The Hampton Zoning Board unanimously passed Thursday the newest proposal for a multi-story contel project for Hampton Beach's A Block as part of a meeting that differed greatly from past discussions about the lot.
Controversy and public criticism had peppered meetings about the last two projects — the first of which was 100 feet tall, while the second was 89 — pitched for the burned-down lots between A Street and Mrs. Mitchell's along Ocean Boulevard.
Thursday night went "substantially quicker" and "pretty smooth," though, as board members took only about half an hour to approve Green and Company's scaled-back version of their proposal, which is now a five-story, 59-foot-tall contel that only occupies the former Surf Hotel lot, according to Bryan Provencal, vice chairman of the zoning board.
"The board felt it was a better project than anything previously put forth by the group," said Provencal, who added that Hampton Beach is "absolutely" better off with the new proposal than the previous ones because developers used the criticisms to find a better way to bring new construction that fits with the character and vision of the area.
The maximum height of the living space of the new, 36-single-bedroom-unit contel is 59 feet, while the actual top of the structure's architectural features an non-livable space is 69 feet, according to Provencal.
The maximum height of the living space is smaller than the recently-approved development for the former site of the Aegean Motel and the Shirley Inn, and Provencal said the proposal approved Thursday "looks like a miniature version" of the Sea Spray Condominiums between J and K streets.
No residents spoke out against the project Thursday night, which Provencal and other board members took as a sign that the community supports the proposal, unlike other A Block designs.
Green and Company's Michael Green previously told town officials that a building shorter than their eight-story proposal wouldn't work from an economic standpoint for the three-lot site they targeted on A Block, in part because of the cost to acquire all of those parcels of land.
The plan approved Thursday is substantially different, though, because the Happy Hampton lot abutting A Street isn't included in the proposal and won't be altered — at least directly — by the contel's construction. Provencal said that, in theory, the new project would cost less, allowing the developers the financial ability to seek a smaller building.
"There were other parties involved in [the original] project that didn't come back," said Provencal. "This is a different project.
"With the amount of land mass that they have, I would say yes [it could be profitable]... I don't know what it was assessed at, but what they're paying for it is different. To pick up all of the other properties, it was substantially more money."
Green and Company couldn't be reached for comment.
Green and Company did seek a motion Thursday night for a rehearing of their 89-foot-tall proposal's rejection, the variance petition for which was separate from the one for the 59-foot-tall building.
Provencal said his board was originally going to continue the new project to a different meeting because of the motion for rehearing, but the developers withdrew that motion Thursday to allow the board to vote on the new project.
Provencal said he hopes the construction of the 59-foot-tall contel will inspire more growth and new proposals on Hampton Beach.
"This is going to fix a hole in the beach, but there's still going to be a lot on the corner of A Street that will be undeveloped," said Provencal, who said he hasn't heard any plans about development of that unused, vacant site. "They haven't turned it into a parking lot yet, and it's been quite a few years [since the 2010 fire that wiped out the block]. Perhaps that lot will be turned into a parking lot [or something else] in the next couple of years."
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