and they punched it in and brought in fill to make the site secure and safe. We expect an expense with the excavation and there may still be pockets that were unaffected by the fire. We will have to go through a screening process when removing the fill. Every spoonful goes through a screen to take out the dirt from the fire damaged debris. Then we'll keep the dirt, which is sold by the ton, and probably put it back on site as back fill for the new foundation. We'll be recycling the best we can."

He said they will be appealing to the community for help. They plan to crystallize several fund-raising ideas and implement them hopefully by the spring. "We will include appeals to the community, other Masonic groups, as well as grants and foundations. If I can raise a half million, that's a start. If we raise more than that it will allow us to do work on the interior. We want to have our meeting place, our commercial spaces and a dining place for our collations. We might have a cocktail party or a benefit as a fund-raiser; after all we have been in the community since 1892, that's 114 years in Oyster Bay. So it's a big job."

Publicity is the next thing on his list. Unfortunately their fire wasn't reported in the state Masonic magazine but they will try to get an article printed there as well as in other states. "Much the same as the lodge that burned in Bangor, Maine. It was a brick building and they lost a great amount of memorabilia as it burned to the ground," he said.

There is presently a sign up on the grounds of the burned out building. "It says 'call,' but we haven't seen any phone calls. Maybe people haven't seen [the scope of] what we need.

"We would accept donations of service and goods since we are a 501c3 through the Matinecock Historical Society and all the donations are tax deductible - we send out letters for people to use for their tax deduction. If you need to make a donation you can help out some guys in the community struggling to preserve something that has been in the community for 114 years," said Mr. Obes.

There are photos on their website, Matinecock.org, of the building and its history as well as photos of the fire. "We have expanded the site and we will expand it more with the fund-raising appeal since it reaches out beyond our community. A couple of guys in the lodge are experts on the Internet," he said.

"We are going to do a cornerstone laying and a rededication which are both ceremonies that will involve the lodge and the Grand Master so we can get the community involved and showcase the project, so they can see what is going on."

There are about 170 members in the lodge, which includes those who are out of town. There are about 100 active members. With that number of people involved, Mr. Obes said, "It's a workable group and we are adding to it as the older members pass on. We are a lot of good guys that are very interested and galvinated toward getting the project completed. The older members will appreciate it because it's been 'an open sore.' This will give them a lot of satisfaction."

Mr. Obes said they are currently in negotiations with the architect to make the most of the footprint of the building. "We want open space, wherever we can. We want the building to be as flexible as possible so we can adapt it if our needs change: so that we can move sheetrock and 2 x 4's rather than columns. That is just prudence. This project is a lifetime thing. No other groups are building lodges today; most are selling them. They can't afford the taxes. Recently the lodge in Floral Park was sold - it was a landmark. Their taxes went from $50,000 to $100,000 a year. The lodge buildings are being sold and eventually we will see ourselves as one of the few left. We have a tie with Theodore Roosevelt and we are justified to rebuilding it on many levels. We mean to build it right this time, we won't have another chance. It's been an experience - and an eye-opening one, dealing with the fire and planning the reconstruction and being the chairman, but we are getting a tremendous amount of support," he said.

The Oyster Bay Masons have welcomed other lodges to use their facilities. The Socrates 549, a German speaking group and the Trinity, another German group; the Royal Arch Masons; the Commandery; and the North Shore Council met at the Matinecock Lodge, as did the Oyster Bay VFW Post 8033. "We had already become a focal point for groups meeting in the community and we definitely want to maintain that. Many have asked when they can come back. That's exciting," said Mr. Obes.

If you would like to donate to the rebuilding of the Matinecock Lodge, you can call 922-4156. "It is a dedicated line, and I will return the call," said Mr. Obes. You can also send a donation to the Matinecock Masonic Historical Society, c/o Warren Obes at 55 Gabriel Drive, East Norwich, NY 11732.

In spite of the fact that their lodge burned, the Masons held their annual October Fest the weekend of the Oyster Festival in their parking lot area where they have traditionally run their event. Warren Obes said, "The festival worked out very well for us. We wanted to do it this year again so that those who remembered us would know we are still here. They probably remember us more for the German Blackfoot Brew House beer we serve. Next year we'll continue the festival."

Some of the members at work at their October Festival on Sunday evening were: Eric Wolf; Past Masonic Governor Arnold Preuss; Wally Youngs; Warren Obes; Norman Youngs; Walter Slater and Jim Treuchtin, governor.