Fire Island Pines has retained its lustre as an enclave of sun, sea and sex, all wrapped up in modest but alluringly contemporary architecture by pioneers like Horace Gifford. An enduring association between privacy, modernity and contemporary queerness took hold of the Brookhaven hamlet early in the twentieth century, but it was the 1950s and 1960s that cemented its role as a decadent summer destination for New York’s gay community.
Main reception room at 120 Ocean Walk
One of Gifford’s many residential projects in the hamlet, 122A Ocean Walk, is now up for sale through Compass. One of over 60 homes Gifford completed in the area – where he himself lived, this 1965 house is next door to Gifford's Lipkins House (1970), famed for its high-tech multicoloured lighting.
Interiors at 122 Ocean Walk
The house was originally built for the interior decorator Yale R.Burge, the son of Russian-born antiques dealers who trained at L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. A founding member of what would become the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Burge was also GQ magazine’s first dedicated home furnishings editor.
The principal bedroom at 122 Ocean Walk
After Burge’s death in 1972, the house was taken on by protégé and business partner, Angelo Donghia. Donghia commissioned Gifford to expand the house. According to local architectural history site Pines Modern, Donghia and Gifford clashed after the interior designer was offended by having to meet with Gifford's deputy. Subsequent owners included the fashion designer Derek Lam, who commissioned Neal Beckstedt Studio to further expand, restore and update the property.
Street access from Ocean Walk
Like many of Gifford’s projects, the house has direct oceanfront access, with an elevated walkway leading to the beach and the Atlantic visible from all the principal rooms thanks to the glazed façade. The cedar cladding has been updated with black stone floors and bathrooms, and new interior joinery that expands the practicality and function of the space.
The house seen from the street
Located just a short walk from the Fire Island Ferry, the house is a remarkable survivor made all the more desirable through continuous maintenance and upgrades. Fire Island Pines continues to offer a sanctuary for contemporary architecture, but this particular property offers the practicality of contemporary architecture with a direct historical connection to the area’s cultural heart.
122A Ocean Drive, Fire Island Pines is offered at $2.995M. The listing agents are Esteban Gomez and Perry Goldsmith, @TheCreativesAgent, @Compass
The house has direct access to the beach