Friday, November 6, 2026
A Merrick resident and his business partner have submitted the winning bid for Oheka Castle, the historic Huntington estate that has faced years of foreclosure proceedings and financial uncertainty, potentially ushering in a new chapter for one of Long Island's most recognizable landmarks.
Paul Alflen, of Merrick, and Ronald Browning, partners in Carle Place-based Gold Coast Property & Estate Management, bid $71.8 million for the sprawling property during a foreclosure auction Oct. 27, according to Long Island Business News.
The auction, conducted by Concierge Auctions in cooperation with The Modlin Group at The Dominick hotel in Manhattan, attracted international attention, drawing more than 740 prospective buyers and seven bidders during a 35-day marketing campaign.
Concierge Auctions reported a sale price of approximately $72 million, plus a buyer's premium. The transaction remains pending.
Alflen confirmed to Long Island Business News that he and Browning were the winning bidders. Although plans for the estate remain in the early stages, he said preserving the castle's historic character would be a priority.
“We’re going to leave the castle as it is and make sure it keeps its historical presence,” Alflen told the publication. “We’re excited for what’s coming next.”
The winning bidders are expected to provide approximately 16 percent of the purchase price as an initial payment, according to real estate industry sources cited by Long Island Business News.
The sale represents a potential turning point for the century-old estate, which has been the subject of a prolonged legal battle involving its longtime owner, Gary Melius, and creditors seeking to recover millions of dollars in outstanding debt.
“From the moment Oheka Castle was announced for auction, the response reinforced just how extraordinary this offering is,” said Chad Roffers, CEO and co-founder of Concierge Auctions. “Our auction platform created significant global exposure and brought a broad pool of qualified buyers to the table for a truly one-of-one property.”
The property is being sold by Manhattan-based Taconic Capital Advisors, which acquired approximately $28 million in outstanding debt in 2023. The debt has since grown to roughly $61 million, including interest and penalties. Foreclosure proceedings began in 2016 after Melius defaulted on a commercial mortgage. A scheduled auction in August 2025 was delayed by a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, but a court eventually cleared the way for the sale.
Built between 1914 and 1919 for financier Otto Kahn, Oheka Castle is one of Long Island’s most recognizable Gold Coast landmarks. The nearly 113,000-square-foot French Renaissance-style estate sits on approximately 23 acres and features elaborate gardens, a grand staircase, a ballroom and 32 guest suites.
The castle, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has appeared in productions including "Citizen Kane," "Succession," and Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" music video. After years of deterioration, Melius purchased the property in 1984 and undertook extensive renovations. Today, it operates as a hotel, wedding venue and event destination.
“Oheka Castle is an estate that simply could not be replicated today,” said Adam D. Modlin, of The Modlin Group. “The scale, architecture, craftsmanship and magnificent grounds belong to another era of American estate building, yet the extraordinary restoration has ensured that the property remains very much alive today.”
Although the sale has not yet been finalized, the winning bid by Alflen and Browning could mark the beginning of a new era for the historic estate, with its prospective owners expressing a commitment to preserving the landmark while evaluating its future.
