Portsmouth Herald
Oct. 16, 2025, 5:10 a.m. ET
- The landmark Hampton Beach restaurant Ron’s Landing is set to be demolished by the end of the year.
- Developer Louis P. Minicucci Jr. plans to replace the restaurant with 13 luxury condominium units.
- The new development will consist of two buildings with units priced between $1.5 million and $2.5 million.
- Construction is expected to be completed by spring 2027 after receiving necessary town and state approvals.
HAMPTON — The longtime local landmark Ron’s Landing is set to be demolished by year’s end, according to a developer, who plans to replace it with 13 condominium units across two buildings.
The project is being spearheaded by Louis P. Minicucci Jr., who boasts over 50 years of experience in the real estate industry. A resident of North Hampton, he said he first began conceptualizing the development three years ago.
“I drive by this building every day, and I saw this as a really good opportunity to upgrade an area that was really underutilized,” Minicucci said.
“It also had a phenomenal, in my opinion, fantastic location on the beach. It’s right on the oceanfront,” he added.
Ron’s Landing, one of Hampton’s few white tablecloth restaurants, offered high-end food and service at 379 Ocean Blvd. for decades. Its former owner, Bob Boucher, shuttered the establishment in 2022, citing his decision to retire.
The site on which the building sits, as well as its adjacent parking lot, will soon be home to two condominium buildings. The first will offer 10 three-bedroom, three-bathroom units spanning five stories. The second will see three four-bedroom, four-bathroom units across three stories. Each will have covered parking on the ground level. More: Hampton Beach Casino redevelopment draws pushback from North Hampton police chief
Condos move forward after restaurateurs bow out
Realtors initially pitched the property to several high-profile restaurateurs in hopes of keeping Ron’s Landing a dining destination, according to Jim Giampa, principal broker at Carey and Giampa. But with the building at the end of its useful life, Giampa said the extensive renovations required ultimately prevented a sale.
“I would have loved to see a restaurant go in, but financially, it made zero sense,” said Giampa, who had been a frequent diner at Ron’s Landing.
Other challenges included managing a right-of-way to an existing hotel parking lot. It took “someone with Lou’s experience” to make the development work, said Nick Ponte, a managing broker at Carey and Giampa.
Minicucci said his vision for the development was one that would capitalize on the expansive beach and marsh views.
“Our vision is a little bit more contemporary, something that you would see in other coastal communities,” he said.
To this end, the units will have large glass windows, with current plans tucking staircases away into the buildings’ interiors to allow for unobstructed views. The elevators, he added, would open right into the apartments.
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“The beauty is, they’re all end units, so it’s sunshine, front and back,” Giampa said. More: Hampton launches design charrette to shape future of town center
Luxury condos projected to be completed by spring 2027
After two years of obtaining permits and permissions from the town and the state, Minicucci said the sale of the property will close in a few weeks.
Town approvals included hearings before the Zoning Board, which granted several variances for the five-story building in October 2024. These included exceptions to square footage, height and beach shadowing ordinances. The three-story building can be built without variances.
The town’s Planning Board granted site plan approval in May, following which several state offices, including the Department of Environmental Services and the Department of Transportation, began reviewing the project.
In about a month, Minicucci said, he will submit final plans, including technical drawings, to the town, after which a demolition permit can be obtained, and construction can begin.
According to his early estimates, the condominiums will be completed by spring 2027.
Realtors have already begun accepting refundable $1,000 deposits for the units. Ponte said the majority of interest has come from existing Hampton residents.
Currently, the units are listed between $1,499,000 and $2,500,000. Those interested can reach out to Carey and Giampa Realtors and submit an interest form.More: Runnymede Farm reopens in North Hampton with new owners and fresh vision
Hampton says goodbye to longtime fixture at Hampton Beach
Ron’s Landing served its last dinner in early May 2022. Boucher, at the time, said it would feel “odd” ending his decades-long routine of greeting guests for dinner.
The restaurant earned a name for itself as Hampton Beach’s destination for high-quality surf-and-turf dining, complete with valet service and live music on occasion in its upstairs lounge.
“So many of our customers have become friends,” Boucher said at the time of his restaurant’s closure. “I’m very thankful for the trust they’ve placed in me and the opportunity they’ve allowed me to have to do this for 26 years, because I absolutely love my job.”