Casino Wharf Building In The Heights Changes Hands Again

The F.X. Casino Wharf building in Falmouth Heights has once again changed hands, this time for $10.8 million on July 24, according to The Warren Group LLC, a real estate data company. The property at 286 Grand Avenue is commonly known as the Casino Wharf building. It was purchased by real estate company Senné, founded by William Senné in 2009. Senné is based in Cambridge and offers listings from Washington, DC, to New Hampshire. Mr. Senné responded to the Enterprise’s questions on the purchase in writing on August 17.

“The Casino Wharf is a cherished local landmark,” Mr. Senné wrote. “With a little refresh and imagination, we believe we can add value.”

The Casino Wharf building sits on 0.86 acres overlooking Vineyard Sound. It has a private beach and three stories of eight waterfront residential condominiums. The building also houses the Soprano’s by the Sea restaurant. Mr. Senné wrote that some of the residential units will be sold to homeowners or investors.

Three of the condominiums are currently listed on Senné’s website, through which interested parties can schedule viewings. The largest is a three-bedroom condo offered at just under $2.5 million. The one-bedroom condo currently listed on the site is being offered at just under $1.5 million. The building was previously owned by Kevin P. Meehan, who could not be reached for comment. Mr. Meehan bought the building under Aoife Cara LLC in 2009 for $9.7 million. Before Mr. Meehan bought it, a Braintree development company owned the building. The company belonged to Francis X. Messina, who died in 2017. Mr. Messina purchased the building in 2000 for $1.8 million, tore the original building down despite opposition to the plan at public hearings and built the Casino Wharf building as it stands today.

According to the Enterprise archives, the original casino was built in the 19th century and burned down in 1909. The Cottage Club and pier, along with a post office, was housed there for years, and visitors would stroll along the boardwalk or board a cruise from the pier. Back then, the building was owned by Harry B. Hopson, who sold it to William J. McCann in 1945. Mr. McCann sold it to William P. Sweeney Jr., who had been working at the business for 10 years, in 1969.

Mr. Sweeney turned the building into the Casino by the Sea nightclub, which was popular with college students and young locals and vacationers. Over the years the building housed a restaurant, T-shirt shops, a candy store, a movie theater, a barber shop and a bathhouse. Mr. Sweeney died in 1998. In 1999, developers William E. Curran and Robert Reposa signed a sale agreement with Mr. Sweeney’s family. However, their plans to raze and rebuild the structure into condominiums was met with stiff resistance. Some 2,600 residents signed a petition to “Save the Casino” and the developers would later drop the project before Mr. Messina purchased it.

Mr. Senné said the company will update the oceanfront condominiums while keeping the building’s history in mind. The company will also collaborate with the Soprano’s owners to improve the experience for residents and visitors Mr. Senné said, adding that the real estate agency will work to ensure the building’s resiliency despite environmental challenges.

“We’re aware of the environmental challenges posed by sea level rise and erosion, especially for oceanfront properties,” Mr. Senné wrote. “We are deeply committed to understanding the landscape and ensuring the longevity and resilience of the Casino.”

Senné is actively investing in properties and people on Cape Cod, Mr. Senné wrote, and has a “genuine interest” in the Falmouth market.