Hull Redevelopment Authority History

The Hull Redevelopment Authority was created in 1961 via a Special Town Meeting to accept a charter from the Federal and State Government to redevelop the parcel of land that was deemed to be substandard, decadent or blighted open areas for industrial, commercial, business, residential, recreational, education, hospital, or other purposes. The initial funding arrived at the end of 1967 in the amount of $4.7 million to take, by eminent domain the 76 buildings on the property.

During the years since the HRA was formed, there have been multiple development opportunities that have not come to fruition. These include Consultants Inc. in 1979, A.J. Lane in 1989, and Nantasket Beachfront Condos in 2004.

The Hull Redevelopment Authority has completed the analysis, due diligence and evaluation in respect to the two developer proposals that have been submitted for the development of the HRA property between Water Street and the DCR parking lot along Hull Shore Drive Extension in respect to a 2018 RFP.

Based upon the proposals presented at two HRA meetings held at Hull High School, as well as subsequent meetings with both development groups, the HRA decided to not move forward with either proposal. Each proposal led to further questions that were not answered to the satisfaction of the HRA in the more constrained proposal process mandated by current law.

Now the HRA will be moving forward on the development of an Urban Renewal Plan through the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

Having an approved updated Urban Renewal Plan in place will allow the HRA greater flexibility to engage and interact with governmental agencies, potential developers, and others to achieve the objectives described in the approved Urban Renewal Plan. This Plan will reflect recent planning and other studies undertaken for this important area in town.

As the HRA Urban Renewal Plan is developed for review and approval by the DHCD the HRA will keep progress and update current on this site. Our public meeting schedule can be found on the website for the Town of Hull.

What is the goal of the HRA?

The Hull Redevelopment Authority’s goals are to create a sense of place in our community through development that provides tax revenue, open space recreation, job growth, improved business environment, event venues, and parking for Nantasket Beach within an effective and efficient traffic pattern for Hull citizens and visitors. In order to do so, we have established the following principles for our board:

• We will maintain public confidence and trust in the HRA via transparent communication.

• We will recognize the value and intention of citizens who offer feedback, both positive and critical.

• We will communicate board meeting minutes and news with clarity and in a timely manner.

Click here to learn how the HRA is defined under MA general law.

The HRA board meetings are open to the public and are held on a monthly basis.  

Meet Our Members

Dennis Zaia - Chair - Term Expires 2029

Dennis Zaia has been a resident of Hull since 1976. He most recently served as President of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Paragon Carousel and prior to that he served as President of the Hull-Nantasket Beach Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the Advisory Board, The Parking Study Committee and the very first Beach Management Committee. He is actively involved with the Hull Lifesaving Museum in the Adult Rowing Program and the Nantasket Hull Rotary Club.

Daniel Kernan - Vice-Chair - Term Expires 2028

Dan Kernan may be known in Hull's Hampton Circle neighborhood for hosting the annual Easter egg hunt for 28 years running. Originally from northern California, Dan started working in city planning. He holds a BS degree in Natural Resource Engineering, focused in ground water modeling. He has decades of software development experience starting with simulation models, AI/knowledge engineering, and programing tools, and best selling desktop applications, and served as Head of Program Management and VP of Content, Market Data, and Online Service for Fidelity.com. Dan directly and indirectly managed hundreds of employees and tens of millions in budgets, making him comfortable balancing conflicting needs from various stakeholders. Now retired, Dan keeps his mind sharp by teaching high school math.

Bartley Kelly - Treasurer - Term Expires 2027

Bartley Kelly is a lifelong resident of the Town of Hull, he grew up in the Atlantic Hill/ Gun Rock area and is a graduate of The Hull Public School system. He has operated businesses and completed some rehab/developments in Hull. He has been an elected member of The Hull Redevelopment Authority since 1992. He is an employee of the Town of Hull working as the Building Commissioner. He is a member of The Green Hill Improvement Association and former President. Bartley lives in Hull with his wife Tracey and two children.

Adrienne Paquin - Clerk - Term Expires 2026

Adrienne Paquin is a Hull native who attended Hull Public Schools, the South Shore Charter School and Notre Dame Academy before UMass Amherst (BA) and Columbia University (MFA). She is an actor, singer and software engineer, as well as a proud union member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association. This is her first time serving as an elected official.

Joan Senatore – Governor Appointed Member – Term Expires 2025

Joan Senatore has been a resident of Hull since 1980. Joan holds a BS (business) and MBA degrees and is a certified fraud examiner and certified in health care compliance. In addition, she is a licensed attorney. Joan served years ago on the Advisory Board. Joan has spent her entire career as a public servant working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She currently works for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.