[Ed note: This article was updated on September 8 to reflect new information given on the exact status of the restaurant.]
A Colonial-style restaurant whose roots date back nearly 250 years could be having a date with the wrecking ball.
According to multiple sources, the Lafayette House in Foxboro appears to be looking at a possible demolition, with an article from The Foxboro Reporter saying that the Route 1 dining spot has been granted a demolition permit. The post mentions that the plans were approved by the town rather than having a moratorium set in place because most of the structure does not have historical significance due to renovations and additions made to much of it, with Mark Ferencik, of the Foxboro Historical Commission saying that "Given the realities of the current business situation with COVID-19 and the small amount of original structure, the commission felt that it would be unfair to impose a six-month demolition delay, which is the most allowed by the current bylaw." It is not yet known when the Lafayette House could be demolished, so stay tuned for updates as they come in.
The Lafayette House was built in 1784 and had once been a stagecoach tavern and inn whose visitors reportedly included Marquis de Lafayette, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington.
The address for the Lafayette House is 109 Washington Street (Route 1), Foxboro, MA, 02035. Its website is at https://lafayettehouse.com/
[September 8 update: Several sources have told us that the Lafayette House isn't actually being demolished, and now a boston.com article seems to confirm this, saying that although owner Ron Young has indeed applied for--and received--a demolition permit, he has no plans to actually demolish the restaurant, saying that "I said to my wife, 'we have to clean the slate off.'....Just because you have a demo permit doesn't require you to act on it....I actually have the demolition permit… [It's] a precaution....[Lafayette House is] not for sale. I have reservations every day this week." The article mentions that both Young and his wife have had health issues, so the permit is apparently a precautionary measure in the event of a worst-case scenario. (Mark Ferencik, of the Foxboro Historical Commission says in the article, "Well, I mean the bottom line is that the guy [applied for] a demolition permit....Generally, that is to demolish a building. We can't force them to do it. When you take out a demolition permit, you have to assume that that was the reason you did it.")]
by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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