Ready to rebuild: Sandwich homeowner plans to pick up the pieces after storm

Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, MA)

Feb. 9—EAST SANDWICH — George Tubin bought his three-bedroom ranch at 112 Salt Marsh Road in 2019.

Located right on the water, complete with a view of the crashing waves, the home perched above Springhill Beach was for a short time the place where Tubin and his family, who live in the Boston area, spent part of their summers. Newly renovated inside, it was also a popular rental property that attracted visitors to the picture-perfect vacation destination.

"It really was beautiful, with a massive deck on the back that looked out on the ocean," Tubin said.

Describing the home as a "paradise spot," Tubin said he was immediately sold on the house and the location, noting how unusual it was to find a house right on the water that wasn't going for millions of dollars.

He said he bought the property not only as an investment, but as something to keep in his family for a long time. But by the end of last week, there was little to be seen on the lot except for a trio of beach chairs.

"There is no house to see anymore," Tubin said Friday.

Erosion brought on by a winter storm early last week caused Tubin's home to collapse on Feb. 2 onto the beach below. Two other houses on Salt Marsh Road have since been deemed structurally unsafe by the town's building commissioner, Brendan Brides.

The latest damage heightened concerns among town officials about erosion along Springhill Beach, which they say will only increase over time. The most recent storm took approximately 10 feet of sand from the dune, which acts as a barrier to the salt marsh behind it.

Tubin bought the home for $835,900, according to town records. He said he was aware when he bought the house of a big storm about three years ago that caused some damage to nearby homes. But he said he was told that it was a rare, 100-year event.

Everyone the family talked to said it would be a while until another big storm caused the same amount of damage. But he noted how much the area has changed even in the two years since he bought the property.

"The problem quickly turned a lot worse than a lot of people expected," Tubin said.

The erosion brought on by last week's storm has made a lot of the neighbors nervous, Tubin said, noting that he would not have bought the property if he had known what would happen to the home.

He attributes the erosion problem to the jetties installed by the Army Corps of Engineers at the east end of the Cape Cod Canal in the early 20th century. Although there are plans to transport sand and sediment to Town Neck Beach, there isn't a long-term solution for addressing erosion in town.

Theoretically, the sediment placed on Town Neck Beach would make its way down to Springhill, according to reports from the Army Corps of Engineers. But Tubin said he doesn't know how long that is going to take.

If nothing is done to protect the dune, the ocean will spill into the salt marsh behind it, potentially putting houses and downtown Sandwich at further risk, the report said.

Tubin said he bought the home expecting that he might have to invest in bringing in sand to put underneath the home every few years, or install coir fiber logs, which are made of natural material, to protect against erosion. But he said those are short-term solutions that are also very expensive, options he likened to "throwing money into the ocean."

"The town and state, if they want the town of Sandwich to exist the way it does, they need to have some solutions," Tubin said.

The house was set up as a rental, so the family didn't lose any personal belongings. But it was newly renovated, with freshly painted walls, new furniture and appliances, he said.

The property has been cleaned up, and Tubin said he hopes to rebuild.

He has flood insurance on the home, and is working out coverage with his insurance company. But he expects his insurance will cover only a fraction of the cost to rebuild.

The rebuilt home would have to meet federal standards. That means elevating the structure and putting it on pilings to make it more durable during major storms.

"The intention is to rebuild on that spot, but there are a lot of things to make that happen," Tubin said, noting the permitting that will be required.

In the more immediate future, Tubin said he and his neighbors on Salt Marsh Road realize they still have the rest of the winter to get through. The most recent storm, he said, has made neighbors uncertain of the future.

"We still need to get through March."

Contact Beth Treffeisen at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BTreffeisenCCT.

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