Developer Resubmits Plan For Historic Street Corner
/By Andrew Wroblewski
awroblewski@longislandergroup.com
A rendering depicts a proposed 8,000-square-foot medical office building for the southeast corner of Park Avenue and Main Street, the former site of Platt’s Tavern where George Washington dined in 1790. Rendering courtesy of Hoffman Grayson Architects
The developer of a planned medical office building for a historic site in Huntington has returned with a revised, smaller plan for the Huntington Town Board to consider after his original proposal expired late last year without consideration.
Developer Dominick Mavellia has proposed an 8,000-square-foot building, including 41 parking spaces, for the southeast corner of Park Avenue and Main Street, formerly the site of Platt’s Tavern, where it’s said President George Washington once dined.
Mavellia’s original plans, which included a 10,000-square-foot structure, were opposed by many residents and historians, including members of the town’s Historic Preservation Commission, which reviewed the plan for the town board and did not recommend it for approval due to its size.
Mavellia appealed the ruling, and moved forward, asking for a vote on a necessary residential-to-commercial zone change by the town board. However, time ran out on his application when the board did not vote before a Dec. 6, 2015 deadline.
In March 2015, Mavellia first presented his plans to develop the site, which currently consists of a shuttered gas station and Park Ave Deli. Since then, Mavellia said he’s “worked hard to appease everyone concerned.”
Town spokesman A.J. Carter said on Tuesday that Mavellia has continued “consultation with the neighbors of the property and the preservation committee.”
Carter added, “This design attempts to address their concerns.”
On Tuesday, Mavellia said he has brought on Huntington-based architect Neal Hoffman to work on the new design. Hoffman has been in contact with local historic preservation groups, including Old Huntington Green Inc., a board that vets projects within the Old Huntington Green Historic District, which includes the Platt’s Tavern site.
On Wednesday, Old Huntington Green President Paul Warburgh said the board of directors has approved the revised design, but still has “reservations about the size and scale.”
The town’s Historic Preservation Commission shares the same concerns, according to a letter sent to the Huntington Town Board on March 18.
But, the letter states, the design of the proposal is “consistent with historic buildings in the Old Huntington Green Historic District.”
With that, the commission states that it would sign off on the plan if there aren’t any changes to it, and if the board doesn’t move to purchase the land or keep it zoned residential.
The town board has scheduled a public hearing on the zone change for 2 p.m. on Aug. 16.
