North Beach development: Restaurant, retail, condos to replace charred remains in Hampton
HAMPTON — The burnt building at the corner of High Street and Ocean Boulevard could be replaced with a new five-story structure with retail space, a restaurant and seaside residential units.
The single-story building at 931 Ocean Blvd. once housed Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co., North Beach Bar and Grill and the Secret Spot, which served smoothies, snacks and acai bowls. A fire in August 2022 destroyed the building, and now its owners, Barn Realty Inc., have filed with the town Zoning Board to construct a new building on the oceanfront parcel.
The project would have a total of four retail spaces, as well as a restaurant, according to plans filed with the town Building Department. It would feature six residential units with decks.
Barn Realty is seeking five variances, three of which pertain to parking and the other two for height and density. The proposed building is 7 feet and 6 inches higher than the allowed 50 feet height. Units in the Business Seasonal Zone must be at least 2,500 square feet, while the application is proposing 2,021.
The zone requires two parking spaces per residential unit and some parking for retail and restaurant use. The project features 1.5 spaces for each residential unit and none for its other uses. The property is located near the town's municipal parking lot and the New Hampshire State Parks parking lot.
The project is scheduled to go before the Zoning Board June 20. Given the previous use of the land for a restaurant and retail spots, the owners argued in their filing that granting the variances would result in the most appropriate use of the land.
“The removal of the existing charred facilities on the property and the construction of a new state-of-the-art building will benefit the value of the surrounding properties,” Barn Realty’s application states.
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New 5-story building would replace existing structure
The building that burned is described in Barn Realty’s filing as a one-story multi-tenant commercial condominium building built circa 1970, according to the filing. The owners say it’s a roughly triangular-shaped parcel with no driveway or parking areas. The filing describes the property as an “unsightly older one-story multi-tenant building that is in poor condition.”
The new structure will feature three commercial spaces on the first floor, while the second story will feature another retail space and a restaurant, according to the Zoning Board documents. The third, fourth and fifth floors will consist of two three-bedroom residential units.
The filing states the project would not hurt the views of the surrounding properties. It says three developments already have obstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean by the existing property– Ocean Crest Condominiums, Bailey’s Beach Resort, and the inn 935 Ocean. The filing states all other properties nearby would not have their views obstructed by the new construction.
They said the building’s height makes it less obstructive.
“The fact that the subject’s building will be a 5-story building, while it will be taller than a three or a four-story building, will likely not be creating any more of an obstruction of the ocean views for these nearby developments,” the filing states.
The construction would feature a newly paved access way off of High Street to get to the rear of the building for parking, delivery and common areas. The current setup, which lacks an on-site driveway or parking area, causes delivery vehicles to drive and park in areas that are on abutting properties. The new construction would eliminate that unauthorized use and “enhance the desirability” of those neighboring properties.
“It is concluded that the subject’s proposed use for a five-story, mixed-use building would do nothing but enhance the subject’s neighborhood,” the filing states, “And result in being a net positive for the surrounding developments.”
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Former tenants eager for opportunity to return to 931 Ocean Blvd.
Some of those who ran businesses in the destroyed building say they are hoping to return as a tenant if the project is approved and construction takes place. Cinnamon Rainbows and the Secret Spot are both working in spaces they have described as temporary since the fire.
Jon Gozzo, who owns the Secret Spot, is reopening his acai and smoothie shop 80 yards west of the property by the end of June. He said he may need to keep both shops open if he gets a chance to return to that shop, but he believes that is Secret Spot’s true home.
“If they are putting retail down below and there’s a space for me, then yeah, I would love to be back on that corner,” Gozzo said.
Heather Day, who with longtime Hampton surfer Dave Cropper owns Cinnamon Rainbows, said they have enjoyed their space on Route 1 in North Hampton since moving there last year. Rentals and lessons are more difficult far from the beach, however. She said they intend to come back to the beach if a new building with retail goes up.
Day said community members and customers are also looking forward to the burnt building being replaced as a benefit to the neighborhood.
“We belong at the beach, and I know our customers and people in the town are really excited for the eyesore to come down,” Day said. “Everybody is chomping at the bit.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New restaurant, retail, condos eyed at 931 Ocean Blvd. at North Beach
