A luxury home perched on the edge of a sandy bluff overlooking Cape Cod Bay has been successfully demolished after months of uncertainty. The 5,100-square-foot house was at risk of collapsing into the bay, posing a threat to nearby oyster beds in Wellfleet Harbor.
Local authorities had been in a dispute over the removal of the house, which had left it in a precarious position. However, heavy machinery was brought in on Monday to dismantle the structure piece by piece, with trucks transporting the debris away. By Tuesday, only the concrete slab, chimney, and a generator remained at the site.
The house, built in 2010 on the bay side of the Cape Cod peninsula, had faced erosion issues since its construction. Previous owners had sought permission to build a seawall in 2018 to combat erosion, but the request was denied by the Wellfleet Environmental Commission due to concerns about potential environmental impacts.
In 2019, the property was purchased by John Bonomi, a New York attorney, for $5.5 million. Despite efforts to address the erosion threat, the house continued to deteriorate, with a report from last year indicating that it was at risk of collapsing within three years.
Following a recent storm that exposed more of the house's structure, Bonomi's attorney informed the commission that the property had been sold to a salvage company that would handle the demolition. However, no official transfer of deed had been recorded, casting doubt on the ownership status.
The removal of the luxury home has been met with mixed emotions in the community. While some mourn the loss of a landmark structure, others see it as a necessary step to protect the town and its environment from potential harm.
The demolition serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by coastal erosion and the importance of proactive measures to safeguard coastal communities and ecosystems.
