ZONE DEFENSE
TEARING DOWN A HOUSE? REVAMPING A HISTORIC PROPERTY? ADAM MILLER AND BRIAN DESESA HAVE MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES SHARING—AND EASING—YOUR PAIN. BY EMILY WEITZ
Adam Miller and Brian Desesa of the real estate law firm Adam Miller Group help clients navigate the challenging waters of East End development.
When clients buy a property for tens of millions of dollars, they usually expect the freedom to make lots of changes. Is that the case in the Hamptons? Adam Miller: The East End is a unique market. Just because someone spends $12 million doesn’t mean they can do whatever they want. Municipalities can govern everything from pool location to paint color. What are some typical limitations? Brian Desesa: Altering a historic home is highly regulated, but so are guest cottages, art studios, basements, height limitations, and clearing restrictions. Tell us about a client who needed your legal know-how. BD: After one closing on an expensive Sag Harbor waterfront property, the municipality changed the zoning laws. We contested the new regulations so our clients could build the home they’d spent a year and a half designing. Brian, you were a DA and criminal attorney— and the vice chair of the Southampton zoning board—and, Adam, you have local and Manhattan expertise. How does that combination work? AM: It’s truly yin-yang. I still have annycenergy level and drive that keep me up at night. Brian’s got a laid-back vibe and a way of approaching business and life that is actually balancing. 2462 Main St., Ste. 7, Bridgehampton, 631-537-1155; adammillergroup.com