Office building’s family ties end

Richard Tedesco

Long-time Williston Park dentist Dr. Ken Lang last week sold the professional building at Hillside Avenue in Williston Park that his father had built between 1950 and 1961.

Lang, who had retired from his dental practice five years ago, had continued to manage the buildings at 99, 101 and 105 Hillside Avenue with his wife Kathy. His father died in late December.

“It got to the point where we felt it was time for us to move on.,” Lang said. “But having the buildings in the family from the beginning, it was an emotional decision,” Lang said.

Kathy Lang wife had handled the billing and accounting for the office buildings while Ken oversaw the physical maintenance of the buildings. That had been a particularly challenging responsibility during the recent hard winter season.

Vincent Dejana is the new owner and his daughters, Cathy and Tiana Dejana, will be running daily business operations.

The new owner has been in the real estate business, according to Lang, who said they have told him they plan to maintain the buildings with no changes.

Lang’s father, an U.S. Army veteran, was in the dental corps in Europe during World War II and operated a mobile dental unit in the field. After returning home from the service after the war, Lang said his father stepped off the train in East Williston, looked around and decided it would be a good area to establish a dental practice.

Ken Lang said still recalled visiting the architect’s office as his father started on his plans for the property at 101 Hilliside Ave., the first of the three contiguous office buildings he eventually erected. The first builing went up in 1950.

“He would work with the architect and I would doodle,” Lang said.

Construction of the buildings at 105 and 99 Hillside Ave. followed in 1955 and 1961, respectively.

Lang said he remembers helping the maintenance of the buildings as he was attending junior school and high school in East Williston

“I grew up with these buildings, helping with various projects around the building,” Lang said.

After he was graduated from dental school, Lang said he joined his father’s dental practice and the worked together for 25 years.

Lang said remains active, playing guitar in a local rock band.

“We play gigs, but we mostly do it just for the fun of playing rock and roll,” Lang said.

He said he and his wife have condominium in Longboat Key, FL and plan to be snowbirds. They currently live in Glen Head.

Along with his dental practice, Lang has been active in the community as a past president of Kiwanis of the Willistons and a volunteer in the East Williston Fire Department for more than 20 years.

He is also past chairman of the Mineola chapter of the American Red Cross.

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