Construction on Huntington's Indian Hills Condos Breaks-Ground

By Maureen Daly

Last Monday, construction began on the controversial townhouse development at the Indian Hills Country Club in Northport known as the “Preserve at Indian Hills.”

The developer, Northwind Group, plans to build 74 townhouses priced at between $1.25 million and $1.8 million for residents 55 years and older.

The project, which received final approval from the Huntington Planning Board in April, was launched with a ground-breaking. The work began despite a pending lawsuit filed by the Fort Salonga Property Owners Association.

The company markets the townhouses with the line “Let Gatsby have his Version of the Gold Coast; At the Preserve at Indian Hills, You’ll have yours…”

The townhouses are 3-bedroom, two car garage units set on a waterfront golf course. The entire club occupies 150 acres, with 120 acres for the golf course.

The Country Club describes itself as “a private club providing an exceptional waterfront golf experience and fostering enjoyable social and dining events for its membership.”

The controversial Condo development was criticized by numerous residents of Northport and Ft. Salonga, who oppose the building of townhouse condos in the mostly single-family homes community. The project also received criticism on environmental, traffic and safety grounds – with some critics claiming the units are sited too close to the eroding sea bluffs.

The Country Club argued that it needed the infusion of some $100 million in revenues to better maintain the golf course and property.

The development has become an issue in the Huntington town elections, with the Republican-appointed Planning Board having approved the building, and a Democratic candidate for Town Board claiming “There was zero communication or notification to the nearby residents. Bulldozers rolled in the early morning and started the clear-cutting at the end of Mystic Lane to build a model townhome. The arrogance and complete lack of respect to the Ft. Salonga community continues.”

The construction is expected to be finished by early 2024.