Born in Manhattan, Miner earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Smith College in 1958.
Her work there helped to create a legal process for landmark designations in the city, as part of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Miner played a major role in presenting the case in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City of 1978, in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the ability of the city to restrict development of Grand Central Terminal based on its landmark designation.
The Penn Central company had argued that the development restrictions were unconstitutional and in conflict in terms of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and eminent domain.
[3] Upon leaving the Commission, Miner accepted teaching positions at Columbia and at the Pace University School of Law.