Antique American Foursquare Comes to Market in Noank

By Gretchen A. PeckNewly listed for sale this week, with an asking price of $830,000, is 24 Westview Avenue in Noank, Connecticut—a three-bedroom antique American Foursquare house that was built in 1905. Kathy Cafiero, a Realtor with William Raveis' Old Saybrook brokerage is the listing agent. She'll be hosting an open house at the property on Sunday, September 8, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.Robin Thomas and Clint Wright are the homeowners. They spoke with Welcome Home this week about the property, a house they've called home for more than 20 years.The 1,592-square-foot house was in good condition when they bought it, but they did make some modifications along the way. For example, just inside the front door, they removed a wall that rendered the main hallway dark and confined. Instead, they added a transom, a wider transition into the dining room and some built-in shelving and countertop space. It made the space brighter and more functional.In addition to the dining room, the first floor comprises a living room, kitchen, butler's pantry/laundry and a bathroom that they've remodeled. Antique pocket doors can be closed to separate the living and dining rooms."A butler's pantry is the most wonderful feature you can have in a house," Thomas suggested. "We have our washer and dryer in there, and if we have company coming over, I can stash stuff in there and nobody's the wiser. It holds food, our dirty laundry, our shoes. It's fantastic!"The three upstairs bedrooms share a full hall bath, with a classic, antique clawfoot tub.The house also has a walk-up attic and an unfinished basement. Wright explained that the basement stays dry by virtue of a concrete dam, which looks like a curb but is 4-feet deep in the ground. It redirects groundwater away from the house.To mitigate their energy bills, the owners opted to lease rooftop solar panels. They explained that the energy generated is delivered back to the power company. "We pay, on average, $70 a month for electricity," Wright said. The new owner will have the option to continue to lease the solar panels or to purchase them. The house is heated by an oil-powered furnace, which they installed approximately five years ago.Thomas' father was an architect, and she grew up to appreciate design, as well. She said she finds Turn of the Century American architecture to be "the best era." But it wasn't just the American Foursquare house that appealed to the couple when they bought it. It was the location, too."One of the things that makes Noank distinct is that there are no through streets. You don't drive through Noank to get somewhere," Wright noted."The village is an important aspect of this home," Thomas added. "If you talk to town planners, there's a sense of being ecologically savvy. The idea is to live close together and preserve your open space, and that's what living in a village is. People here help each other out. We have lovely neighbors."By Noank standards, this home has an oversized half-acre lot, so it has afforded them privacy, the ability to add an outbuilding, and plenty of room to create pollinator-pathway gardens."We are a Certified Wildlife Area, which means you have to provide water, shelter and source of food," Thomas explained. "I only plant native plants here, various plants to feed the birds. You name it, if it's native, we've planted it here."Throughout the gardens, one finds pear and peach trees, elderberry and winterberry bushes, rhododendrons, sunflowers, goldenrod, and so much more. The backyard has also been deemed an official "Monarch Waystation."There are two outbuildings—an original shed/carriage garage, which they've turned into a tiny guest house. It has electric service and a wood stove, but currently no running water. Guests typically use the bathroom in the main house, mere steps away. The hardwood flooring is made from reclaimed lumber—formerly used to make winter shelters for boats and discarded by the marina just down the hill.Wright, a blacksmith by trade, built a charming barn-like shed, topped with a cupola, where he has a workshop and storage for lawn and garden equipment."It's really like four different yards," Wright said. "It's almost like Harkness Memorial State Park, where they have the Oriental Garden and the Italian Garden and the cutting gardens. If you go on the south side of our house, it's characterized by one thing, and if you go on the north side, it's a whole different yard. And then there's the front porch, which is a world itself."The front porch looks out across a marina to Fishers Island and its Sound. It's been a true outdoor living space. They've hosted friends for cocktail hours and informal dining affairs on the porch. A nearby boat launch was their go-to spot for dropping in kayaks and exploring the Mystic River, surrounding coves, inlets and Sound.They've enjoyed the proximity to Noank's town dock—a favorite spot for a quick swim or the fascination of crabbing. The youngest members of their family have enjoyed the walk to the dock, passing the firehouse, playground and Carson's Store along the way."We can just buzz down the hill and jump in the water, maybe see some neighbors while we're there, and then head back home again. It's wonderful," Thomas said.Property: 24 Westview Ave., NoankBedrooms: 3Baths: 2Square Footage: 1,592Acreage: 0.50Asking Price: $830,000Listing Agent: Kathy Cafiero, William Raveis Real Estate, Old Saybrook brokerage; Mobile: (860) 912-4969; kathy.cafiero@raveis.com