The ultimate beach house: 45 Ely Brook Road, listed by Bryan Midlam of The Corcoran Group
Not every Hamptons buyer is looking for a cozy vintage cottage with faded wood shingles and a gambrel roof. But unfortunately, those with a different aesthetic have very few places to turn, as many homes billed as “modern” are nothing more than 20-year-old constructions that have been retrofitted to trick buyers. Luckily, there is one authentic exception in the Northwest Woods section of East Hampton. “This is a true, architecturally designed modern home,” says Corcoran senior vice president Bryan Midlam of 45 Ely Brook Road, a 3,000- square-foot five-bedroom estate with three full baths. “It’s not like every other house; it’s definitely a breath of fresh air.”
Turn down the single lane driveway, and you instantly see what makes it so unique. Imagined by Fernlund + Logan Architects in 2003, every inch was meticulously designed to create a chic, bright and modern dwelling, with large living spaces that have clean lines and are flooded with natural light. “The entire back of the house is pretty much all glass,” Midlam explains. “It’s designed to incorporate the outside and really open it up to the environment.”
Those windows afford views of the property’s 1.3 park-like acres (and heated gunite pool), but you’ll never have to worry about prying eyes. “It’s a big lot compared to the other houses around it, so you have a ton of privacy,” says Midlam, who points out that the home’s preexisting clearing provides more open space compared to neighbors. “You don’t have trees right up to the patio like a lot of properties. If you were to buy a lot in the neighborhood today, that amount of space couldn’t be replicated.”
While there is ample open space, the home is still surrounded by a lush wooded area. That is no surprise considering it sits in Northwest Woods, a scenic, historic neighborhood unlike any other in East Hampton. “I’d say if you look at a map, the amount of green space outweighs the usable residential space, which is a rare thing,” says Midlam of the area. “Cedar Point County Park is right around the corner, and in my opinion that’s the hidden secret up here.”
True, beaches may take center stage in East Hampton, but the area also boasts a trail system without rival. “People are generally very surprised that we have such a large network,” says Jim Zajac, President of the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society, the nonprofit group that maintains these precious spaces. In fact, if you take the Paumanok Path, known by some as Long Island’s Appalachian Trail (and lovingly called “Main Street” by Zajac) you can hike from one end of East Hampton to the other, from the Montauk Point Lighthouse clear to the Southampton border.
All told, East Hampton’s several hundred miles of trails can hold their own against states more commonly associated with a bustling hiking and mountain biking scene. “There are a few towns in Colorado that have about as large a system as we do, but there you’re driving an hour and putting on a backpack,” says Zajac, who points out that the elevations in East Hampton top out at about 200 feet. “Here, you drive for five minutes, and you can do it in a pair of tennis shoes.”
Of course, on Ely Brook Road that short car ride isn’t necessary. Likewise, the home is just a stone’s throw from Hands Creek Preserve, a great place to launch your kayak (and the likely future site of a mountain biking loop) and Sammy’s Beach, perhaps the most beloved in the area because it is surrounded by water on three sides. Toss in a short, 10-minute drive to downtown East Hampton, and it’s hard to find a better location. “Some people may say it’s too far from town,” says Corcoran’s Midlam, “but when you get to this area you see it’s a perfect mix of privacy and proximity to beaches and parkland.”
Needless to say, savvy buyers are lining up for the chance to check out 45 Ely Brook Road. “Out here, because a lot of the customers are from Manhattan, you have a built-in modern buyer,” Midlam explains. “People really enjoy that aesthetic, whether they have modern apartments or that’s just how they envision their beach house.”
And in an area where spending in this price range (the home is listed at just $1.995 million) usually means being off the beaten path elsewhere, they know this home is something special. “There’s not a lot of competition when it comes to modern architecture,” says Midlam. “With a traditional home you can say there are 20 others in this price range that are similar. With a modern home, this is it.” Bryan Midlam, The Corcoran Group, 51 Main St., East Hampton, 907-1470
