Luxury home at risk of tumbling into Cape Cod Bay over removal dispute is demolished

[FakeNoose]

AP News link: https://apnews.com/article/cape-cod-bay-climate-erosion-house-wellfleet-oysters-bf3f32883558b7d91bdb318ce3f68ecd

By ANDRE MUGGIATI
Updated 5:43 PM EST, February 25, 2025

WELLFLEET, Mass. (AP) — A luxury home that had been on the verge of tumbling into Cape Cod Bay due to erosion has been demolished.

A potential collapse of the 5,100-square-foot home threatened oyster beds in nearby Wellfleet Harbor, but a dispute over its removal had left it teetering on the edge of a sandy bluff for months. But on Monday, heavy machinery rolled in to remove the house piece by piece, with trucks carrying it away. By Tuesday, only its concrete slab, chimney and a generator remained.

“On one side, it is sad because it was a beautiful house that became a landmark in that place,” said John Cobler, a member of the Wellfleet Environmental Commission. “On the other, I am happy that it is gone. It is a great relief for our town and for our environment.”

Cobler said attorneys for owner John Bonomi filed a request with the town last week to remove the house. An attorney for Bonomi declined to comment to The Associated Press.

The house was built in 2010 on the bay side of the Cape Cod peninsula. Its original owners sought permission in 2018 to build a seawall to stave off erosion. The commission rejected the seawall out of concern for unintended effects on the beach and how water carries nutrients in the bay. They also questioned whether it would save the house.


In 2019, Bonomi, a New York attorney, bought the house for $5.5 million.

- more at link -

Note to self: Never buy a mansion that's built on a sandy cliff overlooking the ocean. Especially avoid Cape Cod....

From the OP link:

[PuraVidaDreamin]

1. I walk this beach quite often with my pup.

No love loss here.

[FakeNoose]

2. It looks like an awesome place for a daily walk

[chouchou]

3. Seems like 10 ft. back (When they built it) would have saved a lot of money. ??

[FakeNoose]

8. Sandy dunes are notoriously unstable - how did the original owner ever get insurance?

The 2nd owner bought the house after the erosion problems were already known.
You have to wonder how the insurance companies are even approving these properties.

[chouchou]

10. Whoa..I see. The second owner was ,,ah..not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Here in Sarasota, FL. people/developers build houses next to the ocean AND on the sandbars. When the storms come
they cry crocodile tears. (We..we didn't see that coming) Oh Brother..

One of my friends told one of them "Why didn't you build it on I-75 ?" ...they didn't think it was funny..

[hlthe2b]

4. While I have no desire to defend the owner, I am curious if they incurred the demolishing fees or

if they were able to get any monetary settlement at all--given there was a building permit issued (despite the risks).

[FakeNoose]

6. The AP story doesn't mention it ... however there might be more info in Cape Cod's local papers

Mr. Bonomo purchased the house in 2019, when the erosion problems were already known.
It's hard to have much sympathy for this guy....

[patphil]

5. Fifteen years and the house is on the edge of the cliff, ready to topple into the ocean after just a few more big storms

Give the unstable nature of a sandy cliff, that house was way too close to the ocean, and should never have been permitted.
I blame the town/county for this. The whole idea of climate change and ocean level rise was well known in 2010.

[FakeNoose]

7. Yep ...

Plus he's the 2nd owner, who bought the house after the erosion problems were already known.
I find it hard to believe he was able to obtain homeowner's insurance on this property.

[patphil]

9. Crazy, isn't it?

I can't imagine a bank giving a mortgage without insurance, and any company insuring that house would have to be crazy. It's not if that the house might be destroyed, but when.