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Oheka Castle, also known as the Otto Kahn Estate, is a hotel located on the North Shore of Long Island, in West Hills, New York, also known as the "Gold Coast," a hamlet in the town of Huntington. It was the country home of investment financier and philanthropist
Otto Hermann Kahn Otto Hermann Kahn (February 21, 1867 – March 29, 1934) was a German-born American investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Kahn was a well-known figure, appearing on the cover of ''Time'' magazine and was sometimes ...
and his family. The name "Oheka" is an acronym using the first several letters of each part of its creator's name, Otto Hermann Kahn, which Kahn also used to name his yacht ''
Oheka II ''Oheka II'' was a private motor yacht built for German-born American investment banker Otto Hermann Kahn by Lürssen in 1927. Capable of 34 knots top speed, she became the blueprint for the Kriegsmarine's Schnellboot. "Oheka" is an acronym of le ...
'' and his ocean-front Villa Oheka in Palm Beach, Florida. The mansion, built by Kahn between 1914 and 1919, is the largest private home in New York, and the second largest in the United States, comprising 127 rooms and over , as originally configured. The castle is now a
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
with 32 guest rooms and suites. It is a popular wedding venue for socialites, celebrities, and dignitaries, as well as the backdrop to many photo shoots, television series and films. It also offers a bar, restaurant, and mansion tours of the estate and gardens. In 2004, Oheka was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. It is a member of
Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that was founded in 1989 with 32 charter members; the program accepts nominations and identifies hotels that have maintained their authenticity, sense of pla ...
, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


History


Early history

Kahn built Oheka in response to Jews being forbidden entry to clubs and golf courses in Morristown, New Jersey and because in 1905, a previous country home of Kahn's, ''Cedar Court'', was virtually destroyed by fire. He was determined to build a fireproof building, so he had his architects, Delano and Aldrich, design it in steel and concrete, making it one of the first totally fireproof residential buildings. Two years were spent building an artificial hill on which to place the home, giving it views of Cold Spring Hills and Cold Spring Harbor. ''See also:'' Kahn commissioned the
Olmsted Brothers The Olmsted Brothers company was a landscape architectural firm in the United States, established in 1898 by brothers John Charles Olmsted (1852–1920) and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957), sons of the landscape architect Frederick Law O ...
to design the estate's grounds, centered on a formal axial sunken garden in the French manner, of clipped greens and gravel in
parterre A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the part of ...
s and water terraces, screened by high clipped hedging from the entrance drive that runs parallel to the main axis. Other features of the complex included an 18-hole golf course designed by golf architect Seth Raynor, one of the largest private greenhouse complexes in America, tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool, a landing strip, orchards, and stables. Several years after Kahn's death in 1934, the estate was sold. After the sale, it was used for several purposes, including as a retreat for
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
sanitation workers. In 1948,
Eastern Military Academy Eastern Military Academy (EMA) was a high school military academy founded in 1944 in Connecticut, United States by Roland R. Robinson, a former mathematics teacher at Peekskill Military Academy (now also defunct), and his brother-in-law, Carleto ...
purchased the castle and of its property, bulldozed the gardens and subdivided the rooms. The school occupied the house until it closed in 1979. For the next four years, the building remained empty, during which time over 100 documented arson attempts occurred, all of which the building survived, demonstrating Kahn's success in building a fireproof building. In 1946 the golf course and stables became part of the Cold Spring Country Club, and the greenhouse complex operated as Otto Keil Florist. Much of the remainder of the property was developed into single-family homes.


Restoration

In 1984, Oheka was purchased by Gary Melius, a Long Island developer. Melius undertook the largest private residential renovation project in the United States to restore the house, which was in a state of almost total disrepair, and recreate the gardens from the original Olmsted plans. In 1988, unable to continue financing the massive project, Melius sold the property to Hideki Yokoi for $22.5 million. Ten years later, following a lawsuit, the building passed to one of Yokoi's daughters and her husband. They were unable to sustain the property themselves, so Melius reacquired it under a long-term lease and later re-purchased the estate, operating it as a weddings and events venue, luxury hotel and conference center.


Trivia

Celebrities who have been married there include
Curtis Martin Curtis James Martin Jr. (born May 1, 1973) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New York Jets. He spent his first three seasons with the New England Patrio ...
,
Kevin Jonas Paul Kevin Jonas II (born November 5, 1987) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band, the Jonas Brothers, alongside his younger brothers Joe and Nick. Jonas became a prominent figu ...
, Megyn Kelly,
Joey Fatone Joseph Anthony Fatone Jr. (born January 28, 1977) is an American singer, dancer, actor, and television personality. He is best known as a member of the boyband NSYNC, in which he sang baritone. In 2007, he came in second place on the ABC reali ...
, Brian McKnight, former U.S. congressman Anthony Weiner, and comedian Yannis Pappas. On February 24, 2014, Melius survived a gunshot to the head by a masked gunman in the parking lot of the castle.


