Community helps local centenarian celebrate her 100th birthday milestone

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

Longtime Hull resident Florence Herman says she is excited to be turning 100 years old just before the New Year.

Her great-niece, Brooke Shoostine, invited Hull residents to help celebrate the milestone by singing “Happy Birthday” on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 10:30 a.m. outside her great-aunt’s house at 6 Warren St.

THROUGH THE YEARS. Florence Herman in her 40s (BELOW), and today. She will turn 100 this weekend. [Dolores Lorusso photos]

Shoostine encouraged people to wear costumes, hold up celebratory signs, and bring instruments to play a song or two.

The Herman family began summering in Hull 64 years ago, and Florence has been living in Hull full-time in that home with her youngest daughter for 13 years. Herman lived in Florida for 30 years, but returned to Hull because “everyone was dying.”

The downside of living to be 100 is you lose a lot of people along the way. Herman’s sister Dolly, died at 94 this past spring, and that was “hardest” for her.

“[It’s] not easy to live and have people dying…a lot of things happen in life and you have to learn to deal with them,” she said.

One upside of living a long life, Herman said, is “the older you get, the more you experience things and the smarter you get.”

Herman survived two episodes of cancer and said she has been “very fortunate in life…I had cancer two times and licked it. I am a fighter. I am a survivor.”

She also has seen the world change over the years, including many inventions that are now common, such as television, movies with sound, electric traffic signals, frozen food, copy machines, and penicillin. She has seen the telephone go from rotary, to push button, to mobile. Typewriters changed to computers, and music went from being played on records to 8-track tapes to cassettes to CDs, and now is streamed.

She attributes a large part of her survival to her positive attitude.

“I had to be positive living through radiation and chemo,” she said, adding that her mother lived to be 94 years old, so she has “good genes.”

She also said she played bridge her whole life, which “makes you have to think and remember.” A self-described people person, she also played bridge at the senior center for many years and enjoyed playing with a variety of people.

During her lifetime, Herman traveled often and likes “to see it all.” She said her favorite place is Italy. “I have been to Italy two times. I like the food, the people,” she said.

This centenarian has no plans of stopping as she turns 100.

“Every day is special… I am not ready to go,” said Herman. “I am lucky when I get sick, I bounce back like a bouncy ball.”

Her youngest daughter said, “she always used to tell me and my sister to ‘never give in or give up,’ and she lived that.”

The lifelong lover of “cooking and eating” good food said her biggest accomplishment was losing weight, going from a size 14 to a size 10. Her favorite foods are Chinese and corned beef sandwiches.

“Once I made up my mind, I just did it,” said Herman of her weight loss. “I also quit smoking in my 40s.”

She was married to her first husband, Raymond Herman, at the age of 20.

“The first thing we did when we bought this house in Hull is put up a flag, and we still put one up in remembrance of him,” she said.

Raymond died in 1988 and she met “another gem of a man,” David Vanderhorst. “I was very fortunate to have two wonderful men in my life,” Herman said.

Herman said she has two daughters, two granddaughters, and one great-granddaughter.

“I enjoyed doing a lot in life…I light my own fire,” said Herman, who looks back on her years and finds them to be “very nice; a lot of good memories.”

Herman’s advice to younger people is three-fold: “Don’t smoke; if you drive, do so carefully; and don’t let anyone walk all over you.”

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have a story to share? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

Ready for new beginnings: How Hullonians marked the season a century ago

By John J. Galluzzo

Five years past the end of the Great War, America seemed to be resetting itself. Although the shock of all shocks – the in-term passing of a president – caused concern over the summer, the year seemed to be one of births, of new trends, of new ventures and forays into brave new worlds.

On March 2, a new magazine, simply titled “Time,” hit newsstands with its inaugural edition. On April 4, Jack, Harry, Sam, and Albert Warner incorporated their film studio under the name Warner Brothers Pictures. Two days later, trumpeter and crooner Louis Armstrong made the first recording of his soulful New Orleans jazz music. On April 18, baseball’s New York Yankees opened their new ballfield in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium.

On July 13, a bold series of block letters on Mount Lee, overlooking Los Angeles, California, marked the location of a pending housing community to be known as Hollywoodland (the sign would later be shortened by four letters). On October 16, two young men, Roy and Walt Disney, formed a company of their own. The day before, fans of the five-time World Series champion Boston Red Sox received the news that those pesky Yankees had beaten the New York Giants to win their first title. Sox fans knew that it was probably a fluke, and that their team, who last won the championship in 1918, was long overdue for their next World Series appearance.

On Halloween, the last of the Hull steamers, the Rose Standish, was pulled off the Nantasket-to-Boston run for the season, heading for winter quarters in the city at 5:20 p.m. The ladies of the ship, though, would not let the occasion pass without a grand send-off. Inviting the officers of the steamer and their families, as well as the officers and families of the other Hull steamers – the South Shore, Myles Standish, and Mayflower – the ladies threw a joint Halloween and farewell party that included a banquet, speeches, the crooning of Irish melodies by Mate Cornelius McCarthy and fancy dancing by the Misses Florence and Elizabeth Ladrigan.

By no means was it the only Halloween party given that evening. More than 300 guests of the Father O’Brien Memorial Association gathered at the new Municipal Building on Atlantic Hill for a “character party” that included a grand procession and costume contest, easily won by Miss Virginia Murphy. She dressed as a “lady of the olden times,” and had an easy time winning; her clothes were more than 200 years old. At midnight, another symbol of the changing seasons, the switch from summer to winter police forces, took place.

News the next day included the fact that Bank Commissioner Joseph C. Allen would hear the request of a group of 20 local men, led by Selectman Clarence V. Nickerson, to incorporate a Hull cooperative bank in mid-November. Nickerson would soon have another issue with which to wrestle. That same day, November 1, two girls were riding home from the Damon School on the bus, standing in the aisle talking to friends, when suddenly a door opened and the girls tumbled out and fell six feet to the street. Rushed to the Metropolitan District Commission headquarters, they were pronounced none the worse for wear, but Selectman Nickerson wanted answers. Since he was also the superintendent of schools, he would look into the matter personally.

