Harry Macklowe Seeks Mercy from East Hampton Village Board

Harry Macklowe is looking to work with local authorities to resolve the obstacles in his attempts to sell his East Hampton home.

The billionaire developer submitted an application to be reviewed by the village’s zoning board of appeals regarding the status of 64 West End Avenue, according to the East Hampton Star. Should the village approve the application and Macklowe follow through on the work, he may be able to clear violations on the property he’s been attempting to sell since March 2024.

Macklowe is looking to reduce the environmental harm allegedly wrought by his previous work on the property. His application also includes a “mix of concessions [and] requests for forgiveness,” according to the Star.

Macklowe is proposing the regimentation of phragmites on the property, the removal of which sparked the long-running tussle between the village and the developer. He’s also pitching the removal of a large patio on the pond side of the property to essentially restore what was in place eight years ago.

Other proposals include the removal of a storage bin, kayak rack, landscape lighting and drainage pipes. A septic tank may also be removed and replaced with a low-nitrogen system that is more environmentally friendly.

Macklowe isn’t entirely winding back the clock on his controversial changes. He’s asking for retroactive approval for a retaining wall, a pergola, a pool equipment enclosure, a driveway gate and more.

At the start of the year, Macklowe knocked down the asking price for the home. Once listed for $38 million, the property is being marketed for $32.5 million, or $5,909 per square foot.

East Hampton Village officials have accused Macklowe of illegal land clearing and unpermitted additions that jeopardized the surrounding wetlands. The ensuing drama created a need for an updated certificate of occupancy before somebody could actually live in the home.

— Holden Walter-Warner