"He likes to share that with people.". He used Oheka … Between frequent weddings and charity events, Oheka is also known for being a hangout for local power brokers. Jon Cooper, the Suffolk legislature's former majority leader, represented the district where Oheka Castle is located for 12 years, but said Melius was always a friend, not someone who sought political favors. TO GUESTS OF OHEKA A LETTER FROM THE OWNER. At OHEKA every couple has the luxury of multiple event spaces during their wedding to create the most memorable day of their dreams. Born in Jackson Heights, Queens, the truck driver's son moved to West Hempstead as a boy, and as a young man worked odd jobs including plumber's helper, tree trimmer and bowling alley pin setter. Indeed, investigators are now examining Melius' political dealings in the hope of finding any clues to enemies who would want him dead. Kahn built Oheka Castle between 1914 and 1919. Melius was transported to North Shore hosptial in Manhassett where he is in currently in a stable condition and authorities are now examining surveillance footage from the Gilded Age estate on Long Island's Gold Coast that has witnessed the wedding of disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner and closing scenes of Orson Welles movie, Citizen Kane. “The deal’s off,” said Melius, who owns the adjacent Oheka Castle, a luxury hotel. OHEKA CASTLE resides in the quaint Town of Huntington, which is located along Long Island’s northern shore. At that 2010 ceremony, President Bill Clinton officiated. Cookie Settings | Built to resemble a French chateau, the 127-room Oheka Castle was one of America's biggest private homes when built for financier Otto Hermann Kahn in 1919, according to its website. … And with just one wedding a day, OHEKA truly is a castle to call your own. Melius said everything he does comes from a desire to help people, whether it's calling Dale on behalf of Hardwick, or hosting regular fundraisers for the youth charities that he said he supports with his own upbringing in mind. Melius had backed Suozzi during his two terms from 2002 to 2009, holding fundraisers for him and donating $15,000 in 2008 and 2009. "That's what I think I have.". The 120,000-square-foot gated estate, completed in 1921, once was Long Island's largest single-family home. The castle is not in bankruptcy proceedings and is not in any danger of shutting down. "You know what I had?" Melius says he did nothing wrong in contacting Dale on behalf of Hardwick's campaign, calling Jacobs' complaints those of a "sore loser.". Should you have any questions, or prefer to reserve a hotel room over the phone a reservation specialist is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. But the owner of the mansion, Gary Melius , lived through a much darker experience there. 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The district attorney found that Dale had instructed officers to arrest a 29-year-old Roosevelt man, who had testified in an unrelated case that he had been paid to collect signatures for a third-party candidate. Subscription terms | "He's raised millions of charitable dollars, and doesn't seek attention for it.". Melius bought his first building from Hartman in 1975, but has said that his career took off after he borrowed $10,000 in 1979, just before Long Island's real estate boom, to build a Great Neck office complex. The castle is also host to Nassau County Independent Party Chairman Rick Spent the night there with my wife last summer, a "night away" on Long Island.. amazing place. Contact Newsday | Piccola Bussola. It is a haven for celebrities and socialites. In 1971, Melius was arrested along with a Nassau police officer who tried to shake down a drug runner, and then again for his part in a scheme to steal and sell heavy equipment. Indulge and relax with an in-room massage exclusively for guests staying at OHEKA CASTLE. Melius had bought it from Nassau for $1.4 million in 1986, but never realized plans to develop it either as condos or a nursing home. The clip shows property developer Gary Melius, 71, walking towards his Mercedes in the parking lot of the exclusive 127-room Oheka Castle, which he owns, and getting into the driver's seat. Gary Melius is the owner of Oheka Castle which is located in Long Island. Although suffering major fires, the current ownership has restored it to all its former glory. Please keep my dear friend Gary Melius in your prayers.'. It is known as the Otto Kahn Estate because it was originally built by the financier Otto Kahn in the early 1900s. Trump spends his first weekend as ex-president playing golf at his West Palm Beach club... Scar-free stitch in the stomach could help patients shed up to FIVE stone in six months - and cut their risk... Post-Brexit hiccups 'will add £1.50 to a bottle of fine wine', Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy 'asked Julian Assange's alleged victims to drop rape charges', New BBC Three documentary 'DIY Trans Teens' reveals how children can buy sex-change drugs. Oheka Castle is an historic hotel, restaurant and catering venue. WEDDING CEREMONIES. Ed Mangano working at Oheka Castle, owner Gary Melius says 1 month ago | By . The town itself was founded in by three men in 1653: Richard Holbrook, Robert Williams, and Daniel Whitehead. Quick Search . Rice called it "a deeply troubling aspect of this case.". My family owns OHEKA CASTLE and I’d seen how magnificent weddings there can be. Days Inn by Wyndham Woodbury Long Island. At the same time, Melius, 69, who lives in the castle, has frequently opened his own wallet for political candidates of all parties. Former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, awaiting sentencing on his federal corruption conviction, has found work at one of Long Island's most storied venues. A 31,000-square-foot mansion in Bel Air, Los Angeles, is the newest astronomically priced home to get a sizeable worth chop, having returned to the market Monday with an asking worth of $90 million. Kahn's legacy lives on today in every OHEKA Event. "We used to say that we would have done better with the bad guys," Melius said of his ties to figures like Hartman. Melius said his campaign donations aren't meant to gain influence with local politicians. Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate. Catereres. "He does it with relationships.". This suggestion was pointing out that the actions of the lender, LNR, could push a lesser entity in that direction. Otto Hermann Kahn was a German Jewish immigrant who made his name as a financier and businessman after coming to the U.S. in 1893. "That's not a crime; he's entitled to that," Jacobs said. Located in Huntington, New York on Long Island, Oheka Castle was completed in 1919 and contains 127 rooms. Gary Melius was in surgery at a local hospital, and had been conscious and alert before going in, said Suffolk County Detective Sgt. Police never charged White with perjury, but when a misdemeanor warrant for White was discovered, Dale ordered that he be arrested, according to an investigation by Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice, a Democrat. Mangano, who backed Nassau's 2012 purchase of land from Melius, said the developer has had no influence on his administration. Former President Bill Clinton presided over the wedding of then-Rep. Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin, a close aide to then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in 2010. Everyone thought I was crazy to purchase the dilapidated estate but I saw the potential and also recognized the importance of OHEKA and its historic significance to America and the Gold Coast of Long Island. The sprawling mansion estate-turned-luxury hotel and wedding hall Oheka Castle in Huntington was the scene of a botched hit Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, when its … By Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter, Published: 20:55 GMT, 24 February 2014 | Updated: 17:17 GMT, 25 February 2014. The historic Oheka Castle in Huntington is brimming with stories that would fill any bride’s fantasies. O'Sullivan said a call about shots fired came in around 12:30 p.m., and when officers arrived at the scene, they learned Melius had been taken to the hospital by his daughter.. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Was he going to meet someone? Hosted Jeanine Pirro,a former prosecutor turned Fox News host, the five-part Castles series will explore American estates, their history and their opulence. The pandemic has changed education on Long Island. His childhood, including dealing with an abusive father, Melius said, made him angry, leading to several brushes with the law. OHEKA CASTLE | A breathtakingly beautiful historic mansion on the Gold Coast of Long Island between New York City and The Hamptons. Political power-broker, Gary Melius, the owner of Oheka Castle, was shot in the head by a masked gunman on Monday afternoon in the grounds of the famed Long Island hotel. High-powered LI developer shot outside posh castle home, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/nyregion/owner-of-opulent-long-island-castle-is-shot-in-head-by-gunman.html?partner=socialflow&smid=tw-nytmetro&_r=1. Date: 19 May 2009: Source: Own work: Author: OhekaCastle: Licensing. The Long Island hotelier was shot by a masked gunman on the grounds of the castle on Monday afternoon. Besides the poker games, Melius has annual Super Bowl parties that blend his working-class roots with the luxuries of affluence: top-shelf liquor alongside White Castle hamburgers. Political power-broker, Gary Melius, the owner of Oheka Castle, was shot in the head by a masked gunman on Monday afternoon in the grounds of the famed Long Island hotel. "If I was Tom Dale, I'd be mad at me," Melius said. Described as an 'up from-the-streets-guy', Melius' shooting has sent ripples through the Long Island political establishment. In 2012, Melius fell into more financial trouble and was forced to refinance his mortgage of $27.9 million, though he told The Wall Street Journal at the time that business at Oheka was 'steady.'. "Obviously, he's a real mover and shaker, and often portrayed as the power behind the scenes," Cooper said. 'We can’t come up with anyone.'. One person who knows Melius and many Long Island political figures called Melius "a networker on steroids." "I once asked him why he would buy this huge place and call it your home, and he'd always respond that it was just fun," said former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, a Democrat turned Republican who received more than $60,000 in contributions from Melius, more than any other candidate, state records show. I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Check-Out Date must be specified. This year, Melius gave Levy's successor, Democrat Steve Bellone, $25,000. Oheka was zoned residential, ensconced in an exclusive neighborhood near Cold Spring Harbor. California Privacy Rights | Oheka Castle doesn’t offer packages because there are many variables that may change the pricing. Welcome to OHEKA CASTLE's on-line hotel room reservation service. The property cost owner Otto Hermann Kahn a total of $11 million. His son is reportedly a person of interest in the shooting. "He doesn't do it with money," the person said. The castle served as one of the inspirations for Jay Gatsby's estate in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. We wanted a small, intimate wedding, which may sound unlikely at the opulent castle, but with a multitude of spaces and romantic coves, the versatility is endless. It was the country home of investment financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn … Glad he saved Oheka Castle… But when asked to assess his political influence, the grade-school dropout from Queens, who rose from plumber's helper to own one of the most prestigious Gold Coast properties, answered succinctly. "You'll have a hard time making me a partisan," Melius said. 1.71 miles away . 