Dance studio housed in 100-year-old building, old post office in Byram Cove

By Laurie Gordon
HOPATCONG — Ronnie's Dance Studio is housed in a building that's over 100 years old.
"The original part of the building, which is now the back part of the building, is where the dance studio is located," said Veronica Landolfi, the building and studio's owner. "It was where the old post office used to be. We're right on Byram Cove, People used to drive up to the dock in their boats and come up to the building on the path that's still there."
Landolfi said she didn't think that much of the building until she saw another picture of it in a magazine about a year ago showing Hopatcong properties that were over 100 years old — and her building was in there.
"That's when I recognized the strange window in my attic," she said. "It's actually a dormer and it was on the front of the building at one point. They just built the new addition next to the old building and tied the roof together by building over it and leaving it in tact. From inside the building you could look up and see the original roof and the dormer."
Landolfi said the history of the building has always been something people asked her about. "The only major change I made was to the side of the building where there was a little shed roof that was collapsing. I was told that's where a fire had occurred back in the '50s, so I had it raised to match the height of the rest of the building and removed all the charred wood."
When a 2016 calendar came out depicting the area's history, and she recognized my building and called the town to be sure."It definitely is my building. From the inside it looks like the old building as the roof line is still in tact."
The front part of the building is now the reception area and a commercial kitchen which Landolfi is currently bringing back up to code. "Before I bought the building it was called many, many names over the years and had many different owners. According to some of the neighbors, back in the day, people like Cat Stevens played there. Eventually it was a disco night club, then a delicatessen and bar, and now a dance studio."
Located at 393 Maxim Drive Ronnie's Dance Studio features a wide range of lesson options. choreography, DJ service, studio space for private use, dance parties and fundraisers. For more information, call 973-234-5234 or visit www.ronnniesdancing.com