Gary Melius gets town OK on Oheka Castle filing extension

The Huntington Town Board has approved a one-year extension to developer Gary Melius to file paperwork related to his proposed senior housing development on the grounds of Oheka Castle.

Town officials said they gave Melius more time to file the paperwork — which was due in about two weeks — because the 69-year-old was shot in the head last week on the castle’s grounds.

Melius plans to build 190 condominiums on part of a 186.6-acre parcel that includes the historic Oheka Castle and the Cold Spring Country Club in West Hills.

Two years ago, when the town board approved a zoning change to allow The Residences at Oheka, it was subject to the filing of covenants and restrictions that have to do with transferring development rights from the golf course to Melius, town officials said. The final issues were being worked out when he was shot.

“Obviously, there were some issues, so we didn’t think they could get it done, so we gave them an extra year,” town board member Gene Cook, who sponsored the resolution, said. “Certainly, we need to make sure everyone’s healthy and ready to go, so I guess a year makes sense.”

The vote for the extension was approved 5-0 at Tuesday’s town board meeting.