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Updated: November 9, 2009, 11:26 am	Share    Print    Email

The crew, Yvon Pasquarello, Ari Meisel, Lou Meisel, Glenn Heidtmann, Jeffrey Heidtmann, and Glenn Heidtmann, Jr. outside The Atelier as the green building with the Gold is unveiled. Photos by Andrea Aurichio

Water Mill - It takes a lot of energy to save energy. "But it's worth it," said real estate developer Ari Meisel as he toured his newly completed project, a complex of three ground breaking buildings nestled together on the corner of Montauk Highway in Water Mill. "We're looking to the future. It's all about sustainability."

Architect James "Jim' Merrell designed the buildings to reflect the spirit of the barns on the South Fork.

The cutting edge complex called "The Water Mill Atelier" in tribute to Ari's French born wife, revives the small town concept of living above the store, or in this case, the office, by providing rental units on the second floor.

The town would not allow retail space. The heating system, the bamboo floors and the light filled rooms enclosed by state of the art windows designed to save heat while enhancing the amount of natural light available added up to a Gold level LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council. "We're very proud of it," Ari's father Lou Meisel said as he hosted a cocktail party on the site for "Green Drinks", a group committed to sustainability that meets for drinks once a month at various locations.

The future is here judging by the response to the project that spared no expense to save energy by building to the highest standards using the latest technology. Ari, along with his father Lou, mother Susan and his uncle Elliot all worked on the project in various stages. The Meisels enlisted the help of Sag Harbor architect James "Jim" Merrell who designed the complex and builder Glenn Heidtmann who, along with his crew, executed the project. The group worked together before on another award winning building constructed several years ago in Bridgehampton.

"The Atelier" at Water Mill comes to life as its first tenants prepare to move into one of the South Fork's cutting edge LEEDS buildings.

"This was an interesting project," Heidtmann said. The buildings designed by Merrill derive their inspiration from the barns scattered around the South Fork. Merrill found the simple clean lines that characterize barns to be compatible with the road side location. "It just worked," Merrill said.

The buildings are simple and striking at the same time. The concrete and cedar exterior is low maintenance. It is also durable and unobtrusive. The three buildings seem to have been on the site forever merging perfectly with the surrounding farm fields as well as with the other roadside buildings.

The Meisels along with a handful of other developers around the state have taken a leadership position voluntarily in the design and build community often exceeding any governmental requirements for energy efficient design. They encountered delays along the way as the project was held up by Southampton Town officials.

Members of Green Drinks, an organization committed to sustainablity gather for drinks at The Atelier.

"They wanted 20 foot set backs, I had 22 feet. They wanted open drain covers instead of closed manholes at the last minute. That cost another $2,000. They weren't happy with our drainage even though it was above and beyond code. They gave us a hard time about our parking spaces even though the offices would be empty at night." The Meisels had to cut down trees they were trying to save in order to comply with the town's setbacks.

"They held us up in a bad market," Susan Meisel said.

The Meisels had hoped to go Platinum, the highest designation granted for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED as it is more commonly referred to. Going for the Gold as it turned out was no small feat.

"We have leases out on four of the apartments," Lou Meisel said. "The first tenant just moved it today." "The rents should offset the carrying costs," Susan Meisel said. The ground floor office spaces are available with rents of approximately $10,000 a month for the center unit.

The 600 square foot one bedroom units are renting for $1,400 a month. "That includes everything," Lou Meisel said. The town would not permit larger units. The Meisels had considered higher rents for the apartments but response was not strong despite the expectation that the project would be swamped with applications from prospective tenants.

While going green and building green is often more expensive at the outset than more standard construction builders and architects agree it is the way of the future. "Everything is going in this direction sooner or later," Heidtmann said. "It makes sense."

The design and build community are not the only ones going green. Jason Belkin, owner of the Hampton Coffee Company located next door to the Ateliers provided coffee and cookies to the Green Drinks visitors who previewed the buildings. He delivers hundreds of pounds of fresh roasted coffee to stores from Valley Stream to Montauk in his Prius. "I do the green thing," Belkin said.