A Nantucket mansion that sold for $19.2 million just months ago may soon be torn down.
Steven Cohen, who owns the luxury property, has submitted a proposal to the Nantucket Historic District Commission to tear down the recently constructed mansion, according to the Nantucket Current.
Cohen, a co-founder of law firm Cohen + Cohen Law, snapped up the six-bedroom house, which was still under construction and built to withstand inclement weather, in November.
The sprawling estate at 88 Pocomo Road boasts high-end amenities like a pool, a pickleball court, private beach access and a guest house with two additional bedrooms.
While the property, previously listed by J Pepper Frazier Real Estate, offers sweeping views of Nantucket Harbor, it may not stand for long.
Cohen’s demolition proposal outlines plans to replace the existing structure with a new 3,426-square-foot main house and a 528-square-foot guest house.
The residence, completed in 2022, was a collaboration between several designers and builders, but is now in danger of being hidden by the exclusive landscape of Pocomo Head.
The current structure occupies approximately 10,000 square feet and features six bedrooms in the main house plus the guest house.
“Step inside this elegant residence and be mesmerized by the perfect blend of high-end finishes and natural stone accents,” the previous listing said.
“Each room of this home has been meticulously designed with exquisite detail, ensuring a sophisticated experience.”
The house is currently awaiting approval from the Historic District Commission (HDC).
Last month, representatives of the property owners, through a blind trust, sought permission from the HDC to raze the house.
The committee is scheduled to hear the proposal on Tuesday.
Architect Matthew MacEachern of island-based firm Emeritus has represented the owners in previous hearings. MacEachern explained the situation to the HDC in July, noting that the house, still under construction, was only a “rough frame”, “without any interior finishing”.
He added, “90% of the windows are inside… The new owner was trying to work with the existing structure, but there was going to be so much work done to it that it was basically a redesign.”
However, not everyone is on board with the destruction. Architect Graham Goldsmith, who owns the neighboring property on Pocomo Road, voiced his objections earlier this year, the newspaper reported.
Goldsmith, frustrated by the ongoing construction in the area, told HDC, “It seems like it’s kind of a waste,” referring to the road’s constant cycle of demolition and reconstruction.
He also mentioned the nearby demolition of a 34-year-old mansion formerly owned by Yankee Candle founder Michael J. Kittredge.
“How many more buildings are we going to demolish in this neighborhood? Goldsmith asked. “It just goes on and on.”
Despite his concerns, Historic District Commission member Ray Pohl emphasized that HDC’s role is limited to exterior architecture and not the broader construction process.
“I feel your pain,” Pohl told Goldsmith at the hearing earlier this year, “but the construction process is not really part of our review process … we’re here to talk about architecture. “
Neither Cohen nor the County Historical Commission have commented on the matter.
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