Oheka Castle seems to be cursed — not by ghosts, but by failed development dreams. The property’s owner is taking another shot at building there, though.
Gary Melius, the owner of the West Hill property, applied for an additional use permit that would enable construction of a four-story condominium on the castle’s grounds, Newsday reported. The condo project would include 95 units and have its own sewage treatment plant.
Covenants and restrictions were placed on the grounds where Melius wants to build in 2012, aimed at preserving open space while allowing for development in Huntington. Those covenants and restrictions would need to be amended or rescinded for Melius’ proposal to work.
The castle is part of the town’s historic building overlay district, which allows historic buildings to potentially be used for purposes other than what zoning would typically permit.
The Cold Spring Hills Civic Association and Friends of Oheka Castle support Melius’ latest proposal, which comes after several attempts to build that never materialized.
Melius in 2012 proposed a 190-unit senior housing community split between Oheka Castle and a parcel owned by the Cold Spring Country Club, only to see that deal fall apart. He withdrew another proposal in 2020, which called for a 90-unit condo building with parking on the lower portion of Oheka Castle’s front lawn.
For Melius, this could be a last attempt to salvage something on the Oheka Castle grounds. A lender filed foreclosure proceedings against the castle owner more than six years ago, which Melius has been battling ever since.
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In October, an appeals court ruling stalled the foreclosure process of the castle and led lender U.S. Bank National Association to put the $28 million mortgage loan up for auction, the Long Island Business News reported. The decision delayed the foreclosure process for the 23-acre property.
A public hearing to consider Melius’ application and to lift covenants and restrictions on Oheka Castle is scheduled for Feb. 7.
— Holden Walter-Warner