On November 4, Raymond W. Gent, Hull resident and general man about town, saw his name in The Boston Globe, signing a letter he had written to the radio editor. With radio the new craze sweeping the nation, Gent was an early adopter. He described his set and said, “WNAC Boston comes in so loud and clear I cannot keep phones to my ears. Saturday’s broadcast of the Dartmouth-Harvard game was listened to with three pairs of receivers resting inside of a large bowl and could be heard in the room quite distinctly. For distance, I have received stations in the following cities: Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Harrisburg, Pittsburg, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Troy, Springfield, and Providence.” If Gent stayed tuned in for a few more weeks, he could hear Calvin Coolidge, former Hull Village summer resident, become the first president ever to address Congress over the air, in early December.

Three days later, the Point Allerton Coast Guard Station crew launched a rescue attempt. Scituate lobsterman Harry Driscoll, 30, was tending his traps when the motor on his boat died. He hoisted a distress signal, which the station caught. But, before they could reach him, darkness set in and they lost sight of him. A severe storm blew in overnight and the Coast Guardsmen feared the worst. The next morning, however, the crews of the Coast Guard Cutter Ossipee and the Nahant Coast Guard Station spotted him, rescued him and brought him to the Point Allerton station to recover.

In an odd bit of foreshadowing, Hull experienced clock problems around that time. The Village School featured a clock on its tower and during the past summer, the face had been taken down for “a thorough overhauling,” according to The Boston Globe on November 8. Remounted with a shining bronze face, the clock immediately started to lag, falling a few minutes behind. Soon it stopped altogether and the electrical display dimmed, leaving the face in darkness. Forty years later, in January 1963, the town would face another clock problem, as every Saturday night at 9 p.m., the clock on the Municipal Building would stop with a whirr and a buzz, and then run backward.

Despite the storm in the first week of November, the season remained so mild that the holiday spirit seemed slow in building. The biggest news in town concerned the pending marriage of Miss Lillian McGrath of Somerville to Hull’s William Brewster Gould “Bill” Mitchell, a two-sport star at Hingham High School, Worcester Academy, and Tufts College who also served with the Navy in the recent war. Winter club life picked up pace, as the Ladies Aid Society, the Village Parent-Teachers’ Association, the Nantasket Parents-Teachers’ Association, the Hull Woman’s Club, the Fort Revere Enlisted Men’s Club, and the Village Bridge Club all started meeting regularly. The crews constructing a new seawall at Pemberton, thanks to the sponsorship of State Representative John L. Mitchell, went to three eight-hour shifts per day in anticipation of the onset of bad winter weather. But, still, temperatures remained mild into mid-November.

The Mitchell-McGrath wedding would take place on Thanksgiving Eve, as would the benefit dance for Engine 2, Atlantic Hill Fire Station. That event took on significant importance when news reached the ears of the firemen that a member of the Oscar Smith Mitchell American Legion Post, veteran Charles Pitts, would have to lose his left leg in order to stay alive. Calling an emergency meeting, the station’s men voted to turn over all proceeds from the dance to a fund being formed by the Legion, the Legion’s Auxiliary, the Father O’Brien Memorial Association, and the Woman’s Club to support Pitts.

A groundswell of support for the formation of a Boy Scout Troop in Hull built to a crescendo on November 20. The commanding officer of Fort Revere, Captain G.H Knight, vowed to help however he could. Two days later, 33 boys between the ages of 12 and 16 voted yes to forming a troop, adopting the motto “The Best Boy Scout Troop in the State,” under the leadership of Commander Thomas Olsen, leader of the American Legion Post. By the 27th, the troop would be divided in two, one group of older boys and one younger.

Scarlet fever broke out by the 24th, with Miss Ellen Duggan, public health nurse, and town physician Dr. William Sturgis urging precautions. Just a few years removed from what was then known as the Spanish Influenza epidemic, they wanted to ensure all would be safe for the holidays. Superintendent Nickerson closed the Village grammar school well in advance of Thanksgiving, declared for the fifth Thursday of November, the 29th, by President Coolidge. Days later, Nickerson would learn that the state had denied his petition for the formatting of a Hull cooperative bank on the grounds that “public interest did not call for it.” Another group would have more success decades later.

Football games became more common in the Village as November waned, with Hull and Hingham teams squaring off, representative squads from town neighborhoods facing each other and, ultimately, the annual tilt being contested between Hull’s married men and single men on Thanksgiving Day. This year’s contest featured a special guest referee, Chief of Police Frank M. Reynolds. Gregory Ketchum, John Reno, and Kenneth G. Mitchell led the way for the unmarried men in an 18-12 victory. With the culminating game of the football season then in the past, thoughts immediately turned to the new sensation: basketball. “A movement is under way to have basketball games played this winter in town by a local aggregation,” read the Hull column in The Boston Globe of November 30. “Prominent sportsmen and others are interesting themselves in the formation of a team. Permission will be asked of the board of selectmen to allow the games to be played in the Municipal Building, Atlantic Hill.”

The next day, December 1, Margaret Knowles smiled at a blooming American Beauty rose at her home on 125 Spring St. in the Village. Although the calendar said winter, nature said spring. So, too, did the pouring of the foundation for the new war memorial at Nantasket, the dedication of which would be celebrated the next Memorial Day.

December began and ended with touches of sorrow. William Sylvester, 83, passed away at Allerton on December 2. One of the earliest residents of that section of the town, he had served as lighthouse keeper of both Boston and Minot’s Light and then spent 18 years as Hull’s postmaster. Few could remember a Hull without him.

The Boy Scouts swelled to 40 members, meeting at the Service Club at Fort Revere. Smelt started running. Hull reopened its schools on December 5, confident that the scarlet fever scare had passed. The Father O’Brien Memorial Association held a benefit party for Charles Pitts at the Municipal Building, with various forms of entertainment, including an encore fancy dancing display by the Landrigans and their students, including a bunny dance, a skating dance, and a Scottish sword dance. On December 6, Pitts returned home from the hospital where the amputation was administered, swarmed by friends and well-wishers.

Parties filled the calendar: a chicken pie supper at the Pope Memorial Church Hall, a Christmas tree fund soiree at the Central Fire Station, and the senior ball of the Class of 1924 at the Municipal Building, in honor of pending graduates Estelle Skelton, Vera Waterhouse, Lillian M. Jacobs, and others. The Ladies Aid Society, as it had for decades, held its pre-Christmas sale of homemade goods at Gould Memorial Hall. Christmas was on its way, and there was no turning back.

