86 Lockwood Road, RVSD
Driving by 86 Lockwood Road, that 1840 Lockwood home that I feared was destined for the dumpster, builders look busy getting ready to renovate, not scrape. There’s a sign up identifying Nick Berelli’s York Construction Co. (Old Greenwich firm) as the contractor and Nick builds a splendid house. So I’m hopeful that we’ll see this house restored and probably expanded but not torn down. That would be a refreshing change.
UPDATE: several readers have inquired of the workers at the site and this puppy’s headed for the landfill. Too good to be true, alas.
For What It's Worth 
Any update when they are breaking ground on the Seifert property?
There appears to be a demolition sign way in back on the garage. Perhaps only the garage will go in the dumpster?
That’s fantastic news 🙂
Nick Barile of York. He does a nice job.
There is no way anyone would have paid this much for a lot and not knock it down. My money is on this going straight into the dumpster.
it is going into the dumster!!
Yup… Being demo’d. Asked the guys working on the house a week or so ago.
Dang
Folks, unfortunately there’s just not much to work with for my client
The house, while it was rebuilt after a fire in 1840, retains very little of what I’m guessing was it’s original charm. There’s a poorly done addition in back complete with an 80’s vaulted ceiling and skylights. This ties into the the expanded kitchen which was done about 15 years ago. New windows,main level flooring, roof and siding leave nothing but maybe 25% of the original home. I did however contact a couple of preservation groups to see if there may be interest in relocating the house to a new location
So far it hasn’t struck the fancy of anyone
I will be reusing some old wide plank flooring from the second level
Promise to build a house that can be enjoyed for the next 172 years
Nick Barile
York Construction and Development
That’s sad but not unexpected, Nick. Old House Journal (don’t know if it’s still around) used to run a feature on “Remuddling of the Month” – antique houses ruined by ill-advised remodeling jobs, and they never ran out of candidates for that honor. After a 150 years of remodeling, additions and so on, there usually isn’t anything worth saving in most old houses. It’s when a largely-untouched beauty falls to the bulldozer that I get angry. I still remember and mourn Steven Hatch’s destruction of that 1840 Italianate on Riversville Road five (ten?) years ago. He not only didn’t even save the pieces, he replaced the house with a plebeian pseudo-farmhouse that will certainly not see the end of this century and won’t improve with age.
Couldn’t agree more
Nick B
Sent from my iPhone