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stormy weather knocked two cottages off their foundations in Chatham, Mass., sending them crumbling into the ocean, The Boston Globe reported.
The cottages, also called "camps," were part of a cluster of five seaside homes in an enclave known as the First Village. The houses' future along the ocean has long been an uncertain one. But the land the homes are on has been experiencing serious erosion since April 2007, when a storm breached the barrier island. That break ultimately reduced the homes in the First Village from 12 down to five.
The latest storm appears to have sealed the fate of the final five. "We lost 40 feet of beachfront over the last few days,’" Bill Hammatt, one of the cottage owners, told the Globe. "Unfortunately, it has terminally damaged all five of the remaining buildings."
Town officials said four of the five owners have asked to demolish what's left of their cottages.
"They realize it really is past the point of no return,’" said Ted Keon, the town's director of coastal resources.
For Todd Thayer, whose family has enjoyed the cottages for decades, it marks the end of an era. "I have to tell you, it’s a very sad feeling," he told the Globe.
The owners said they knew this day was coming, but they hoped the cottages would be able to sustain one more season. "All we need is one big storm, and we're gone," Hammatt recalled thinking just a week ago.
Town officials said they're concerned about the potential effect of the erosion on mainland property, which only time can answer.
Get the full story from The Boston Globe
The cottages, also called "camps," were part of a cluster of five seaside homes in an enclave known as the First Village. The houses' future along the ocean has long been an uncertain one. But the land the homes are on has been experiencing serious erosion since April 2007, when a storm breached the barrier island. That break ultimately reduced the homes in the First Village from 12 down to five.
The latest storm appears to have sealed the fate of the final five. "We lost 40 feet of beachfront over the last few days,’" Bill Hammatt, one of the cottage owners, told the Globe. "Unfortunately, it has terminally damaged all five of the remaining buildings."
Town officials said four of the five owners have asked to demolish what's left of their cottages.
"They realize it really is past the point of no return,’" said Ted Keon, the town's director of coastal resources.
For Todd Thayer, whose family has enjoyed the cottages for decades, it marks the end of an era. "I have to tell you, it’s a very sad feeling," he told the Globe.
The owners said they knew this day was coming, but they hoped the cottages would be able to sustain one more season. "All we need is one big storm, and we're gone," Hammatt recalled thinking just a week ago.
Town officials said they're concerned about the potential effect of the erosion on mainland property, which only time can answer.
Get the full story from The Boston Globe
