A former Catholic seminary in Bay Shore is now at the center of a zoning fight over a proposed Muslim boarding school for boys.
Quick Take
- The United American Muslim Association bought the former Montfort Spiritual Center and wants to use it for an Islamic boarding school and mosque.
- Residents say their objection is about zoning, traffic, and neighborhood fit, not religion.
- The town has held public hearings, but the public record here does not show a final zoning ruling.
- The site’s past as a Catholic seminary gives supporters a strong argument that religious school use is not new there.
Why This Fight Has Drawn So Much Attention
The Bay Shore dispute has spread fast because it touches land use, religion, and neighborhood change all at once. Long Island Business News reported that the United American Muslim Association bought the former seminary and planned to revive it as a boarding school for about 120 boys. News 12 and CBS News reported that local opposition quickly followed, with lawn signs, online organizing, and a public hearing in Islip.
Residents have tried to keep the issue focused on zoning. A community statement quoted by News 12 said the objection is “strictly a zoning issue” and argued the proposed use is far more intensive than fits a quiet residential area. The New York Post and CBS News both reported that critics fear more traffic, more noise, and more disruption from students living on site. That framing matters because it shapes whether the debate is seen as a code issue or a religious dispute.
The Property’s History Shapes Both Sides’ Arguments
The site was not always a simple neighborhood parcel. Newsday reported that the property housed a Catholic boarding school for boys considering the priesthood from 1926 to 1972, and later served as a retreat house for priests. CBS News also described it as a former Catholic boarding school before the sale. That history helps supporters argue that an institutional religious use is not new to the land, even if the new plan is larger and more active.
Supporters also point to the scale and purpose of the project as part of a religious education model. Reports describe the property as a 13- to 14.6-acre campus with a building of about 70,000 square feet, plus plans for classroom space, community programs, and full-time Islamic schooling. The New York Post said attorney Samuel L. Bifulco called the plan legal under town code, while supporters said student rules would keep the campus from becoming a nuisance.
What the Public Record Still Does Not Show
The strongest claims from both sides still lack a full official ruling in the material provided. News 12 reported that the case was headed to the Islip Town Zoning Board of Appeals on a variance request, but the search results do not include the final decision or the actual zoning text. That means the core legal question remains open in the public record here. Opponents say the use is too intense for the area; supporters say it fits the code.
🕌✨Quiet suburb. Major change.
An all-boys Islamic boarding school is being pushed into the heart of Long Island — and almost no one is talking about it.
𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒉?
The UA Muslim Association just bought a 13-acre former Catholic seminary in Bay Shore —Islip, for… pic.twitter.com/JDqcR2MGQj
— Tosca Austen (@ToscaAusten) July 25, 2026
The dispute also reflects a broader pattern in local land-use battles. A proposal can start as a question about parking, boarding, and permitted use, then quickly become a test of fairness and public trust. Newsday’s editorial and CBS News both showed how fast the conversation can move toward identity and away from code details. In that kind of fight, the side with the cleaner paper trail often shapes the story before town officials finish their review.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, catholicculture.org, newsday.com, longisland.news12.com, facebook.com
