Two historic North Fork homes — one in Riverhead damaged by fire and another in Laurel undergoing extensive renovation — are being restored by owners determined to preserve pieces of the area’s architectural history.
In Riverhead, the Luce-Downs-Fenton House on Sound Avenue is being rebuilt after a devastating fire in August 2024. In Laurel, Patrick and Carrie Casey are renovating a 19th-century farmhouse on Main Road, working to preserve original details while updating the house for modern living.
The two projects stand in contrast to the fate of many older homes on the North Fork, where historic houses are often demolished, neglected beyond repair or replaced with new construction.
Built circa 1800, the Luce-Downs-Fenton House is about 225 years old and was designated a Town of Riverhead landmark in 1988. Owner Eileen Fenton said the fire broke out just over a month after the death of her husband, psychologist Neil Fenton.
“The fire started in the waiting room where Neil’s clients would sit before their appointment,” she said. “It took four hours to put it out. I was across the street sadly looking at my house on fire.”
Fenton said about 1,100 square feet of the 3,388-square-foot house was lost when the master bedroom collapsed into the first floor.
“It’s been difficult now making all of these decisions by myself,” she said.
Before reconstruction began, Fenton chose to move the house farther back from Sound Avenue. Contractor Dave Harris of Harris Construction Inc. said the structure had to be stabilized, damaged interior sections demolished and a new foundation poured before rebuilding could begin.
“It was intricate,” Harris said. “It was slow and tedious.”
He said rotted beams and exterior walls were replaced one at a time. The siding, roof and 20 windows were removed before the house was reframed and the windows rehung. Of the home’s five chimneys, only one was lost in the fire, he said, and the demolition filled 20 dumpsters.
Source: RiverheadLOCAL
