Town inspects run-down Dowling property with plans to discuss next steps

Neighbors say the owner, Mercury International, purchased the former bankrupt college campus but hasn't kept up with maintaining the property.

News 12 Staff

Jun 11, 2021, 7:53 PM

Updated 1,281 days ago

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The Town of Islip inspected the property of the former Dowling College in Oakdale Friday following complaints by residents about its state of disrepair.
Neighbors say the owner, Mercury International, purchased the former bankrupt college campus five years ago but hasn't kept up with maintaining the property. They say it has attracted vagrants, vandals and illegal activity.
The town did issue a 30-day notice to Mercury to get the property cleaned up and today was the deadline. Neighbors say some landscaping was done but there's still a lot more to do. They say they don't want the town to let Mercury off the hook.
"It's not enough. It's a start," says resident Thomas Alfano. "It needs to be cleaned up, but there has to be ongoing maintenance to this property. If you don't keep the property in decent shape, it's going to attract vandals, it's going to attract criminal activity. We have to have a presence here. Mercury has to maintain it. It has to look like there's somebody here. We need security here."
News 12 is told a representative from Mercury International was on the property today.
The town says inspectors saw some work being done today. In a statement to News 12 the town says, "There is a hearing scheduled for the next town board meeting and the board intends to authorize the removal of the nuisance at the property owners expense, if the property is not brought into compliance."
The town says it will be discussing the future of the property at its next board meeting June 15.