CHATHAM – Nobody would argue that in its current condition, the former Cumberland Farm building at 859 Main St. is a good representation of the town’s historical architecture. Initial renovation plans for the long-vacant brick structure, however, also failed to reflect what members of the historic business district commission believed should be at the prominent location. The exterior designs for a new restaura...

CHATHAM – The owners of the former Cumberland Farms building at 859 Main St. are proposing to renovate the run-down brick building into a “New England Modern” themed restaurant. According to plans filed with the historic business district commission for the new restaurant, Chatham Greens and Rotisserie, owner 859 Main St. Chatham LLC will fully renovate the building, including addressing structure integrity an...

ORLEANS – Taylor Perkins has a vision for how businesses together can help bring housing to the local workers who most need it. He calls it "coop-etition." "If we can help the other businesses here on the Cape, it bodes well for our own business," he said when reached by phone Monday. Perkins has brought that mindset to the Seashore Park Inn on Canal Road, which he purchased for $5.1 million in July. Throug...

ORLEANS – A plan to bring nine new free-standing condominiums to town is working its way through local review. Local developer Martin Reilly plans to develop the nine three-bedroom condos in a new development, Seaside Court Condominiums, at 57 Locust Rd. The market rate project is currently before both the site plan review committee and the architectural review committee. It is also due to be reviewed by the z...

BREWSTER – A year after Stephen Brown’s Main Street arboretum and herbal apothecary were first cited for building, health and zoning code violations, Stephen Brown Realty Trust and Great Cape Coop have reached an understanding with the town. Appearing before the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) on Brown’s behalf April 11, David Schlesinger and attorney Christopher Senie described their months of followup with Bui...

HARWICH — The Wequassett Resort and Golf Club has plans to add 12 units with the redevelopment of three buildings along the Round Cove side of the property. The proposal involves replacing three existing structures with new buildings, each with a second story containing four additional units. The owner of the resort, Round Cove Resort Owners, was scheduled to go before the planning board Tuesday night seeking ...

CHATHAM – Some building activity appeared to slow last year, with the number of new single-family dwelling permits dropping by 40 percent. The pace of renovations and additions barely slowed, however, declining just 5 percent over 2021. The number of home sales in town also dropped during 2022. And while the median sale price rose slightly, the number of homes on the market increased significantly, an indic...

CHATHAM – The Stage Harbor Road streetscape has been the subject of debate over its historical significance for a number of years. An attempt by the historical commission to have the street, one of the town's earliest public ways to the water, added to the National Register of Historic Places failed several years ago after property owners objected, and preservationists have lamented the loss to demolition of seve...

ORLEANS – Town officials envision the former Governor Prence Inn property being used to accommodate a variety of different housing options. That includes opportunities for homeownership. But if responses to a request for information from developers is any indication, diversifying housing on the 5.5-acre site could be tricky. The select board and the affordable housing trust board were presented with respons...

ORLEANS – It remains to be seen what will ultimately be developed at the site of the former Governor Prence Inn. But the town does know about how much it will cost to clean up the site for future construction. Members of the select board and the affordable housing trust fund board were told Dec. 20 that the total cost for demolition, site restoration and the removal of hazardous materials at the 5.5-acre prope...

ORLEANS – As another year draws to a close in Orleans, there's once again plenty to look back upon. In 2022, regional issues such as affordable housing and wastewater remained front of mind for town officials and residents. There was also some administrative shuffling in the Nauset Public Schools and Orleans Town Hall, some post-nor'easter blowback for Eversource, controversy over Rock Harbor parking and ongoi...

CHATHAM – A week after the zoning board of appeals shot down a request to build a single-family home on the former Monomoy Theatre property, the board declined to approve a second house on the land off Depot Road. The two homes are part of a four-lot subdivision that owner Greg Clark hopes to build to help finance the restoration of the historic Monomoy Theatre building and Washington Taylor House on the Main ...

CHATHAM – Plans for a four-house development at the former Monomoy Theatre property were dealt a blow last week after the board of appeals turned down a request for a special permit to build one of the homes. Board members said they didn't feel the proposed dwelling was compatible with the area. “It's a nice house, but it doesn't belong there,” said David Thomson. This is the second time the proposed dev...

HARWICH – Parking was the major topic of discussion as the planning board began its review of the 575 Route 28 mixed-use project in Harwich Port. Property owner Dennis Miller has made site plan adjustments, tying two additional lots to the project to expand parking. With the town planner position vacant, former town planner David Spitz, who served in that capacity from 2009 to 2016, stepped in to consult with ...

CHATHAM – It runs counter to every trend seen here and elsewhere on the Cape for many years. A large, waterfront home on Stage Harbor is being replaced by a new dwelling that's nearly one-third its size. “You're taking a big house and making it smaller. That doesn't happen in Chatham,” zoning board member David Thompson commented during a hearing last January at which a special permit for the project was ap...

HARWICH PORT — The vacant lot with the white picket fence across Route 28 from Cumberland Farms in Harwich Port may soon contain a mixed use development with a couple of restaurants, retail space and five residential units on the second floor. Main Street HP LLC will be going before the planning board on July 12 seeking a site plan review special permit and use special permit with waivers for the development. ...