Demolition of the former Atlantic Aquarium at the foot of Atlantic Hill in Hull, Mass., currently is under way and construction of the 21-unit residential building that will replace it is moving forward, the Hull Times reported Oct. 5.
The developer expects a building permit to soon be granted for the project.
Contractors began demolishing the 51-year-old concrete-block building in the small coastal town, located on a peninsula at the southern edge of Boston Harbor, from the inside out.
Jonathan Leavitt, a principal of 120 Nantasket Ave LLC, said there has been a lot of work in the ground already, such as breaking the slab floor in the basement, bringing it to the surface to crush it, before putting it back in the hole to bring the level of the basement higher.
"The demo is under way even though the walls are not collapsed in yet," the Brookline architect and developer told the Hull news source. "The roof has been removed and a geotech engineer examined the soil to be sure it can accept footings."
Leavitt said that the plan to completely raze the existing structure and build a new one over the old foundation was "complicated," while adding, "Normally we knock down the existing building and build new."
On Sept. 27, the planning board in Hull approved a definitive subdivision plan for the development, which Leavitt described as "protecting the property from any adverse bylaw impacts."
Filing a subdivision plan does not fundamentally change the property's layout, but locks in current zoning for eight years, noted Leavitt's attorney, Adam J. Brodsky.
The property's units will be rented or sold at market rate, and because of the zoning freeze, none of the units are required to be designated as affordable, he said.
Brodsky also addressed the planning board's previously voiced concerns about the project not going forward by assuring Hull officials that the new building will be constructed.
"The developer has arranged with the [Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, or DCR] for a construction easement," he explained.
Fencing for the construction project has been installed on the DCR-controlled sidewalk in front of the building, according to the Times.
Leavitt noted that the owners also are answering questions posed by Hull's municipal building department regarding the building permit.
"An extensive analysis for energy consumption is required, and we are finalizing the energy model for certain criteria," he said. "We are set to meet all required criteria."
New Structure to Sport Unique Windblown Design
A complete construction schedule is being worked out between the contractor and 120 Nantasket Avenue LLC, added Leavitt, who noted that typically he "would expect the build to take one and half years. Whether it will take longer or shorter, I do not know. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle."
The new residential structure will include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, with a parking garage on the ground level. The plans also include an outdoor swimming pool and deck.
"The building is not a cookie-cutter design," he said. "There are terrace effects with balconies providing Hull with a premier entrance to the town."
Additionally, the facade of the building will feature glass walls facing the Atlantic Ocean, with each story receding backward, to create the effect of "rippling flags or sails." The rooftop also can accept solar panels if an owner wants them.
"There is a lot of privacy and views from each unit," Leavitt told the Hull news site, adding, "You see the beachgoers, the sand and the ocean. It faces west, so you see the sunset as well, and the city of Boston is also in the distance."
He added he is "not pushing to presell" and would like to have the building completed before any units are sold.
The developer pointed out that recessions usually last eight to 18 months, so that if one is in the near future, "we will probably be out by the time the [building's construction] is completed."
However, he also acknowledged "anything can happen — look at COVID."
"The project is coming at a time when Hull is being discovered more," Leavitt continued. "I have found there is increasing interest in living and retiring in Hull."
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