Josh and Beth Fenton’s home, located off of Africa Road, is known for its original owners who were influential figures in Columbus history.
The historic property was built in 1841 by abolitionist Samuel Patterson. Under Patterson’s ownership, the home once served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. It was later purchased by real estate owner Fred LeVeque and his wife, philanthropist Katherine LeVeque, in the 1950s. Katherine LeVeque lived on the property until she passed away in 2014.
Josh and Beth moved into the home in 2016 with their three children. And while the home boasts important Westerville history, the Fentons needed modern amenities and a functional space. So, after they renovated the inside of the home, they began to draw up plans with Bryan Lipps, president of Stellar Construction, to update the exterior as well. Because the existing structures were deteriorating and unsafe, the construction team had to start from scratch.
Courtesy of Beth Fenton and Arc Photography
“I think the patio was probably originally done maybe in the ’50s, but it’s pretty old, kind of falling apart,” Beth says. “A brick retaining wall that was falling down, bricks were crumbling and just didn’t look very nice.”
The plan for a brand-new space featured an updated patio area, a pavilion equipped with an outdoor kitchen and seating area, a bocce ball court, multiple fire pits, a koi pond and a swim spa.
The amenities and additions are designed to fit the Fentons’ needs. The swim spa was perfect for one of their sons on the swim team. The koi pond has become a relaxing spot for Josh to read and the pavilion is great for entertaining the family’s guests.
“Other families in the neighborhood with kids come over because we can see everyone no matter where you sit, even though it’s such a big space, it’s easy to keep an eye on the kids,” Beth says.
One of the biggest undertakings for Lipps and the construction team was to remove the unsalvageable in-ground pool and instead expand the patio, adding space for the regulation-size bocce court.
“I wanted to keep (the pool) but it was so expensive to fix. It would have been as much or more than what most people get quoted for a new pool. So it just didn’t make sense,” Beth says.
The pool wasn’t the only obstacle the team ran into during construction. Because of the uneven topography in the area, Lipps says they had to strategize where features would be placed in the space.
“There’s a lot going on between the different elevations out there. We built multiple elevations, the bocce court is about three or four feet lower from where the fitness spa sits and you go up to the upper pavilion area where there’s another outdoor living space up there,” Lipps says.
While digging up the old patio and pool, the construction team found an old heating system, masonry structures and an empty fuel tank, which all had to be removed.
“There’s been so many things that have come and gone over the years, you just find random things buried underground you weren’t expecting,” Lipps says.
And though more was coming and going with the Fentons’ plans, Beth made sure to preserve some of Katherine LeVeque’s landscaping and gardening work on the property. After buying the property, Beth frequently spoke with Katherine’s daughter-in-law, Barbara LeVeque, who has since passed away. Barbara LeVeque often stressed how important the garden and greenery was to her mother-in-law, and Beth says she wanted to honor that history.
“Mrs. LeVeque had some beautiful landscaping and while we kind of had to tear everything out, I saved some of the plants because I like to garden, and so I was able to see some of the plants which meant a lot to me knowing that the people before us had planted them,” Beth says.
Another reminiscence of the LeVeque family’s history is the gargoyle reliefs that were once part of the old LeVeque Tower in downtown Columbus.
“I wanted to keep some of those original kinds of quirky features. So I was so happy to be able to keep those gargoyle reliefs,” Beth says.
Masie Fitzmaurice is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