In popular culture

* Oheka served as partial inspiration for Gatsby's estate in
F. Scott Fitzgerald Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularize ...
's ''
The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby ...
''. * In ''Dream World'', his collection of songs, poems and stories, composer and musicologist Roger Lee Hall wrote about his years attending Eastern Military Academy at Oheka Castle in the 1950s. * In the 1941 film '' Citizen Kane'', photographs of Oheka were used to portray the fictional Xanadu. * The castle is shown in the 2008 movie '' What Happens in Vegas'', with stars
Cameron Diaz Cameron Michelle Diaz (born August 30, 1972) is an American actress. With a variety of works in film, she is widely recognised for her work in romantic comedies and animation. Diaz has received various accolades, including nominations for ...
and
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a ...
. * It served as the mansion "Shadow Pond" in the television show ''
Royal Pains ''Royal Pains'' (stylized ℞oyalPains) is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016. The series was based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies. The ca ...
'', which ran from 2009 to 2016. * R&B singer Brandy's 1995 music video "Brokenhearted", directed by
Hype Williams Harold Williams (born August 1, 1970) is an American music video director, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Early life Williams was born in Queens, New York. He is of mixed African-American and Honduran descent. He attended Adel ...
and featuring
Wanya Morris Wanyá Jermaine Morris ( ) (born July 29, 1973) is an American singer, best known as a member of the R&B group Boyz II Men. Television and film appearances Morris was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 22 of '' ...
, was filmed inside the castle. * The
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
novel ''Time for Patriots'' has a very thinly disguised military academy in a similarly disguised version of Oheka. * Oheka was the set of the fictional Avalon Castle in the 2010
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...
''. * It was also shown in the 2010 film ''
It's Kind of a Funny Story ''It's Kind of a Funny Story'' is a 2006 novel by American author Ned Vizzini. The book was inspired by Vizzini's own brief hospitalization for depression in November 2004. Ned Vizzini later died by suicide on December 19, 2013. The book recei ...
''. * It was the location of a charity event in the television show '' Louie'', where Jerry Seinfeld and Louis C.K. performed for the event. * In 2013, the music video for Beyoncé's "Haunted", was filmed featuring the Oheka mansion. * The castle was the primary filming location of the music video for
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
's 2014 song " Blank Space". * The castle was also used in the music video "Cookie" by recording artist R. Kelly. * The castle was shown in the 2018 movie ''
The Week Of ''The Week Of'' is a 2018 American comedy film written and directed by Robert Smigel in his feature length directorial debut, and co-written by and starring Adam Sandler. It co-stars Chris Rock, Rachel Dratch, Steve Buscemi, Allison Strong, an ...
''. * The castle appeared briefly as the location of an economic summit in the 19th episode of the first season of American political drama '' Madam Secretary'', titled "Spartan Figures". * The castle was featured on Travel Channel's "Mega Mansions" that also streams on Netflix. The premise of the show was to give viewers an "all-access pass inside America's most enormous, opulent and advanced Mega Mansions." * The castle and grounds were featured in
Liam Payne Liam James Payne (born 29 August 1993) is an English singer. He rose to fame as a member of the boy band One Direction. Payne made his debut as a singer in 2008 when he auditioned for the British television series ''The X Factor''. After being ...
and
Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...
's " For You" written for the '' Fifty Shades Freed'' movie soundtrack. * Oheka serves as a stand-in for a French mansion in Season 3 of the Hulu TV series '' The Path''. * Oheka was used as the setting for a castle in
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
in season two, episode three, "
Hunting Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, horn/antler, ...
", of the HBO series '' Succession''. * Oheka was used as the setting for the "Mr. Julius Caesar" rematch in the film '' The Emperor's Club''. * The castle was featured in Season 2 Episode 4 of the Hulu show '' Ramy'', as the residence of the Emirati Bin Khalied. *The castle was used as the setting for the ''
Real Housewives of New York City ''The Real Housewives of New York City'' (abbreviated ''RHONY'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo (American TV network), Bravo on March 4, 2008. Developed as the second installment of ''The Real Housewives'' fran ...
'' Season 12 reunion, the first in-person ''
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'' reunion filmed amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. *The castle was featured in the music video for Jennifer Lopez and
Maluma Juan Luis Londoño Arias (born 28 January 1994), known professionally as Maluma, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and actor. Born and raised in Medellín, he developed an interest in music at a young age, recording songs since age sixteen. ...
's 2020 song " Pa' Ti + Lonely". * The castle was featured in a
MrBeast Jimmy Donaldson (born May 7, 1998), better known as MrBeast, is an American YouTube personality, credited with pioneering a genre of YouTube videos that centers on expensive stunts. His MrBeast YouTube channel had 112.2 million subscribers a ...
video in which the MrBeast crew was tasked to stay in a $1 hotel to a $1,000,000 hotel (the million dollar hotel is Oheka castle).


See also

* List of Historic Hotels of America


Further reading

*''Crazy Rhythm: Memories of Eastern Military Academy and Oheka Castle''. Hall, Roger L. PineTree Press, 2019 *''Raising a Fallen Treasure: The Otto H. Kahn Home, Huntington, Long Island''. King, Robert B. The Mad Printers of Mattituck, 1985 *''Oheka Castle'', Sergol, Joan. Schaffer, Ellen. Arcadia Publishing (SC); 4 Jun. 2012, *''The KAHNS of Fifth Avenue'', Williams, Iain Cameron. iwp publishing, 17. Feb. 2022, The KAHNS of Fifth Avenue
book information and details.


References

Notes


External links

* www.oheka.com

on the "American Music Preservation.com" website
Gold Coast Mansions – Historic Long Island – Home
on "Gold Coast Mansions of Long Island" website {{Gold Coast mansions Castles in New York (state) Mansions of Gold Coast, Long Island Gardens in New York (state) Houses in Suffolk County, New York Historic house museums in New York (state) Hotels in New York (state) Houses completed in 1919 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Huntington (town), New York Landscape design history of the United States Delano & Aldrich buildings Châteauesque architecture in the United States Historic Hotels of America Gilded Age mansions