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Contact: Cape Cod National Seashore Press
WELLFLEET, Mass. — The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Request for Proposals to lease and rehabilitate three historic properties within Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS). CCNS is seeking proposals from individuals or organizations interested in leasing and rehabilitating these historic homes located within the park. The three properties are private homes, offered under a minimum lease term of 10 years. Proposals for the homes must be submitted by November 1, 2026, at 5 pm EST.
Through the leasing program, private investment helps preserve historic structures while reducing long-term maintenance needs and ensuring continued stewardship of nationally significant resources.
The opportunity to submit a proposal to lease any of these three properties is competitive and is open to all interested persons and businesses. Information on the properties, leasing terms and conditions, and information on submitting proposals can be found here.
Appointment-only site tours will be held on Wednesdays between August 12 and September 23, 2026. If you are interested in viewing a property, please email caco_leasing@nps.gov to request an appointment. Be sure to specify the name of the property you would like to see. If you are interested to see more than one property, this will require more than one appointment. A confirmed appointment is required to view any property.
All three properties require substantial repair and rehabilitation work. Prospective applicants should be prepared for the financial and logistical responsibilities associated with restoring and maintaining historic structures in accordance with National Park Service standards and lease requirements.
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The Anthony and Allison Sirna Studio (Sirna Studio), located at 60 Way #4 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, is an approximately 746 sq. ft. artist’s studio situated on a one-acre lot. Designed in the mid-twentieth century “Modern Style” and constructed in 1961, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.
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The Ahearn House, located at 450 Pamet Point Rd, in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, is an approximately 1,200 sq. ft. one-and-a-half story timber-framed ¾ Cape house situated on 3.1 acres. The site also includes a detached seasonal one room cottage of approximately 234 sq. ft., compatible with the architectural design and setting of the main house. The main house was constructed between 1817-1851, while the summer cottage is believed to have been a previously existing workshop. The Ahearn property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
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The Jedediah Higgins House (Higgins House), located at 26 Higgins Hollow Road in Truro, Massachusetts, is an approximately 1,977 sq. ft. one-and-one-half story, typical “full Cape” house, constructed in the 19th century. It is situated on 3 acres.
Lease proposals will be evaluated on overall merit. Evaluation criteria include compatibility of the proposed use of the property with respect to preservation, protection, and visitor enjoyment of Cape Cod National Seashore; the compatibility of the proposal with historic qualities of the property; the bidder’s financial capability of carrying out the terms of the lease; and the ability and commitment of the Offeror to conduct activities in the park area in an environmentally enhancing manner through, among other programs and actions, energy conservation, waste reduction, and recycling.
Federal regulation requires that the lessee pays, at minimum, fair market value rent which has been determined through an appraisal and is identified in the RFP for each property. Any repair or rehabilitation work must be done in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. Those standards can be found here: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1739/secretary-standards-treatment-historic-properties.htm
More information on the properties, leasing terms and conditions, and information on submitting proposals can be found here.
Last updated: August 3, 2026