Jeffrey Collé
Jeffrey Collé is a real estate developer who specializes in luxury estates in the Hamptons— a collection of hamlets and villages located at the East End of Long Island, New York. The area traditionally features some of the most expensive and luxurious residential properties in the United States. Collé, with his former business partner, Howard Gittis, started a multimillion-dollar speculative real estate development business in the Hamptons. Jeffrey has experience as both a carpenter and a designer-builder and has spent his life in the building business (1970–present). Through his work as a real estate developer and builder of residential real estate, he has had the opportunity to create homes for celebrities and prominent individuals.
Early life
Jeffrey Collé was born in 1952 on Long Island, New York. Collé's grandfather (who immigrated to the U.S. from Belgium in 1913) and his father were both carpenters, making Collé a third-generation carpenter. Starting early in life, he worked for his grandfather and father on various construction sites throughout Long Island and New York City.
Education
Collé attended a vocational school as an apprentice carpenter in his late teens. He also worked directly with craftsmen across various trades, and he became highly proficient in several disciplines, including tile work, cabinetry, painting, electrical and plumbing. In 1970, at age 18, Collé joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, where he became a Journeyman Carpenter after attending a four-year apprenticeship program.
Design-Builder Career
At 24, Collé began his career as a professional builder and started his own business, which is now called Estates by Jeffrey Collé. His first luxury residential home project was located in Hampton Bays, New York, and he has built his career on being a builder, developer, and investor of luxury homes in the Hamptons.
Partnership
in 1995, Jeffrey Collé was discovered by Howard Gittis, an attorney, investor, and longtime adviser to Ronald Perelman and Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo. Gittis and Collé started the first multimillion-dollar speculative real estate development business in the Hamptons, and completed many luxury real estate development projects together over a 12-year period until the death of Gittis in September 17, 2007.
Consulting & Real Estate Development
Collé has continued and expanded his work as a real estate developer, design-builder, investor, and consultant of luxury real estate projects. In addition to designing and building luxury homes, Collé has advised celebrities such as Donna Karan and Billy Joel, real estate brokers, investors, and others on various topics related to luxury real estate development and homebuilding.
Projects (1978-2013)
Below is a complete list of all of Collé's work through mid-2016:
1978-1981
- Renovated a 7,000 square-foot restaurant - Massapequa, NY
- First construction project in the Hamptons: renovation of 5,000-square-foot buildings - Wainscott, NY
1981
- Constructed a 5,000-square-foot home in Cormorant Point, Hampton Bays, NY
- Constructed a 3,000-square-foot home at Roses Grove, Southampton, NY
1983
- Constructed a 4,000-square-foot home in Water Mill, NY
1984
- Renovated and built several additions to a 7,000-square-foot home on Hither Lane in East Hampton for Allan Schneider.
1985
- Purchased property for, custom-designed and built a 3,500-square-foot spec house.
1986
- Designed and built a 4,000-square-foot home on Timber Trail in Amagansett, NY
- Constructed a 14,000-square-foot home on the ocean in Quogue, NY
1987
- Constructed a 6,000-square-foot waterfront home in Quogue, NY
1988
- Moved a 3,500-square-foot house to a new location. Colle then renovated the existing home and built two additions. This was his first project done on speculation.
- Renovated an existing potato barn into a 5,000-square-foot home in Sagaponack, NY
- Built a 5,000-square-foot addition and renovated an existing house on the old Murray Estate in Quogue, NY for a partner at Goldman Sachs.
1989
- Renovated and constructed a 6,000-square-foot home in Quogue, NY.
1990
- Purchased a 62-acre parcel (last large subdividable parcel, 1,350 ft oceanfront) parcel in Sagaponack, NY for development. This parcel was subdivided into four estate lots, while creating 40 acres of agricultural reserve. This was one of the largest oceanfront real estate developments in the history of the Hamptons.
- Constructed an 8,000-square-foot home – including pool, deck, pool house and pergola - for Sherman and Dorothy Lewis in Quogue, NY.
- Constructed an 18,000-square-foot home with pool house, tennis court with pavilion, pergolas, and pool on Deerfield Road in Water Mill, NY for Billy & Phyllis Mack.
- Restored and renovated Maidstone Hall, a 16,000-square-foot, 28-room estate on Ocean Road in East Hampton, NY. Maidstone Hall was originally the home of the Gardiner Family.
1991
- Participated in the renovation of the top three floors of the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan – including all masonry, steel and fireproofing – for the residence of Lady Fairfax of Australia.
- Renovated a 7,000-square-foot home on Piping Rock Road in Locust Valley, NY.
- Constructed a 2,500-square-foot guest house on a major estate on Oliver's Cove Lane on Mecox Bay in Water Mill, NY
- Completely renovated/restored and built a 4,000-square-foot addition on an old fisherman's cottage in Amagansett, NY for Alec Baldwin.
1992
- Completely gutted and renovated a duplex penthouse on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for the Wertheim Family.