The rule apparently didn’t apply for two men who found a novel way to get arrested in the final two weeks before Christmas. Late on December 11, residents of the Skull Head section of the bayside called Chief Reynolds and told him of a strange disturbance. Hull Police Officers Thomas Glawson and Francis Mitchell responded and found an automobile driving on the rocky shore. The driver – drunk as a skunk – made a wrong turn. “They were bound for Brockton from Boston,” said The Boston Globe the next day. “In proceeding along Nantasket Ave. they turned down A St. at Waveland, taking the outside road bordering on Hull Bay. Mistaking a small path leading to the beach for a highway they turned their car in and landed on a beach.” Cut across the face when their windshield exploded, they nevertheless pressed on, undaunted. “Thinking that they were on a rough road,” said the Globe, “they endeavored to proceed along the beach until apprehended by the police.”

On December 16, a fire broke out on Nantasket Road, the result of an iron left plugged in when the family was away. More concerning, though, was the false alarm pulled at Windermere a few hours later. Fire Chief Henry Stevens launched a quick investigation and apprehended a soldier from the 13th Infantry at Fort Revere. He delivered him to the commanding officer and told him that he would let the military decide what to do with him, wanting to spare him the stress of multiple court hearings and courts-martial.

On the 17th, the Hull Village Club met for the first seasonal gathering at the Nantasket House, next door to the Hull Public Library. A familiar face, Mike Burns, returned to his inn on the corner of Nantasket Avenue and Nantasket Road with his son Russell after a vacation to the Pacific coast. That Friday, the 21st, Hull students celebrated the beginning of the Christmas break with gifts for all and a noon release.

Over the weekend, the three Catholic churches in Hull – St. Mary’s of the Bay, St. Ann’s, and St. Mary’s at Green Hill – were visited by Santa Claus, or, Clauses. Priests at each church spoke on “The Origin of Santa Claus” and “The Spirit of Christmas.” Santas – Wallace Reddie, John E. Glawson, and Edward Gent – appeared in costume and handed out presents to all of the children in each church. In all, the church provided about 500 gifts to local kids.

On Christmas Eve day, James McLearn of X Street picked two pansies from his garden. John E. Rudderham, putting up his storm windows, just in case, heard two American Robins singing at Bayside.

On Christmas Day, Hull families gathered to feast and share time with loved ones. Captain Fred C. Neal of the U.S. Navy rushed home Christmas Day from Brooklyn for a quick meal before setting out for a six-month cruise to India on the 26th. The Mitchells, Vautrinots, McLearns, Jameses, Murphys, Taurasis, and more Hull families enjoyed the day. On the 26th, Albert Jacobs and James Melvin, standout Hingham High School athletes, enlisted with Company K of the 101st Infantry at the Hingham Armory. Joseph Stone of Paragon Park returned from a business trip in Chicago. Petty Officer Albert Chase of the Coast Guard Station, where he had worked for the past five years, received a transfer to Chatham. He waved his many friends farewell as he entered the next phase of his life.

With little left on the calendar, Hull, too, prepared to wave goodbye, to 1923. After a quick town meeting on December 28 to shuffle funds among town departments, all eyes turned toward New Year’s Eve. Then, the saddest note of all sounded.

When the call went out for young men to enlist to fight in the Civil War, 24 Hull men stepped forward, out of a full population of about 225 residents. George Augustus, born to harbor pilot Captain John Augustus and Adeline Mary Turner, was one of those men. Serving with Company E, 47th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, he proudly wore the Union blue uniform. Returning home after the war, ne never left, working as a fisherman. As his comrades quietly vanished, one by one, he soon found himself the last remaining Hull Civil War veteran.

He wore the mantle proudly, leading Memorial Day exercises, marching through the Village to the cemetery where he would silently decorate the graves of his fallen comrades. When Hull’s young men enlisted to fight in the Great War, many claimed him as their inspiration. When they returned and formed the local American Legion Post, they invited him to be an honorary member, and never a party did he miss. Over the past few years, the younger veterans swelled his ranks and marched with him to the cemetery, as collectively they honored their brethren.

George had missed the 1923 Memorial Day exercises. He had left to visit his nephew in New Hampshire. Ultimately he stayed there. A week before Christmas, he took ill. Late on December 30, word reached Hull that he had passed away.

He took the rest of 1923 with him.

Hull was ready to turn the page and start afresh with 1924.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

HRA to study installing kiosks to collect parking fees from summer visitors

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

The Hull Redevelopment Authority is considering changing the way it manages parking on its property next year, with members studying how to implement self-serve kiosks to collect parking fees from summer visitors.

At a recent meeting, Vice Chair Dan Kernan proposed that the board review current leases, contracts, and parking lot management. Kernan said he hopes that in 2024 to switch to a “parking kiosk service and extend property maintenance service.”

The board agreed to further research on using automated parking kiosks with human support; Kernan will gather feedback and come back to the board with a more formal parking proposal.

According to a handout Kernan provided, the “goals for this parking transition are to add visibility into the revenue and parking use, provide greater control over parking use levels and traffic, improve coordination with the town and DCR, increase revenue, and improve our parking service.”

Kernan described a parking kiosk as “the physical part of a cloud-based parking service.” Parking-As-A-Service (PAAS) generally includes the ability to accept money, including paper bills, coins, and credit cards; the ability to provide printed parking verification and pay-by-plate; provision of enforcement; the ability to control the amount of parking available; apps to let visitors know when lots are full; and detailed tracking and reports on parking use and revenue information.

“The range of services are incredibly diverse and provide greater control,” he said. “We can model after kiosks used by DCR, Trustees of Reservations, and other towns on the South Shore,” adding that companies have “solutions to map to anything we could want.”

PAAS service providers may not include property maintenance and may require that the HRA address daily cleanup and upkeep. Kernan proposed that the HRA “add nightly maintenance of parking area if needed, maintenance of improved landscaping, cleaning, and maintenance of the gazebo area.”

“It is definitely worth refining parking,” said member Bartley Kelly. “We should pick the machine that works best and be sure it falls under guidelines of legal, then bite the bullet to buy and install them. [The] first season there will also be staff, because even if it is automated, there will need to be bodies on the ground to direct traffic, cut grass, and cleanup… Going forward we can add on to it.”

Kernan said some of the parking kiosk companies offer “parking enforcement,” which he stressed is needed because “on Labor Day this year, people were parking on the sidewalk, but parking was the least of the worries for the police, they did not have the bandwidth to enforce parking because they had to deal with mischief.”

“The town has an issue enforcing parking restrictions that already exist,” Clerk Adrienne Paquin said. “Police are potentially not available to us when we need them because they are too busy.”

Many of the companies offer optimization and can watch traffic flow to adjust pricing during busy times to increase profits; however, Kernan and Paquin expressed their dislike of the “dynamic pricing” approach.

