Neighboring communities ‘OK’ Mansion project

Since 2013, two developers have been trying to get the property behind The Mansion developed into a luxury homes community. The project was recently amended to accommodate the concerns of neighboring communities.

CEO of North Shore Hotel Management, Wei “Willy” Wang bought The Mansion and its property in 2015 for about $10 million from Los Angeles-based Oaktree Capital Management LP, which had started the project in 2013.

Wang continued to move forward with the project, but at the time of project approval by the Glen Cove Planning Board, he faced opposition from neighboring homeowners associations including Lattingtown Ponds and Beechwood Estates.

“The planning board granted the project approval; at that point we didn’t have a position of everything we wanted,” said Brian Duresta, a member of the Lattingtown Ponds Homeowners Association board. “We continued to oppose the project.”

Since 2015 the developer and the homeowners associations have continued to negotiate project details, until they came up with an agreement.

Residents of the 56 Lattingtown Ponds homes, which will be most affected by the project, had been concerned about the location of the property line, landscaping and lighting.

The developer agreed to put in shields on the streetlights. They also added a fence to divide the properties, put in a berm with trees to provide a screen and addressed residents’ drainage concerns. Additionally, Duresta said buildings were moved to make them more comfortable. After the changes were made, the five members of the Lattingtown Ponds Homeowners Association board unanimously supported the project on Oct. 18.

“We wish them well, it’s something that was approved by the city and we had to accept that,” said Duresta. “We’ve taken an opportunity to work with them to address all of our residents’ concerns.” Residents were informed of the changes, and the majority was satisfied with the updated project.

According to the developer’s attorney Kathleen Deegan-Dickson, the next step is a public hearing before the planning board, which they hope to have within the next month. Then they will move into the final subdivision phase of the 40 residences. The hope is to break ground by the spring.

The Residences at The Mansion

In 2013, the City Council adopted an Estate Preserve District in the Zoning Code. If the planning board makes a determination that a certain amount of the property does not contribute to the historical nature, it will be available for development.

In the case of the 55-acre Mansion grounds, 22 were approved by the planning board for development. The project consists of 20 luxury units, with each unit comprised of two attached single-family homes for a total of 40 available residences. Each residence will include a two-car garage, two master bedrooms, and an elevator. The project will also include a private clubhouse, pool and new roads. Each home must also be consistent with the historical style of The Mansion.

The unit sizes range from 2,700 to 3,000 sq. ft. without cellars and the price points range from $1.2 to $1.8 million.

“It’s something different and it contributes to the diversity housing in the city,” said Deegan-Dickson.