Suffolk should try to preserve Idle Hour mansion

For decades, the Oakdale property of Dowling College was one of Long Island's gems, the former summer home of some of the Vanderbilts including 25 acres of private campus land along the Connetquot River.

But in the nearly seven years since low enrollment and massive debt forced Dowling to close its doors, the campus and the Vanderbilt mansion, called Idle Hour, once considered one of the finest homes in the nation, has become the site of vandalism, disrepair and ruin. The Town of Islip had been forced to board up some of the glorious residence to avoid further damage. 

The property's owner, Mercury International, is a Delaware-based company that bought the Dowling land in 2017 and has since become a subsidiary of a Beijing investment firm called China Orient Asset Management Ltd.

The property's caretaker, Don Cook, who works for Mercury, told Newsday last year that it had been difficult to maintain the property because of foreign ownership, but he told the editorial board this week that communication with the owners has improved. He said he's now clearing drains and preparing the land in anticipation of hurricanes or other storms, adding that he's hopeful recent arrests might send a message to would-be vandals. 

Cook's efforts are laudable, but not enough to provide the security and upkeep the property deserves. And Mercury has not made public any plan for the land's future.

Given that history and the ongoing problems on the campus, Suffolk County Legis. Anthony Piccirillo's new effort to have the county buy the land and preserve the mansion is welcome — even if its chances of success remain uncertain. Suffolk County officials sent a letter of intent to Mercury's Delaware offices in June, marking the first step in any country-driven open-space preservation effort. But since it's voluntary, Suffolk can't move forward without the property owners' go-ahead. 

So far, Suffolk has heard nothing from Mercury. The property owners would be wise to at least begin the conversation with the county. Jump-starting the effort would allow Suffolk officials to appraise the land and begin to determine whether it's even possible or financially feasible for the county to purchase it.  The legislature would have an extensive role in the lengthy process. And Islip officials and members of the community must have a say, too.

But Mercury's involvement remains key. Repeated attempts by Newsday's board to reach the owners were unsuccessful. But surely, a determined effort can draw out someone in the company to work with Suffolk on what comes next. The county should be more aggressive and innovative in its attempts to find a solution, and the current candidates for county executive should be vocal on their plans for a solution.

The Dowling property is too valuable, too important to be left to vandals and thieves. Preservation is key. Maintaining and improving it, while highlighting its historical significance, could make it an incredible asset.