“I think that is terrible and mean-spirited,” Kernan said, indicating a preference for “reasonably fixed price for these services.”

Paquin agreed with Kernan regarding dynamic pricing. “Is the goal to provide a service to give access to the beach or to make as much money as possible?” she asked.

State-appointed HRA member Joan Senatore said that in Gloucester, people need to buy their ticket the day before because it “better controls the traffic flow.”

“I am in favor of moving forward with this. We should pilot on a smaller scale just on the Phipps Street lot,” said Paquin. “The town needs to train people to use public transportation.”

Paquin said the main lot should not be restricted and made fully available for events like the car show, carnival, and North East Public Power Association rodeo.

“Whatever we end up doing on the HRA will initiate a change for parking,” she said.

“It is trial and error…pilot the first season then have more data to evaluate other options,” said Senatore.

Kernan also suggested an update to the RFP process and seasonal for-profit leases such as those for food trucks and surf camps.

“This is something that members of the board have identified as a wanted improvement and [HRA attorney] Paula Devereaux suggested should be updated,” Kernan said. “All for-profit leases and/or RFPs should be consistent and follow the same [Massachusetts General Laws Chapter] 30B process.”

During their discussions, board members agreed it was necessary to have “clear requirements for aesthetics,” and the expected level of maintenance needs to be clarified in the RFP process.

Devereaux told Kernan that the board may include a requirement for “added transparency of revenue…however, enforcement and verification of the revenue is very unreliable.”

“The ability to capture enough data and evaluate in a credible manner is not in the realm of reality,” HRA Chair Dennis Zaia said. “I don’t put too much weight on it.”

Kernan said he would like the RFP process to give preference to local businesses if it is allowable under the law.

“There is not an all in one magic bullet…what are other outfits our size doing? Kiosks are off-the-shelf things. Everyone in the world seems to have one other than us,” said Kernan, who will continue to research parking options and update the RFP process.

At the meeting, select board member Jerry Taverna said he “applaud[s] the HRA for thinking out of the box and being willing to take a risk…this town is one we want to take a risk on.”

“We want to do the right thing and manage the processes well,” said Zaia. “Dan has gotten some clarity, and he will pull it together into a piece we can review.”

The next HRA meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. over Zoom.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

Rotating exhibit at town hall highlights members of Hull Artists organization

By Carol Britton Meyer

The exhibition of local art that has graced the walls of the first floor of Hull’s municipal building for more than 15 years is an opportunity for members of Hull Artists to share their work with the community while also beautifying the surroundings for those doing business in town hall.

ON THE WALL AT HULL TOWN HALL. Hull Artists member Randy Veraguas now coordinates the rotating exhibition of local artwork in the entry hallway at town hall. [Courtesy photo]

Hull Artists member Randy Veraguas, who is now coordinating the exhibit, is following in the footsteps of artist Sheila Connor, who curated the display for many years.

“I’m excited about this new volunteer position,” she told The Hull Times. “It’s great exposure for the artists and good for the locals who stop by town hall because who doesn’t love art? And it’s free!”

The exhibit, which highlights two artists at a time, changes each quarter.

“While that’s a long time for art to hang on a wall, the [people viewing it aren’t] the normal museum audience,” Veraguas explained. Rather, this display is for the entertainment and enjoyment of the Hull residents are going in and out of town hall.

“Since nobody is going there specifically to see the art, it’s up to the individual artists to host an open house-type of event when their art goes up,” Veraguas said. When she and Bart Blumberg shared the walls, they held a small party at town hall, and Veraguas sold a few or her pieces during that event.

“That was my first art exhibit in Hull,” she said, “so it’s like going back to my roots” in this new role.

There is no particular theme to the exhibits, as any type of artwork in a frame will be considered. “The art needs to be appropriate for display in a public building and within the limited space available,” Veraguas said.

Future art display dates are: Jan. 18-April 18; April 18-July 18; July 18 to Oct. 17; and Oct. 17-Jan. 16, 2025.

In the meantime, Veraguas is reaching out to Hull Artists members to see who might be interested in participating in the January exhibit. Once that’s been decided, she will hang the artwork for the enjoyment of Hull residents over the next few months. Alongside each piece of art, a framed biography describes the artist and his or her work and the price of the piece.

“I would like to see all of the artwork sold,” she said.

For more information about Hull Artists, visit www.hullartists.com.

Veraguas noted that Hull Artists is looking for new members and will be offering classes soon. The organization promotes locally produced fine art and crafts, and Hull as a seaside arts destination, through its exhibits, workshops, partnerships, events, and a year-round gallery on the first floor of the Ocean Place condominium building.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

With 23 members among four grades, Hull High Chess Club is a success across the board

The Hull High School Chess Club kicked off its inaugural season in September and is going strong with 23 members across all four grades.

CHECK MATES. Hull High Chess Club member Will Hnath, left, competes against Cohasset High School student Dylan Jewell in the first chess tournament at Hull High School. [Photo courtesy of the Hull Public Schools]

Spearheaded by President Connor Hipp, Vice President Jake Smith, and Advisor Tara Grosso, the team meets regularly for weekly practices in the school library. The club competed in its first tournament at the high school on Oct. 12, during which the team competed in more than seven rounds against other local schools. Hull students placed second and third, while Cohasset High won the tournament.

Hipp’s inspiration for launching the club began after he served as a supervisor for the Hull Park and Recreation summer program in 2023, where camp attendees expressed interest in playing chess.

In September, Hipp began coordinating with Principal Michael Knybel to start the club. In addition to his role as president, Hipp is a member of the Physics Club, varsity baseball team, National Honor Society, and Project Humanitarian International.

Hipp also assists the school’s athletic department and serves as the Hull High School Intern Athletic Director. During his free time, he helps to train other students in the game of chess after school in the library.

“I would like to recognize Connor for his efforts to start a Hull High School Chess Club,” said Knybel. “Connor continues to go above and beyond his responsibilities as a student, and his work to create this club has helped to create an environment where students of all abilities and experience levels feel welcomed.”

