Common Ground Scarce In Cap'n Jack's Talks

Historical Commission members and developers clashed on occasion, explained their motivations to each other and found little common ground during demolition delay talks Wednesday at Town Hall. 

In the end, developers Bruce Paradise and Barry Turkanis said they would entertain an offer if the commission finds a buyer for the properties.

The developers even proposed that the commission drop their delay in three months if they fail to find a buyer for the property at a predetermined price.

The commission members said towards the end of the meeting that they would consider their options. One of those options is to try to find a buyer for the properties. 

They did not say what their other options are.

The developers said they plan to move ahead with their purchase of the three Cap'n Jack's Inn buildings on Humphrey Street, demolish the buildings and build a single structure, about 160 feet long, with 15 condos.

The developers have a purchase and sales agreement to buy the property from inn owner Dave Rooney. The purchase price was not disclosed at the meeting.

Paradise and Turkanis have completed reviews for their condo project with the town Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission.

They will receive a building permit to start construction after they fulfill the town's demolition delay bylaw requirement.

That requirement prohibits the developers from demolishing the three structures for up to nine months, during which time the Historical Commission can try to hammer out an agreement with the developers. 

On Wednesday commission member Richard Smith presented photographs of old buildings on Humphrey Street and said the three existing Cap'n Jack's buildings are consistent with the street's historical character.

Others on the commission said the main inn was the final link to the town's summer resort history.

Smith said the new Concordia building that the developers are proposing is out of scale with any structure in that area and will wall off ocean views.

Paradise and Turkanis responded that there are no ocean views as it now stands. Ocean views between the buildings are obscured by bushes and fences, they said.

The new building, on the other hand, will provide 25 to 28 feet of ocean views at both ends of the building, Paradise said.

The two sides disagreed whether the ocean was now visible from across the street.

"It's right there, it's right there," commission member Susan Munafo said, pointing to a photograph on the table.

The developers said the scene revealed sky not ocean.

Commission members said they will take a second look at the corridors but the panel is charged with protecting the historical character of the buildings and street not just ocean views.

Meanwhile, on the delay topic, the developers said they would much rather start their construction sooner than later, preferring to start during winter when there's much less activity around the site.

If they are forced to start in summer, people can complain to the commission, Turkanis said.

Commission members maintian that the developers knew all long that the town had a demolition delay bylaw on the books.

Time appears to be the only leverage the commission has in achieving their goals.

The commission's three goals are to preserve the historical character of that portion of Humphrey Street, preserve the buildings' historical value and preserve ocean views.

Commission members said at their meeting the night before, Tuesday, that their main goal is to preserve the historical feel and architectural rhythm of Humphrey Street.

The rubber met the road Wednesday when Commission member Merry Glosband asked the developers if there was a chance, a snowball's chance in hell, that they could preserve the main Cap'n Jack's Inn building, built in 1835.

Both developers said no.

"We would lose money," Turkanis said.

For them to come up with a new design that preserves the main building and get it approved would require them to return to the ZBA, to start over the review process.

That would be risky and expensive, and they can't walk away from the project after they have already made a significant investment, the developers said.

"The horse is out of the barn," Turkanis said on two occasions Wednesday.

Furthermore, they said they considered all the building options before they designed the Concordia project.

Commission member Sylivia Belkin asked the developers if they really thought the Concordia was in the best interest of the whole town

Turkanis said yes. He said that's what he hears from people all over town.

Belkin said she has heard otherwise.