Developer forced to start over in bid to build on historic Huntington site

A controversial plan to develop a historic site in Huntington that was visited by George Washington has hit another, possibly fatal, snag.

The developer of a proposed 10,000-square-foot urgent care and medical office building at Park Avenue and Route 25A must resubmit a zone change application because time ran out for the town board to vote on the submission.

That setback came after an administrative hearing officer ruled earlier this month that the design plan submitted to the town by Deer Park-based developer Dominick Mavellia was appropriate for the Old Huntington Green Historic District.

Mavellia appealed to the hearing officer after the town's Historic Preservation Commission voted last month not to issue a certificate of approval for the plan.

Mavellia said he is "very pleased" with the favorable decision from the hearing officer and committed to seeing the project through.

"I'm hopeful we can now move forward with the project," Mavellia said. "I am working diligently with the elected officials in an amicable way during this process."

A public hearing on changing the zone from a residential district to C-1 zoning, which allows professional offices, funeral homes, art or music studios and day care centers, was held in June.

In August, the town board voted to extend to Dec. 6 the time it had to make a decision on the zone change. But because the December town board meeting is not until Dec. 8, the town board would have had to either vote on the application or vote to extend the time to vote on it at the November meeting.

It did neither.

Late this summer, a neighbor of the property filed a signed protest petition to the town opposing the change of zone for the site, mandating a supermajority of the board -- four votes in this case.

"The community petitioned so we would have needed four votes for the zone change," town Supervisor Frank Petrone said. "The support was not there; there were not four votes."

Petrone said he thinks Mavellia worked hard to accommodate the preservation commission in terms of architecture and design but said there was "antagonism" between the two parties.

"Not taking a side but it behooves the applicant to develop a cordial and respectful relationship with not only the commission, but with the town board members," Petrone said. "His job now is to regroup with that project or something different and go around and talk to members of the town board to see what would be feasible."

Mavellia has said another option for the property is to convert an existing deli into a home for veterans.

Paul Warburgh, president of Old Huntington Green Inc., which was vehemently opposed to the look and size of Mavellia's plan, said whatever building is planned for that site, on which a closed gas station sits, has to conform to the criteria set forth in the town code.

"Old Huntington Green is willing to work with any developer that wants to develop the site," Warburgh said. "If Dominick had come in with something more acceptable, I would have supported him, and I told him that."