The club plans to compete in its second tournament in the spring. Members include seniors Hipp, Smith, London Von Tungeln, Dylan Sabbag, Luke McDonnell, Dahlia Hedrick, Tristan Blake, Victoria Dolan, Emily Punchard, Alex Cooper, James Doty, Melanie Bodley, Bailey Her, Chase McDowell,  Ruby Schultz, Kallen Creed, Sarah Duran, and Gabi Thomas; juniors Will Hnath, Jamie Luggelle, and Rebecca Timins, sophomore Jack Miller; and freshman Andi Deltuvo.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

Climb every mountain: Hull man tackling one of the world’s tallest peaks

Last weekend, I was across the street from the Hull Yacht Club trying to get a decent photo of Flying Santa’s helicopter circling Boston Light, when I looked over my shoulder and saw the strangest sight. I’ve been photographing in Hull for decades – I don’t expect surprises!

A TIRING WORKOUT. Hull’s Vincent Brault, who is training for an upcoming mountain-climbing expedition, frequently can be seen around town with his ski poles and tire, which are part of his unique training routine. [Skip Tull photo]

But there was this man with two trekking poles wearing what looked to be a very heavy backpack, harnessed to a very large tire that he was dragging behind him. Slightly bent and leaning forward, he looked like a human draft animal. I immediately snapped a couple of photos and crossed the street to find out what I was witnessing.
In melodically, French-accented English, he told me he was training to climb one of the highest mountains in the world – Mount Aconcagua in Argentina. At 22,831 feet tall, it is the highest mountain in the Americas and the tallest outside Asia.

His name is Vincent Brault, and he and his wife, Ingrid, moved to Hull in 2020. He described their falling in love with our seaside town, its beauty and its people. He also spoke of working for many months, pulling tires behind him up and down the many hills of Hull, even back and forth the full length of Nantasket Beach, when the tides cooperated.
This coming Sunday, he and his son, Martin, a student at UMass-Amherst, will leave for Argentina. Stay tuned for a follow-up once they return!

-- Skip Tull

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

Board delays action on new marijuana licenses, to hold hearing on Nantasket Flatts

By Carol Britton Meyer

At the select board meeting Wednesday night, Town Manager Jennifer Constable suggested that Hull delay action on applications to sell recreational marijuana until new state regulations can be reviewed.

Town Counsel James Lampke originally was scheduled to present an update on the process for approving Host Community Agreements with retail marijuana sellers this week, but in the “town manager updates” agenda item, Constable explained that the state Cannabis Control Commission has implemented “a host” of new rules and regulations that will need to be reviewed to ensure the town’s zoning and general bylaws are in compliance, noting that there are “a lot of questions about” those changes.

The select board will schedule a hearing on the status of the dormant licenses of the nantasket flatts restaurant, which has been closed for almost a year.

“I think we should pause before accepting any requests [for recreational marijuana host community agreements],” she said. The town has already received two – from the Alternative Compassion Services medical marijuana dispensary on George Washington Boulevard and another Hull business, Skarr Inc., owned by Mambo’s restaurant’s Anthony Ghosn – and there’s a possibility of a third application.

The select board also finalized policies for memorial bench donations and community use of public buildings, and renewed another round of annual liquor and other licenses, which expire Dec. 31. The board also will schedule a hearing on the licenses held by the former Nantasket Flatts restaurant, which has been closed for nearly a year.

Building use policy finalized

With regard to the community use of public buildings, a policy was created because the town recognizes the importance of community meeting space. The policy provides clear guidance for the use of appropriate and available town facilities.

That “public meeting space promotes community engagement and provides support to organizations serving the Hull community” is the basis of the policy. Key components include eligibility requirements, the reservation process, usage guidelines, and fees.

Community organizations are defined as non-profit, civic, or charitable organizations based in Hull that primarily serve the local community. Under the policy, such groups have the option of reserving space during regular hours in either the Hull Public Library or the Anne M. Scully Senior Center, with certain conditions in place.

Any permitted after-hours use approved by one of the directors would require a town employee to be present and a $30-per-hour fee paid for custodial and other services, which may be waived at the discretion of the director, in consultation with the town manager, on a case-by-case basis.

A number of American Legion members were present during this discussion, including David Irwin, who said he was “appalled” that the Legion, which has repeatedly expressed an interest in meeting at the senior center, would be charged that fee to meet after hours in the building once a month after the many sacrifices veterans have made for the country.

Another member pointed to the Legion’s fundraising efforts that benefit not only veterans but also other members of the community who are in need.

A warrant article at last spring’s annual town meeting supported the American Legion’s request to use that location for its meetings. However, Constable said town meeting “can’t direct a municipality on how to use a town building,” while acknowledging that the community spoke in support of veterans thorough the vote and that the board recognizes that sentiment.

The senior center will be available the first two Wednesdays of the month from 3 to 6 p.m., but the Legion meets from 6:30 p.m. for about two hours once a month on that day of the week.

Following a lengthy discussion, the board was amenable to allowing the American Legion to meet after hours at the senior center since the group has liability insurance that indemnifies the town, and a town employee who is a member will be responsible for making sure the space is cleaned up and the building is locked at the end of the meeting to avoid the $30-per-hour fee.

Select Board member Jason McCann, who worked on the creation of the policy, said the impetus came from that town meeting vote.

“This is a work in progress. I’m glad you are all here,” Chair Greg Grey told the veterans.

Written requests – including the organization’s name, purpose of meeting or event, date and time requests, estimated number of attendees, and any seating or equipment needs – must be submitted at least two weeks in advance to the director of the facility in which the organization wishes to rent space. For the library, hucirc@ocln.org and for the senior center, hullCOA@town.hull.ma.us. Reservations will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The usage guidelines stipulate that approved organizations may use the two town buildings for meetings, workshops, seminars, and events aligned with their mission. No alcohol is allowed, nor is food or use of kitchen facilities without the director’s permission.

“Disruptive behavior infringing on other residents’ facility use or staff responsibilities is prohibited,” the policy states. The town reserves the right to revoke building usage privileges for policy violations.

The policy, which is effective Jan. 1, will be posted on the town’s website.

Bench donation policy approved

In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, the bench donation policy was finalized, with an application available for those who wish to have a memorial bench installed. Bench dedications are limited to current or former Hull residents unless otherwise approved by the select board. Applications will be considered in chronological order from the date they have been and will be submitted, and are subject to town manager approval.

Bench designs will be determined by the town after consideration of the location. The cost of the bench, plaque, and maintenance are the donor’s responsibility.

