By Carol Britton Meyer

During the recent, often contentious three-and-a-half-hour Hull Redevelopment Authority meeting, Dennis Zaia stepped down as chair and the board listened to two presentations on possible uses of the HRA property by Hull Artists and The Wildlands Trust.

**BUILDING INTEREST**. Hull Artists, the non-profit association of local artists that currently operates Gallery Nantasket, have proposed building an arts center on the northern end of the Hull Redevelopment Authority property, opposite Monument Square.

They also heard an update from Cohasset residents Lisa and Paul Rogers, who proposed a children’s wellness and community center – which would be named Dylan’s Tide in memory of their late son – for one of the parcels a few months ago.

The Rogers emphasized a number of times during the Zoom meeting that their project would come fully funded, that they weren’t interested in competing with similar uses for the property, and that time is running out for the board to consider their proposal due to investor deadlines.

The proposed Dylan’s Tide and Hull Artists proposals both have a community center approach, and a focus on the arts – among other similarities – while the Wildlands Trust would complement either of those or other uses with an open space component.

HRA Technical Operations Manager Mark Hamin, working as a consultant for the HRA, facilitated the presentations, asking the presenters to stay within 15 minutes each and to focus on “broad themes and programs” proposed for the property, “without going into too many minor details, which may be premature at this time as this is part of a big-picture conversation.”

The HRA has just begun another round of draft Urban Renewal Plan edits and revisions. The plan requires select board and state approval.

Collaboration possibilities

The goal the night, Hamin said, was for the three entities to listen to each other along with HRA members and the audience “to start thinking about where there may be possibilities for collaboration around the entire HRA property. Not all visions involve the entire property.”

Bart Blumberg and Malee Nuesse presented the Hull Artists’ proposal for a two-story Nantasket Community Center for the Arts situated on the north end of the HRA property, including a roof deck offering “breathtaking views and unique event opportunities,” landscaping, sculpture gardens, play areas, and a small performance space, among other features.

“For more than two decades, Hull Artists has been looking for a permanent home to meet the increased demand of artists and the South Shore,” and after a failed effort to convert the vacant DCR police station into a dedicated arts center, “Hull Artists is now focusing on the HRA land to bring this vision to life,” Blumberg said.

Their vision for such a center includes live performances and public and private events, art education, galleries, a cafe, and business and meeting spaces, with 150 parking spaces.

Community and creativity hub

The proposal, geared toward serving as a community and creativity hub, includes a building designed “to inspire and endure” and built to exceed climate resilience and modern design standards.

Funding for what could amount to “multiple millions depending on the scope and magnificence of the building,” according to Blumberg, would come from a capital campaign and grants from public and private entities at the local, state, and national levels. Naming rights would be considered, he said.

The center’s management would consist of an executive director, event planner, and other staff who would oversee operations, along with a board of directors.

Designed for longevity with low upkeep, the center would sustain itself through rental fees, café sales, program fees, membership dues, classes, exhibitions, art sales, and donations.

HRA member Dan Kernan referred to the proposal as “a truly grand structure and concepts,” asking questions about the fundraising and other aspects.

‘It’s a no brainer’

HRA member Adrienne Paquin was “a bit struck about the way this proposal was put together. I’m a little emotional. Beautiful, stunning arts centers around the world draw people to them. It’s a no brainer,” she said. “That our little Hull could have such a place is just a dream, but hopefully we could make something happen. The dream is just so beautiful.”

Hamin suggested that those making proposals start giving thought to whether they would like to acquire part of the property through a purchase or lease.

Next on the agenda was the Rogers’ proposal, which involves building a multi-generational child wellness and community center on the HRA parcel adjacent to the paved DCR lot on the northern end of what is referred to as parking lot B.

Lisa Rogers told the board she had not planned to make another presentation that night because of the “substantial” one made earlier. At that time, the HRA expressed overall enthusiasm for the proposal.

