WELLFLEET, Mass. — A luxury property perched precariously over Cape Cod Bay has been torn down due to erosion fears. The 5,100-square-foot house, which posed a threat to local oyster beds in nearby Wellfleet Harbor, was at risk of falling into the sea. However, legal wranglings over its removal had left it dangerously close to the edge of a sandy bluff. This week, heavy machinery was deployed to dismantle the house, and trucks carried away its remnants. By Tuesday, all that was left were the concrete slab, chimney, and a generator.
“It’s bittersweet,” said John Cobler, a member of the Wellfleet Environmental Commission. “The house was a beautiful landmark, but its removal is a relief for our town and our ecosystem.” According to Cobler, the homeowner, John Bonomi, through his lawyers, submitted a request to the town last week for the house’s demolition. When asked to comment, Bonomi’s attorney declined.
Constructed in 2010 on the Cape Cod peninsula’s bay side, the original house owners applied for permission in 2018 to erect a seawall to protect against erosion. However, the commission denied the request, raising concerns about possible negative impacts on the beach and the bay’s nutrient flow. Doubts were also cast on the seawall’s effectiveness in saving the house.
In 2019, New York attorney John Bonomi acquired the property for $5.5 million. Unfortunately, the erosion continued unabated. A report for Wellfleet last year projected the house could collapse in three years, sending debris into the harbor where the town’s oysters are cultivated. As a result, the environment commission urged Bonomi to formulate a removal plan.
A week ahead of the demolition, strong winds battered the area for three consecutive days, further destabilizing the structure’s concrete pillars. During a January commission meeting, Bonomi’s attorney mentioned that the house had been sold to a salvage company that was unwilling to finance its removal. However, at that time, the town’s conservation agent pointed out that no deed transfer had been recorded, and an inspection of records on Tuesday confirmed no such sale had occurred.