- Complete renovation and addition on a 4,500-square-foot home for Donna Karan and Stephan Weiss in East Hampton, NY, which was featured in Architectural Digest Magazine,
- Moved a 2,000-square-foot house for Micky Schuhof on Buell Lane in East Hampton, which was featured in Forbes Magazine.
- Complete renovation of a 4,000-square-foot apartment on 79th Street in Manhattan.
- Completed various house projects in Amagansett, NY for Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley including the revocation of an old shed into a dollhouse for their daughter, Alexa.
- Completely, gutted and renovated a 6,500-square-foot oceanfront home on Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton, NY for Josephine Chaus (the home was recently purchased by David Geffen for $70 million). Architect: Peter Marino.
1993
- Complete renovation of a 5,000-square-foot apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan, NY.
- Complete renovation of a 4,000-square-foot apartment at East 56th Street in Manhattan, NY.
- Renovated and transformed a 4,000-square-foot boathouse into a recording studio on Shelter Island for Billy Joel, where he recorded his album, "River of Dreams."
- Designed and built a custom 5,600-square-foot home and a 500-square-foot pool house on Jobs Lane in Water Mill, NY.
1994
- Renovated and built an addition on a 12,000-square-foot home in East Hampton for George and Joan Segal.
- Complete renovation of a 5,000-square-foot apartment on East 72nd Street in Manhattan, NY.
- Complete renovation of a 3,500-square-foot apartment on East 64th Street in Manhattan, NY.
1995
- Completely renovated and built a second-floor addition on an 18,000-square-foot artist's studio (Urban Zen) in Manhattan, NY, for Donna Karan and Stephan Weiss.
1996
- Totally restored, renovated, and built additions totaling 10,000 square feet to a historic 1700s house in Amagansett for Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger
- Constructed a 10,000-square-foot home with pool house and garage in East Hampton Village, NY for Joseph Rice.
- Completely restored, renovated and built additions to Keewaydin, a 12,000-square-foot historic home in Southampton, NY for President Eisenhower's granddaughter.
1997
- Constructed an 8,000-square-foot custom spec home at Ox Pasture Lane in Southhampton, NY for Howard Gittis.
1998
- Renovated two apartments, totaling 7,500 square feet, on Central Park West for Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.
- Designed and built a 7,000-square-foot Antebellum-style home in Wainscott, NY which was purchased by a partner at Goldman Sachs.
1999
- Renovated a 25,000-square-foot estate, including guest house, on Ox Pasture Lane in Southampton, NY for Howard & Lynette Gittis.
2000
- Designed and built an 8,000-square-foot custom spec home on Hither Lane in East Hampton, NY with Stephen Weiss, purchased by Alan Mnuchin.
- Constructed a 7,500-square-foot custom home at Jule Pond Drive in Southampton, NY.
2002
- Designed and built an 8,500-square-foot custom spec home at Cross Highway in East Hampton, NY which was purchased by a partner at Goldman Sachs.
- Designed and built a 9,000-square-foot custom spec home at Windmill Lane in East Hampton, NY with Stephen Weiss, purchased by Jack Nussbaum.
2003
- Designed and built an 8,000-square-foot custom home at Two Mile Hollow Road in East Hampton, NY which was purchased by a partner at Goldman Sachs.
2004
- Purchased an 18.6 acre parcel, in Sagaponack, which was then subdivided into two estate lots, while also creating a 12-acre reserve.
- Designed and built a 12,000-square-foot custom spec home with pool and pool house at Parsonage Lane in Sagaponack, NY, purchased by Stephen Einhorn.
2005
- Purchased a 40-acre farm in Wainscott, NY for development.
- Purchased a 34-acre lot on Sag Pond, in Bridgehampton, NY from Ronald & Leonard Lauder creating two estate lots on Sag Pond with 27 acres of reserve.
- Purchased a 62-acre parcel in Bridgehampton, NY - designed & built a 17,000-square-foot home for speculation, and created a 59-acre agricultural reserve.
2006
- Designed and built a 16,000-square-foot custom spec home with a tennis court, pool, pool house basement, and basketball court at Parsonage Lane in Sagaponack, NY
- Designed and built a 4,000-square-foot custom home for speculation in Sagaponack, NY which was purchased by Tim Shifter of Le Sportsac.
2007
- Purchased 2 acre lot on Georgica Pond in East Hampton, NY.
- Developed, renovated, restored and expanded the original art studio designed by Stanford White, an architect.
- Designed a 12,500-square-foot estate with pool and guest house.
2008
- Designed and built Beechnut Hill Farm, a 17,500-square-foot custom spec home with pool, pool-house and horse barn on 62 acres of land on Cooks Lane in Water Mill, NY while creating 59 acres of agriculture reserve. This home was later purchased by Ben Ashkenazi.
2009
- Designed and built additions and custom renovations to an 8,000-square-foot home in Wainscott, NY.
2012
- Designed and built a 6,800-square-foot custom spec home with pool house, detached garage and pool in Wainscott, NY.
2013
- Designed and built a 7,500-square-foot custom spec home with pool, pool house and guest House/studio on Davids Lane in Water Mill, NY.