356 reviews .00 miles away . It was his career in real estate, Melius said, that helped straighten him out during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and led him to buy Oheka Castle. 'At the time of its construction, the French-style chateau was, and still is today, the second-largest private residence ever built in America,' according to a website for the estate. Credit: Joe Rogate. The gunman shot Melius, 69, through the eye as he walked from the castle to his car in what police are describing as a botched attempt on the multi-millionaire hotelier's life. "Gary has made it his business to ingratiate himself with the top members of the administration," Jacobs said of Mangano's aides, while acknowledging Melius also gives to Democrats. To communicate or ask something with … It became a hotel that has hosted the weddings of the well-known. On the federal level, Melius and his wife have given Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) $22,800; Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) $18,200 and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) $14,700 since 2003. He sold it to a Japanese businessman for $22 million in 1988 and began leasing it back in 1993, reclaiming full ownership a decade later. He estimates that he has put $40 million into the property, allowing it to attract guests from around the world and host weddings for celebrities such as one of the Jonas Brothers, and politicians including former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Built by financier and philanthropist Otto Hermann Kahn in 1919, The New York Times declared it, “the finest country house in America.” The chateau remains the second-largest private … This mansion is around 109,000 square feet and this mansion has almost 127 rooms. Beginning in the early 1990s, Melius defied the zoning and began promoting the castle for weddings and catered events. Melius, who employs the Nassau Independence Party's executive director at Oheka Castle, may be best known for the cigar-smoke-filled poker games he hosts there. Celebrity wedding: Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin stroll through the trees at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, on their wedding day in July 2010 - which was overseen by former president Bill Clinton. Fateful phone call: Gary Melius telephoned  Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Dale about ex-Freeport Mayor, Andrew Hardwick (left) - a personal friend, who wanted to file perjury charges against someone who alleged he had comes across his election petition signatures fraudulently. Melius said. Built for Augustus Beardslee in 1860, this limestone structure resembling an Irish castle is set in the heart of the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York. Built to resemble a French chateau, the 127-room Oheka Castle was one of America's biggest private homes when built for financier Otto Hermann Kahn in 1919, according to its website. One of the ten towns to compose Suffolk County, Huntington is just a little over an hour away from New York City. John O'Sullivan. Discovery: Gary Melius was found shot in the parking lot of his Oheka Castle by his daughter Kelly Melius - (pictured) who rushed him to hospital herself. State records show that Melius typically gives to officials in power at the time, regardless of party. He added, however, that he was "deeply sorry" for causing trouble for Dale, whom he said he has known for years, and whom he recommended to Mangano when Dale was being considered for commissioner. For the yacht, see Oheka II. Mangano, who supported the county's purchase of the Water Works parcel, has had fundraisers at Oheka and received $16,500 from Melius since his 2009 election as county executive. Mangano forced Dale out on Dec. 11, citing Rice's findings of Dale's involvement in locating White while on a county bus. ", Privacy Policy | Mr. Schlesinger bizarrely did not mention that Melius owns a large castle and is a picture of envy. He recalled the Oheka Castle owner engineering a surprise 50th birthday for him about eight years ago, managing to hide the presence -- and vehicles -- of nearly 200 guests. This attracted the attention of Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice, Friends in high places: Gary Melius is friends with Republican Congressman Peter King (left) and Democratic Congressman Steve Israel (right). PETER WALKER: Are slim people ALWAYS fitter than fatties? In our May 25th edition we incorrectly reported that Oheka Castle was being pushed into bankruptcy court. "He hosts them at his castle regularly, he boasts about it, and he's entitled to -- but you can't shy away from it now.". Melius is almost as well known for his involvement with the movers-and-shakers in politics as he is for Oheka. If I was Tom Dale, I fell in love called it `` a deeply troubling aspect of this.... Please call 631-659-1400 and press 3 or email reservations @ oheka.com typically gives to officials in power at time. 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