Planning Board hearing on Paragon Dunes special permit set for Dec. 6
By Christopher Haraden
The latest plans to build a multi-story, mixed-use development on the Paragon Boardwalk site will be the subject of an upcoming planning board hearing.
ALONG THE BOULEVARD. The proposed four-story Paragon Dunes project features three floors of residential units above retail and parking at ground level. This rendering shows what the building would look like along George Washington Boulevard [the Paragon Carousel and DCR building are shown in the distance].
On Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m., the board will consider The Procopio Companies’ proposal for a 40-foot-tall, 132-unit building on the property, which stretches from the miniature golf course south to the now-closed Dalat restaurant at 181 Nantasket Ave. Because of the expected attendance – a previous meeting on Oct. 19 with the Design Review Board was standing-room-only at town hall – next month’s hearing will be held at Hull High School.
Procopio’s plans for the Paragon Dunes include almost 7,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor of the building, which 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. Parking for the commercial units in the development would use existing street parking, according to the application.
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:
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)
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 permissible but “discouraged” under the bylaw.
According to the special permit application, the developer has “incorporated design features that minimize the box shape of the building,” namely, a step-back of the top floor by 10 feet and “inset balconies” along George Washington Boulevard.
The project submissions, available for public inspection at town hall and on the planning board’s page on the town’s website – as well as on hulltimes.com – include a traffic study conducted by Boston Traffic Data, with vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle counts conducted on two days more than a year ago – Thursday, October 27, 2022 and Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, although the report indicates that the counts were adjusted to reflect estimated volumes during the summer.
The traffic study concluded that “the proposed redevelopment is estimated to generate approximately 114 new vehicle trips (48 entering vehicles and 66 exiting vehicles) during the weekday morning peak hour, 88 new vehicle trips during the weekday afternoon peak hour (57 entering vehicles and 31 exiting vehicles), and 97 new vehicle trips during the Saturday midday peak hour (50 entering vehicles and 47 exiting vehicles).”
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.
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