Purchased by Mercury International, a consortium whose ultimate ownership is out of PR China with a Delaware-based U.S. office, in 2017, the Idle Hour Vanderbilt Mansion and property is likely to be seized by Suffolk County for back taxes totaling over $4 million as early as January 2021.

According to Suffolk County comptroller John M. Kennedy, “They were paid up through 2017-2018, but still outstanding for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. This 24-month delinquency is what [will] open up the Suffolk Tax Act and allow us to seize the property.”

Multiple political offices, news outlets, and residents have attempted to contact Mercury International to no avail.

Legis. Anthony Piccirillo (8th District-R) has worked closely with residents around the Idle Hour Mansion and has pushed for the alliance of Islip Town and the county to find a solution to the distressing situation that has been marked with trespassing, vandalism, and criminal activity on the former Dowling College administrative building.

“There is technically still time to pay,” said Piccirillo, “but that window of redemption has left for Mercury International.”

When asked if the county had any plans to mitigate the sale of the property to another foreign investor and relive the communication issues that have plagued the ownership of the Vanderbilt Mansion, Piccirillo said, “Those conversations will be happening very soon.”
“We have to be thoughtful about this and not just auction it off for the tax rolls,” said Legis. Rob Calarco (7th District-D).