Such a center could offer walking paths, sports for all ages, musical swings, an art gallery, a rooftop vegetable and flower garden and farm-to-table events, an outdoor fitness court, patio with fire pits, a retail store selling beach clothing, towels, candles, surfboards, bikes, and beach buggies, inspired jewelry, and other items, and a library, among many other uses, according to the earlier presentation. All profits from the store would support non-profit organizations.

Public-private partnership

The Rogers’ concept is for construction to be paid for through their own financing as well as other private investments, fundraising, grants, and other sources. The town would be asked to contribute to the maintenance as part of what they hope would be a public-private partnership.

In her earlier presentation, Rogers said that she and her husband “have a lot of resources willing to donate their time, talents, and efforts to help get us established” and that a paid director would create a staffing and community activities plan, “with input from us all, who would be responsible for management of the center.”

During last week’s meeting, Rogers asked how realistic it was for the Hull Artists to fund such a large project “in such a small town. The process is concerning to me to be honest,” she said. “We come fully funded for our center with private donations. We were really clear when we made our initial presentation that we had a limited opportunity to secure this funding, and I’m a bit concerned this evening that this might not be a possibility. … Are you interested in competing projects or looking for ones that are funded and ready to go?”

Rogers also said there might be a possibility of the Hull Artists having a gallery within her project.

‘Jazzed up’ about the possibilities

Zaia said that the Rogers “really got us jazzed, which brought Hull Artists to the table.”

The couple asked the HRA to put together a detailed project plan, including the URP timeframe. “If this is going to take another 50 years, we may need to move on…,” Paul Rogers said.

The Rogers said they have talked with many people in town, and there is enthusiasm for the project.

“We would like the HRA board to tighten this down so we can understand if the timeframe is realistic – who is going to do what and when so we can understand whether we can gift this to the town,” Paul Rogers said.

Lisa Rogers said it seemed that the couple and the HRA “are further away than closer together.”

Hamin noted that one of the purposes of a URP is to “ensure decisions are done in harmony rather than in a piecemeal kind of way.”

He also said the “HRA membership wants to move with a fair amount of dispatch in revising the current draft URP and gathering relevant public input – there has already been a lot – and there’s no interest in stretching this out indefinitely.”

The URP “is literally that project plan Paul [Rogers] is speaking of that is so critical,” Zaia said.

‘We come with a funded project’

“We need to make good business decisions,” Lisa Rogers said. “We come with a funded project for a certain amount of time. We’re being completely transparent. We’re bringing a gift to the town of Hull we believe, and that’s how we would expect for it to be accepted.”

Kernan told the Rogers that he “is extremely happy you came forward and sent a message to the town that you exist. … The earlier URP was not really in line with the opportunity you are bringing to us, and we’re currently much more diligently rewriting it, so we would have a framework that you would fit in.”

“Thanks for that,” Lisa Rogers replied. “This is the only time I’ve expressed any frustration. We’re just trying to give you a beautiful community center with no frustration.”

“You have done your homework to see what the community wants, … and I’m hoping there is a place for you folks,” HRA member Joan Senatore said. “It would be foolish for us not to accept a gift like this that comes with funding.”

‘Clear road map’ requested

Lisa Rogers again asked for “a clear road map. You know we want to be there,” she said. “…We need to know if it’s a viable option for us.”

Hamin said the public process moves at “a different speed from the private process. The goal is to find some way of identifying a middle ground to speed up the public process to make certain types of projects viable.”

Dennis said the Rogers “brought us a vision we didn’t have before, and we want to work with that. If nothing else, you are giving us a kick in the seat of our pants, and the Hull Artists has made that a bit more robust, saying we have got to do something. The Wildlands Trust could be another piece of the big picture.”

President and Executive Director Karen Grey then explained the role of the Wildlands Trust, which works throughout Southeastern Massachusetts to permanently protect native habitats, farmland, and lands of high ecologic and scenic value that serve to keep communities healthy and their residents connected to the natural world.