Licenses renewed; Nantasket Flatts hearing will be scheduled

The board also approved another group of annual liquor and other licenses, including: Mambo’s, 269 Nantasket Ave., all alcohol, common victualer, and entertainment; Mezzo Mare, 245 Nantasket Ave., all alcohol, common victualer; Nantasket Beach Resort, 45 Hull Shore Drive, all alcohol as an innholder, common victualer, entertainment; Shoreline Kitchen and Bar, 43 Hull Shore Drive, all alcohol, common victualer, entertainment; Toast, wine and malt as a restaurant, common victualer; The Parrot, 1 Hull Shore Drive, all alcohol, common victualer, entertainment; A Street Liquors, 675 Nantasket Ave., all alcohol as a package store; and common victualer licenses for the following establishments -- Dunkin’, 1B Bay St.; Dylan’s Pizza, 14 Nantasket Ave.; Hull Jade Restaurant, 516 Nantasket Ave.; L St. Pizza, 754 Nantasket Ave.; Saltwater Diner, 512 Nantasket Ave.; To Dine For, 518 Nantasket Ave.

The select board did not approve the request by Nantasket Flatts, 145 Nantasket Ave., for renewal of the restaurant’s all alcohol, common victualer, entertainment, and pool table licenses pending a hearing that will be scheduled because the business has been closed for a year, and the property is on the market, according to Constable.

The board also approved renewal of the following livery service/badges -- Bayside Coach, 71 Kenberma St., and a livery license for three vehicles for Seaport Livery Service, 58 Lynn Ave., and renewed the lodging house license for The Nantascot Lodging House, 475 Nantasket Ave.

Looking toward New Year’s Eve, The Parrot, Nantasket Beach Saltwater Club, Daddy’s Dry Rock, Sandbar, Schooner’s, Jo’s Nautical, California Underground, and the C Note all requested and received a New Year’s Eve extension of closing time until 2 a.m.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

HRA to take a second look at nine citizens’ proposals for its property next month

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

On Monday night, the Hull Redevelopment Authority continued discussions begun on Nov. 6 to identify which citizens’ proposals for use of the land will be called back for second presentations.

Of the 21 submissions, nine groups will be asked to present again in January to answer additional questions or give more details. On December 11, HRA members decided they wanted to “dig deeper” into four proposals: Sarah Sullivan’s Sandcastles Childcare and Learning Center on the Beach, Samantha Mills Gaia’s Multi-use Community Space, Jody McHugh’s Flagpole Memorials, and Erin Swenson Gorrall’s Cultural Hub/Alternate Sports World.

Among the five groups the HRA already decided to ask back for a second look were Patrick Finn’s HRA Three Phases, Leonard Markowitz’s Mobile Stage/Open Space, and SOS Hull’s Open Space Revenue Generation/Long Term Vision, along with Jodi Lewis’s Community Space and Pam Wolfe’s Seaside Gateway Park.

The HRA will compile a list of questions by Dec. 22 for when the groups return in January. The questions will serve as a guide for the presentation, or if they choose not to present, sponsors can submit written answers. The presentations will begin on Jan. 8, but most likely, the groups will present over the course of two meetings.

Sullivan, whose proposal entails creating an extension of Sandcastles Childcare and Learning Center in Hingham, passed on the opportunity to present during the initial round, but indicated that if there was “any interest going forward, she would welcome another invitation to present.”

HRA Clerk Adrienne Paquin pointed out she once went to school on the land [at the South Shore Charter School] and highlighted it is “incredibly unique place to go to school” and she is not against the idea, but it is tricky in execution.

“If we plan it around the school and it does not work out, then what does that leave us with?” she said. “We need a way to test it over the summer with a temporary structure.”

HRA member Bartley Kelly said Sullivan “pointed out something I had not seen as part of the Urban Renewal Plan…it is worth a conversation.”

Gaia presented an idea for a multi-use community space. “She didn’t come present the first time, hopefully, she will accept the invite to come in and expand on her ideas,” state-appointed HRA member Joan Senatore said.

Vice Chair Dan Kernan pointed out the proposal’s “synergy” with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation and its plans to relocate the Cook comfort station.

“We saw the vision in pencil, it would be great to hear it directly,” he said.

Kelly focused on Gaia’s idea to have an area for food trucks.

“Food trucks can be a double-edged sword,” Kelly said. “They can take business away from existing businesses in town that count on visitors.”

However, Chair Dennis Zaia pointed out that the food truck space could initiate opportunities for existing businesses with food trucks of their own.

“Who knows how it can be leveraged?” he said.

McHugh’s proposal expressed the desire to “see the HRA parcel developed as openly as possible. It is a centerpiece to Hull.” However, the proposal is “not so much for the space but for the road that runs through it.”

McHugh proposes using the large utility poles as flagpoles with solar lights mounted below the flags to illuminate them along the road between the pavilion and the war memorial.

Paquin clarified she named the proposal on the HRA’s website, hra02045.com, and inaccurately referred to this as a war memorial, but is more accurately described as “large open gallery using the telephone poles.”

“Jody mentioned the HRA parcel is the centerpiece of town, and I am on board with that part of it…anything that creates art and honors Hull heroes, I am down for,” said Paquin.

Kelly said he likes the idea of the flags because it “gives a sense of space and walkability,” but members are concerned about how the flags would withstand the wind.

Paquin and Kelly described Gorrall’s proposal as “very ambitious.”

“There are a lot of concepts I like in this plan, but the stairs are a lot to do, and a lot to permit,” said Kelly.

Kernan said he likes the idea of a surf village because Hull has “a tremendous surf community” and is one of the main surfing destinations in New England.

Zaia said the “fitness space tying into the DCR space is intriguing as all heck; the steps are less of a furniture fixture and more of a landscaping feature.”

According to the proposal, “the kinetic wind sculptures for sustainable landscape concept is an idea that aligns with open space principles, while offering an enriching experience to the community of Hull. Kinetic sculptures are not merely static artworks; they are dynamic, interactive, installations whose movement adds to the natural surroundings. These sculptures respond to environmental forces, adding a captivating element to Hull’s open areas and providing a dynamic platform for community engagement.”

Although the board unanimously felt the idea of kinetic wind sculptures could blend with many of the other citizens submissions, they did not feel the need to ask the proposer to come back because the submission was complete.

“It is brilliant, tons of funding sources and grant opportunities…gave a leg up on next steps,” said Zaia.

Paquin said the sculptures can act as a “focal point to draw people to come to Nantasket…people come from miles around to take a picture with a unique piece of art.”

Kernan applauded the proposal because it is “integrated around a concept with a defined identity.”

“What we do must also provide economic development for the town and provide tax base,” said Kelly. “It is food for thought for the open space portion of the urban renewal area.”

