November Update 2024

Breuer House Restoration: HELP US GET TO THE FINISH!

Left:  Removing windows in the main house
Right:  CCMHT intern Olivia Horton working on house clearing and the storage of orange pottery made by Catherine Stillman, a Wellfleet local and close friend of the Breuers 

Below Left: Rot revealed under studio window
Below Right: New fire brick hearth being installed by our mason, Galileo Bonfini. The original steel firebox had rusted out.

The restoration is still moving rapidly!

Though we just closed on the property at the end of July, we expect to finish exterior work by the end of the year.

Costs are running higher than projected. We are currently approximately $150,000 over our original budget. Building new windows from scratch and more extensive re-siding are the two big items that have increased costs. 

We had hoped the original windows and siding could be repaired and remain, however close examination revealed rotted framing and sheathing around many windows, which required removal of siding and reconstruction of surrounding walls.

The decision was made to replicate the existing windows from scratch to address many problems with the original materials, detailing and installation. There are 17 windows so this is a significant project. It also became clear that we needed all new siding, since more than half of it had been lost in this process. Please donate here.

The good news is that all interior finishes are removed, the new roofs are on, new underground electrical service is in, rough plumbing and electrical are in progress, new steel beams to support the leaning screen porch are installed, and the new windows are built. We expect the new septic system to be finished in the next few weeks, along with window and siding installation. That leaves only the decks and stairs for exterior work, and interior work will begin in the new year.

In March it will be two years since we took up the challenge to purchase and restore this iconic house, on its pristine site. It’s been a heavy lift for our small non-profit, but a successful finish is in sight.

Please help us close the gap and help push us to the finish. We are so grateful for the support this far, and we are asking again--every donation of any amount helps!

Please click here to donate now.

Many Thanks to Liberty Cedar:

Liberty Cedar of West Kingston Rhode Island helped us out with a serious discount on the 4,000 linear ft. of clear, vertical grain cedar siding we needed.

We’ve found over the years that they consistently have the best quality in fir and cedar.

2024 Young Architect's Awards:

Congratulations to this year's award winners, Katherine Wadey and Delaney Pontbriand, who are both seniors at Nauset High School with three plus years of architecture classes behind them. Both are applying to design programs for 2025. Their families and teacher, Richard Tichnor, gathered on the Kohlberg house deck for the ceremony. The award includes a $500 scholarship from CCMHT and a copy of Cape Cod Modern.

Below: Some of this year's group of Nauset students visiting the Hatch house for inspiration. Generally their first project is to re-design the house using the same modular principals.

Thank you for your continued support!