Quincy developer plans second Cape Cod vacation home for families of kids with cancer

QUINCY – Tim O'Connell, the Quincy developer who conceived and created a luxury vacation home for children with cancer on Cape Cod called Tommy's Place, has new plans for a second, similar getaway in Centerville.

With the help of three major donors – one gave $1 million – O'Connor is in the process of purchasing a property at 481 Main St. and plans to convert it into a 10-bedroom, 7,000- square-foot vacation retreat for children with cancer and their families.

The Queen Anne, shingle-style home in Centerville Village was built in 1881. It was designed by Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson, inspired by the architecture of Stanford White, and the grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, according to the Zillow ad. Most recently, it was a seasonal inn known as Fernbrook. Formerly it was the Marston Estate.

"We have been looking to open a second Tommy's Place due to the overwhelming waiting list that we have, which now stretches into 2024," O'Connell wrote on the Tommy's Place Facebook Page.

O'Connell said the success of the new plan depends on the same kind of broad financial and in-kind practical support he received over three years of creating Tommy's Place in the historic former Elm Arch Inn in Falmouth. That project required a good deal of renovation.

For this second Tommy's Place, three people who donated $1 million, $500,000 and $100,000, respectively, stipulated that O'Connell must find matching donors to reach the fundraising goal of $3,500,000.

O'Connell said the cost will be more than $2 million to buy the house, which is under contract, and the rest of the money is needed for renovations. The anticipated closing date is June 1.

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Giving kids hope:'Disney without the rides': Quincy man brings magical vacations to children with cancer

"We need the support of the community just like we have had in Falmouth, which has taken on Tommy's Place as if it is their own," O'Connell said. "I'm hoping the people of Centerville and Barnstable will support this so it can sustain itself for generations to come."

In the present real estate market on the Cape, O'Connell said, "we did not have the same luxury of time as we did with the first Tommy’s Place. This magnificent home is also formerly a historic inn, just like the flagship Tommy’s Place in Falmouth."

The house is in excellent condition and has been used by another nonprofit as office space.

"We need to transform this single-family home into a magical vacation home for kids fighting cancer," O'Connell wrote on Facebook. "We have a very significant financial hurdle in front of us to make this happen."

There will be painting, decorating and landscaping projects throughout the interior and exterior of the house to prepare the second Tommy's Place.

Tommy's Place:'A place to have fun': Quincy man giving kids battling cancer a free Cape vacation

Similar to the Falmouth Tommy's Place, the second vacation home will have 10 bedrooms, a movie room and a recreation room with arts and crafts, music, gaming, board games and arcade games.

The exterior will feature the existing built-in pool and playhouse, as well as a future playground, putting green and possibly basketball and volleyball areas.

To provide free vacations to children with cancer and their families and friends, O'Connell relies 100% on the financial support of the general public. Families are not charged for any services and there are no government subsidies available, he said.

O'Connell is asking for more donations of cash but also welcomes contributions through a stock or a donor-advised fund.

The first Tommy's Place opened in July 2021. So far, 44 families have stayed at the home in the center of downtown Falmouth with more than 1,000 guests and family members. Just one family and their guests can visit at a time.

"There has not been a single day that this home has not been occupied by a child that is fighting cancer, right through the winter," O'Connell said.

Since starting in 2018, the enterprise has received thousands of donations of labor, materials and money. Eight major New England hospitals throughout are referring children with cancer to stay at Tommy's Place. 

Due to a backlog, O'Connell hasn't taken any requests for vacations since early December 2021. The waiting list goes well into 2024. 

To contact O'Connell, call 617-799-5494 or email seaport35@gmail.com.

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