What does it feel like to know your home is going to disappear?
Four homeowners in a small Sagamore neighborhood off Sandwich Road described the physical, mental and emotional effects on their lives as they go through eminent domain proceedings to make way for a new Sagamore Bridge.
Their homes are among 13 potential residential properties to be taken by the state Department of Transportation on the south side of the Cape Cod Canal in the Phase 1 early acquisition process permitted by the Federal Highway Administration, according to an agency spokeswoman.
The neighbors, Mary Gallerani, Joyce Michaud and Marc and Joan Hendel, shared their experiences with the Cape Cod Times on June 10 at the Hendels’ home as they deal with the acquisition and relocation process.
‘Forever home’
The view of the canal and bridge is what prompted the Hendels to buy the .63-acre L-shaped lot on a high knob on John’s Lane to build what they call their “forever home” that was finished less than six months ago.
Gallerani, 89, was 22 when she moved into her brick home built with all the best materials on Cecilia Terrace with her husband, Dante, in 1958. She now keeps up the house alone.
“We all had unobstructed views of the canal,” she said, noting her house was the third one John Gallo built in the subdivision of four short streets.
Michaud likes being able to wave from her ranch house on Cecilia Terrace to her two fishermen sons as they go by on the canal.
What does a MassDOT relocation team do?
After receiving registered letters from the state Department of Transportation on March 3, the residents got letters dated March 18 from an agency right of way representative asking them to call and schedule appointments “to discuss the projects, its impact on you and the acquisition process.”
The homeowners have begun meeting with the relocation team of right of way representatives and three appraisers.
When the relocation team comes, they tour the house, ask the residents about their needs and explain “the process,” a word they keep hearing, the homeowners said. They are also given three papers to sign: to swear they are U.S. citizens, that they are the rightful owners of the property, and a check list of questions, Marc Hendel said.
Michaud said her visit on June 9 from one agency representative and three appraisers went very well.
“I actually felt they were working for me,” she said. “They asked me different questions. They looked at absolutely everything and wrote everything down. I had a very positive experience with them.”
But Michaud also said she has been looking at many houses for sale that “check the boxes” of her requirements, such as staying near her family and keeping her cake decorating business. She has not found anything suitable, with prices for three-bedroom homes from $600,000 to over $2.4 million.
Gallerani also met with three relocation people and said she respects them for doing a hard job.
“They can’t live the lives we’re leading right now,” she said. “We feel we are in limbo. We don’t know where we are going to be. We don’t want to be pawned. We want to be treated respectfully and humanly.”
She is still a licensed real estate broker, and sent the state Department of Transportation paperwork to her attorney before she will meet with appraisers.
Gallerani said she doesn’t know where she will go, but wants to keep her independent, active life.
The Hendels had their visit from two relocation workers, who toured the pristine new three-bedroom, three-bath “smart home” asking questions the couple didn’t want to answer, such as their income and employment.
“They don’t need to know where I work,” Joan Hendel said. She told one of the relocation workers: “You don’t have any idea of what we are all going through mentally day in and day out. We have this hanging over our heads.”
Of the benefits listed in the papers they were given, she said, “mental health advocacy was not one of them.”
The Hendels said they are not ready for appraisers to come.
‘Hard time sleeping, focusing, eating’
All four neighbors admitted they are having trouble dealing with the current situation – physically, mentally and emotionally.
The Hendels both work full time and have to focus, Marc Hendel said.
“I am having a hard time sleeping, focusing, eating, even just social interactions,” he said.
“It’s very emotional, too,” Michaud said. “I didn’t expect this time in my life to be starting over.”
Michaud also said the pending relocation is already affecting her business. Potential clients for a wedding cake in November canceled their appointment because of the bridge situation as they were unsure she could produce for them, she said.
She also learned that the state agency is not responsible if she loses her business or the rental income from her basement apartment, both of which she relies on.
‘This isn’t our choice’
None of the homeowners believe they will get comparable value for their homes as the regulations say. They all wanted to add improvements to their homes, but have held back.
After her husband died five years ago, Michaud wanted to make several home improvements, but she said, “I couldn’t spend $40,000 to $50,000 on a house I was going to lose.”
Gallerani did replace an entire bathroom after her husband died for safety reasons and recently spent $12,750 to replace nonrepairable air conditioning.
The Hendels had more plans for their home with a large backyard that backs up to the Market Basket and a shopping center.
“This isn’t our choice,” Marc Hendel said. “We aren’t choosing to leave. They are forcing us.”
The Hendels have a list of 61 things they require in a home to replace their custom-built home with special features for health issues.
Because they believe a comparable house would cost millions, the Hendels suggested the state Department of Transportation workers find land where they could move their home.
The Hendels also were not happy to learn they would have to put their own money up front if they find a replacement home before they get reimbursed by the state.
‘We just pored our life savings into this,” Joan Hendel said.
The Hendels said they were not aware of the potential property acquisition for the bridge when they bought the property from Louis Gallo. They were living in Iowa at the time and weren’t told of that possibility by Gallo, their real estate agent, the town of Bourne or their lawyers, Marc Hendel said.
He said the seller signed a disclosure agreement that swears there is no potential or future knowledge of public use claim for the property.
“We’re pursuing our options,” on the legal issues, he said.
Why are these homes being taken by the state?
None of the group believe the bridge needs to be replaced, but that it can be repaired.
“We are not against fixing the bridge,” Marc Hendel said. “We know it is narrow. We want it to be safe.”
The Sagamore neighborhood residents have been told their property is needed for equipment for constructing the first of the two bridges — the Sagamore and the Bourne bridges.
“They said they have to put footings in for these cranes because they are all so heavy,” Gallerani said was the reason for taking their properties early.
120 days to move out
“The process of home takings could take months,” Luisa Paiewonsky, executive director of the Mega Project Delivery Office of the state Department of Transportation, told the Times. “The reason we started the process early is we know the Cape housing market is tough.”
Some soil testing and environmental studies are underway for the future bridge, but the property owners said they were told there is no rush for the relocation process yet. They have not been given any timelines. They only know they have 120 days to move after they take an offer from the state agency.
These neighbors also are not convinced the money will be available for the huge project or that the bridges will ever be built. The Sagamore Bridge project is estimated to cost $2.1 billion, with nearly $1 billion from the federal government combined with other state and federal grants.
“Here’s my biggest fear in life,” Marc Hendel said. “They take our land. They destroy our house. They build these footings and two, three, four years from now they go ‘oops.’”
Gallerani said, “I’m still hoping, skeptical, but nevertheless I’m hoping there’s going to be a glitch.”
“That’s where we are,” Marc Hendel added. “Every day of our lives, we are fearful and we’re sad and we’re stressed, but hopeful.”
Susan Vaughn writes about transportation and other local community issues affecting Cape Cod residents and visitors. She can be reached at svaughn@capecodonline.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Sagamore Bridge project: Mass. relocation teams tour homes being taken
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