Wolf suggested a replica of the Fort Revere water tower, as well as art and community space. Wolf said she “did so like many of the other suggestions and believe[s] that a consolidation of those is what would work so well for the HRA land…picnic tables, trees, walkways, bike paths, a Hatch shell, food trucks…”

Wolf also outlined she would “love to see a combined art space, both for work and teaching and display/exhibits, a music venue space/theater, a museum space, an environmental informational educational space, and a tourist information center.”

Paquin said she would “love to support a tribute to Hull icons like the water tower and roller coaster, as well as an artist space.”

Kernan agreed that “it is a good list of ideas and suggestions which broadened our thinking.”

On behalf of SOS Hull, Susan Vermilya proposed what the HRA agreed is a “much-needed” dog park; a study is currently under way to determine the best location for a park.

Resident Gisela Voss suggested that instead of spending the funds on a feasibility study, a pilot program for a dog park on the land near the gazebo or at the far end of the Hampton Circle Playground could be undertaken.

C. Anne Murray said in the meeting’s Zoom chat that as a former dog owner, she understands the need for such spaces, but suggested a “complete vetting of the pros and cons.”

Regarding Judeth Van Hamm’s proposal for solar rapid transit, HRA members said it was something that should be decided by the town.

“If the town supports rapid transit, then we would support it on our land,” said Paquin.

Van Hamm also proposed the idea of a Miyawaki forest, which involves determining the plant species native to a given area, improving the soil by mixing in organic material, and planting seedlings of native trees and plants.

Zaia found the idea of the Miyawaki forest “fascinating” and said it provided him with ideas he plans to incorporate into his own presentation. On Monday, Jan. 22, each member of the HRA will present their own ideas about what to include in the Urban Renewal Plan.

“We received a smorgasbord of ideas…we appreciate and will consider each one…whether you were called back or not,” said Zaia.

To review all of the citizen submissions for the HRA property, visit www.hra02045.com.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

‘Libraries are my kind of thing:’ New director shares plans to engage Hull’s reading public

By Carol Britton Meyer

Hull Public Library Director Brian DeFelice, who started in his new role on Nov. 20, brings his unique experiences in the library world and “a great deal of passion” to the position.

BOOK MAN. Hull Public Library Director Brian DeFelice started his new position last month.

“I’ve worked in public libraries full-time for many years – this year is my 20th – and I really love working in this setting, supporting literacy and getting the technology libraries offer and related skills out to the public,” the former assistant director of the Scituate Town  Library told The Hull Times.

“I’m happy to help out on a one-to-one basis any of our patrons who would like to learn more about eBooks, audiobooks, the Libby, Kanopy, and Hoopla apps, and the other services we offer, or who are in need of a little help with basic technology issues,” DeFelice said.

One of the reasons DeFelice was attracted to the Hull library is the beautiful historic building, proximity to the ocean, and the friendly and supportive staff and community.

“It has a welcoming feel while also offering the latest technology,” he said. “It’s a jewel of the community, with so much history.”

He also has fond memories of spending time at Nantasket Beach with his family when he was a boy.

“Hull has always been on my map,” he said.

DeFelice replaced Diane Costagliola, with whom he worked for a number of years at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy before she accepted the library director position in Hull. They continued to stay connected at professional conferences and as a friend of his family.

After Costagliola made the decision to leave Hull to become the library director in Sandwich, she encouraged DeFelice to apply.

“Diane always had nothing but great things to say about the Hull library and the community,” he said. “Her praise caught my attention and spurred me to stand up and say, ‘I would love to work there!’”

‘Best fit to lead Hull library forward’

Library Trustee Curt Miller, who served on the library director search committee with select board member Jason McCann and Town Manager Jennifer Constable, said that after holding interviews with each of the four “very qualified candidates” culled from more than a dozen applications, “the committee unanimously agreed that Brian is the best fit to lead the Hull library forward.”

With his skills, experience, and “warm personality, he demonstrated his ability to lead Hull’s superb library staff by encouraging professional growth and a commitment to outstanding service, to responsibly manage the library’s appropriated budget, to enhance the technology of the library through new hardware and software solutions,” Miller said, in addition to “improving digital literacy in the community, and to develop and sustain collaborative relationships with schools, local organizations, and other municipal departments – all of which precisely match what the committee was seeking in the next library director. We are thrilled to welcome him to Hull.”

DeFelice is looking forward to working with Constable and hearing her ideas for the library.

“I think I came here at a good time, and it’s a nice community,” he said.

He left his position as assistant library director of the Scituate library in November to accept the Hull position. DeFelice also served as information technology librarian for the Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood and as senior library assistant/information technology at the Thomas Crane library for nearly seven years after serving as interlibrary loan assistant.

DeFelice holds a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Southern New Hampshire University and a master’s of library and information science from San Jose State University. He has nearly completed a master’s in public administration from Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School.

He has also earned certificates in advanced leadership, strategic performance management, local government leadership and management, and professional librarianship from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

‘A unique perspective’

“I believe my background gives me a unique perspective on how the library can partner with other municipal departments and how it fits into the broader community,” he said.

In addition to his goal of helping patrons feel comfortable with the technology the library offers, DeFelice would like to start offering services outside of the building, such as pop-ups in areas such as the commuter boat dock, where people can check out books and learn about the services and programs the library offers.

“The library has also connected with the senior center and will be starting a book group there,” he said. “We’re also thinking of other ways to reach out to the community to get more people engaged with the library.”

As part of the effort to create more programming, DeFelice would like to find ways to attract more teenagers, especially since the high school is close by.

“We have programs for children and adults, and we’d like to see more teenage engagement and programming, which we plan to offer.”

DeFelice has always enjoyed reading, especially when he began working in libraries.

“I listen to a lot of audiobooks during my commute from Braintree, when I’m doing chores, or mowing the lawn,” he said. “I have two young kids, and my time is limited, so this is an opportunity to stay connected to reading. Audiobooks are a great alternative to physical books, and I would love to spread the word to others who enjoy reading.”

Books will continue to be the main attraction

That said, “Physical books will absolutely continue to have a major role,” DeFelice explained. “They are in my opinion still are, and always will be, the main attraction the library offers, as they should be. People can take out either physical or audio books, which increases literacy overall.”

In addition to the library’s mission of being a repository for historical and new materials, the Hull library also plans to add unique services and programs that patrons can learn from and be entertained by, according to DeFelice.

