(2011)
There are three entirely separate buildings and tax lots with 61 Commercial in their address. The main house, a Long Point floater and classic full Cape, carries the plain number 61. Behind it, on the water, are two cottages: a former fish house at No. 61A, which has been owned by the Alemany family since 1946, and this building, an entirely reconstructed version of an old fish house that used to stand in its spot.
Elise M. Cozzi, who has owned the property since 1997, and her builder, Deborah Paine, had originally intended to renovate the existing structure by raising the roof line and adding dormers, among other things. But a closer examination of the post-and-beam frame in January 2011, once the renovation began, revealed what Paine said were pervasive problems of dry rot and powderpost beetle infestation. The Historic District Commission permitted them, by unanimous vote, to demolish what remained of the original frame and rebuild. The result was featured in the spring 2012 issue of Cape Cod Home magazine, which also credited the architect Derick Snare of Snare & Snare in Somerville and Cozzi’s wife, Penelope “Penny” Sutter, with contributing to the ultimate design. “The homeowners encouraged Paine to repurpose, recycle, and reclaim whenever possible,” Mary Grauerholz wrote in the article. “All the siding and flooring was saved and used in projects such as the winding staircase, complete with drawers built into the steps.” Grauerholz added, “Photovoltaic panels on the roof supply much of the energy, proven by $12 electric bills.” The panels are visible in the photo above.
For a view of the main house, please see 61 Commercial Street.
For a view of 61A Commercial Street, please see 61A Commercial Street.
For a view of the original 61B Commercial Street, please see 61B Commercial Street.
¶ Last updated on 3 July 2018.
Elise M. Cozzi wrote on 18 April 2012: I am the owner of 61B Commercial Street, and we are on the cover of Cape Cod Home magazine spring issue. Deborah Paine Inc., our builder, is also in the process of featuring our restoration on her website. We know that it was a salt house for cod and at the library we saw an old Sanborn map from 1889 that showed the wharf in front that went out to mid-tide so the boats could get in more of the time. 61A belongs to Luanne Alemany and it has been in her deceased husband’s family since the 1930s. She is 80 now and a wealth of knowledge about our neighborhood, as is Roz across the street, who is about 90 now. Tom Roberts, at 59 Commercial, knows so much about Ptown. Their cottage was where the fishing folks repaired their nets, etc. It was restored about five years ago, as was the main house (used to be Coastal Studies).