“I’m not here to give an alternative vision – you have two great proposals in front of you,” she said. “I was asked to talk about how we could assist and possible augment some of these other visions tonight if there is going to be a significant open space component to these projects – any kind of walkways, hiking fields, marsh restoration…”

The Trust offers a community stewardship program that aids municipalities in achieving their open space objectives – “how to design, implement, and fund them,” Grey said. “We’re not an advocacy organization. We stay out of politics and away from hotly disputed topics. We don’t take sides or push communities to a place where they don’t want to be.”

Common themes

Zaia noted “common themes” among the three presenters.

“We have a parcel with nothing on it that needs to be nurtured – given magic so it can flourish, and seeing that this is part of the Wildlands Trust’s mission is appealing,” he said.

Hamin said that developing an URP “requires a phased timetable to [create] the plan over the next several months, as well as phased implementation of the vision. It all won’t be built at once.”

When Kernan asked the Rogers about their deadline – “Is it even possible for us to achieve this?” – Paul Rogers said they will be able to answer that question more accurately when the HRA delivers more specific dates and times and projects.

“This board has inherited a 50-year reputation of not getting stuff done,” Rogers said. “No one thinks this will even get done from talking with people in the community.”

Zaia pressed the Rogers for a more definitive answer.

“If we know we have ‘this’ much time and need to fit in more meetings, we would do it, but we need a more definitive statement,” he said. “How much time do we have?”

Lisa Rogers recalled talking initially with the HRA about a six-month timeframe.

“It’s been three months, and we haven’t made much progress. I need to go back to [our investors] and see if they can give us a little more time,” she said. “If we tell them we’re getting a good commitment, the dialogue can continue, but people won’t hold onto their contributions. They will give them to someone else. We don’t want to lose that.”

The idea of Hamin and an HRA member meeting with the Rogers and their attorney – at their suggestion – to talk about the timeline and other issues was suggested, with Kernan offering to attend.

Hamin noted that this same opportunity should be provided to all the presenters.

When the Rogers said they don’t want to compete, Blumberg asked them for more specific details about their proposal – “a bullet point list of what is definitely included in the proposal or what could be proposed, and where – to collaborate, compare, or decide how to move forward.”

Programming the community wants

“We were really clear that we’re not sure what will be in the building,” Lisa Rogers said. “We can make the programming exactly what the community wants. We’ve been out there asking.”

A concerned Blumberg noted that the Hull Artists’ proposal doesn’t mention a wellness center – only a community center – and asked the Rogers to explain what part of the HA’s plan they thought would compete.

Lisa Rogers said that a commercial kitchen, function space, garden sculpture, walking areas, and the rooftop concept are similar in the two proposals.

Ours would be more downscale – not as elaborate because we are privately funded,” she said.

“We don’t want to compete, but we do want to complement what’s already in place,” Paul Rogers said.

Citizens express concerns

During the citizens’ comment period at the end of the meeting, a few residents expressed concerns about the Rogers’ proposal.

Resident Lisa French asked if admission to the wellness center would be free.

“Could the public enter and use the facilities without charge?” she asked. “This seems to me important to know.”

She also said she “has reminded board members several times about the number of residents who responded in [an earlier] HRA forum that they don’t want a conference or community center. Only a tiny percentage wanted a community center of some sort.”

C. Anne Murray, on the other hand, sees Hull “as needing more space for committee meetings and civic groups – more of a community than a wellness center,” she said. Also, “a rooftop garden meeting space sounds lovely, but we live in Hull, and even on the nicest spring day, we could get 40 mph winds blowing you off the rooftop.”

Sara Ventetuolo said the Rogers’ comments about not wanting competition “didn’t agree with me. They’re asking for a prime location, which may or may not benefit Hull, whereas Hull Artists is a town group with a focus on Hull residents.”

The next HRA meeting is scheduled for June 2 at 7 p.m. over Zoom.

A replay of last week’s meeting is available on demand on Hull Community Television’s website, www.hulltv.net.

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