As he stated in his letter to the committee, “My experience working in Scituate gives me an understanding of the seasonal nature of Hull’s population and an understanding of Hull’s open town meeting form of government, a government structure Scituate shares. I am excited by the prospect of leading a talented team in a beautiful and historic building and creating an environment where every member of the community feels welcome and inspired.”

In his rare free time, he enjoys spending time with his 10-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son and his wife, Theresa, who works for the Thomas Crane library as head of information and outreach services.

“Libraries are kind of my thing!” he quipped. “I’m a lifelong learner, always trying to learn something new.”

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

‘Not evocative of Nantasket’ – Residents critique latest plans for Boardwalk site

By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

A standing-room-only crowd packed the meeting room at Hull High School Wednesday night and criticized the latest proposal to build a 40-foot-tall, 132-unit building at the Paragon Boardwalk property across from Nantasket Beach.

Residents told the planning board that they wanted to make sure that the “large-scale” development reflects the “unique character” of a seaside community while creating a welcoming entrance into town.

“It is not evocative of Nantasket; doesn’t feel like a New England beach design…the buildings are cold and sterile and could be anywhere,” said planning board member Jeanne Paquin, adding that the site is an important property because it serves as the “gateway” to town.

The Procopio Companies is seeking a special permit for the project, which would be called Paragon Dunes and include almost 7,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor of the building. The structure would contain 81 one-bedroom units, 44 two-bedrooms, six studios, and one three-bedroom unit, along with 177 parking spaces under the building and along the former railroad bed that runs behind the property.

Four months ago, the developer withdrew a request for a variance to build a 75-foot building at 183-197 Nantasket Ave. The Nantasket Beach Overlay District limits building heights to 40 feet.

---

Click below to read developer’s documents submitted to the planning board:

Project Narrative

Site plans and renderings of the proposed building (split into two files because of large file size): Pages 1 - 19 and Pages 20 - 43

Nantasket Beach Overlay District Application

Traffic Study and Appendix (two separate links/documents)

Stormwater Management Report

If you have any trouble with the above links, try clicking here.

---

This time, the developer’s special permit seeks approval of the mixed uses (required under the overlay district bylaw), permission to build the new building as close to the sidewalk as the current structure, and approval for a flat roof, which is allowed but “discouraged” under the bylaw.

Procopio Director of Development David Roache acknowledged that the standing-room-only attendance demonstrated the “obvious passion” the people of the town have for this project. He said his understanding of the “significance” of the property because “the majority of residents of Hull pass by this project every day.”

Roache outlined some of the goals of the project as “maintaining the commercial draw, continuing the regional draw, a walkable and pedestrian friendly, [and to] activate sidewalks, complement the beach, and create economic benefit for the community.”

Residents agreed that this stretch of Nantasket Avenue and George Washington Boulevard is passed by almost every citizen of the town each day, and creates the first impression for visitors. They urged Procopio to keep in mind the “legacy” the project will create.

Town Planner Chris DiIorio said he had to “express how important the site is in the bigger picture of Nantasket Beach because it acts as a center for the whole neighborhood…more attention needs to be paid to the back of the building because that is the first thing people see when coming into town.”

Paquin said driving into town on her way home she tried to envision the Paragon Dunes building and it did not just block the clock tower and the carousel nearby, it “dwarfed them.”

“The buildings will cast a shadow of darkness on the Art Walk, as well as the comfort station and carousel,” said Peter Joyce of Park Avenue.

Resident Suzy Cosgrove said the designs of the many historical buildings in Hull should be “celebrated and replicated” by new projects. She pointed out the architectural design of the library, Fort Revere Park, and Art Deco bathhouse are “great examples to take a look at and appreciate.”

The Design Review Board submitted comments to the planning board, building department, and the applicant regarding the project, based upon a review of the plans submitted to the building department on Oct. 10 and discussed at the DRB meeting on Oct. 19.

The key findings of the DRB were that the site lacks adequate public open space, parking is not reasonably functional or practical in “strip,” and building scale overshadows the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s comfort station and Paragon Carousel complex.

The DRB said the goal of the Procopio Companies should be “to create buildings specific to their context, architecturally significant, and respectful of the beach front location.” Members suggested the Procopio Companies “modify building massing adjacent to the comfort station to be more in keeping with scale or provide a greater buffer between existing buildings and new … highlight the tower building and carousel as significant architectural features at the entry to town.”

In addition to a private pool and two private courtyards, the Paragon Dunes proposal includes publicly accessible open space to comply with the NBOD requirements – two pocket parks facing Nantasket Avenue of 1,600 square feet and 2,500 square feet, as well as an open corridor that connects to the Art Walk that runs behind the site on land owned by the neighboring Horizons condominium complex.

Although in a letter to the planning board, dated Oct. 11, the Procopio said the project “achieves the underlying purpose of the NBOD to preserve and expand commercial uses in the NBOD,” a planning board member questioned that assertion.

“The purpose of the NBOD from day one was mixed use development; going from 60,000 square feet of commercial space to 7,000 square feet in this plan…and, to me, the building looks like an office building on 128,” said planning board member Harry Hibbard, adding that the project’s plan for commercial space directly contradicts the intent for the NBOD area.

“That is a non-starter for me; never get my vote…go back to the drawing board and do some work,” he said.

Dianne Acerra of Rockland Terrace said the design looks like it should be in Boston’s Seaport District, where “all the glass buildings look alike; we are not the Seaport.”

Jim Murphy of Park Avenue said when he comes into town, he thinks about the old roller coaster and suggested Procopio could have the heights of the buildings go up and down to simulate the dips and rises of the coaster.

Nancy Boyce, the newest member of the planning board, said she is “not pleased with the overall design, and there must be a lot of cooperation with the boards on what is created so you can be proud to say you were the developer…I know you can do it.”

Residents also expressed concern that parking is inadequate, but Adam Brodsky, the developer’s attorney, said the design complies with town regulations, with some parking under the building and in the former railroad bed property, which stretches behind the neighboring Horizons and Sunset Place condominiums to Rockland Circle.

“I don’t care if it conforms, we all know it is too little parking and won’t be enough for guests… just because we can doesn’t mean we should,” said C. Anne Murray of Summit Avenue.

“Happy to hear they are taking DRB (Design Review Board) comments to heart…I hope to improve on this; one slide showed more architectural elements I want to see,” added Hibbard.

Procopio’s Roache said “with good dialogue we can work together to get to a better project.”

The planning board hearing on the Paragon Dunes project’s special permit application was continued to Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Like what you’re reading? Stay informed with a Hull Times subscription by clicking here.

Do you have an opinion on this issue? Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.