Town and school officials discussed a wide range of possibilities for the future of the former Clarke School building, acknowledging significant uncertainty and competing needs as they weigh both short-term and long-term uses for the property.

The building ceased operating as an elementary school at the end of the 2023–24 school year, following the consolidation of the town’s three elementary schools into a single facility. The Clarke School is currently under the control of the School Department. The conversation emerged late in a joint meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, School Committee and Capital Improvement Committee on November 13.

The Clarke School has also been the center of discussions in front of the Select Board and School Committee, as the Recreation Department, long without a permanent home, was approved for a one-year memorandum to use the building to expand programming for children and adults. The department’s programming at the former school begins on Tuesday, November 18.

“They were offering things at locations such as Mexicali Grill, because they didn’t have dedicated space, so they now have that,” Select Board Member Danielle Leonard said, adding that the department has launched “no fewer than 20 different programs for just the month of December.”

The Senior Center, which has repeatedly said it is “bursting at the seams,” can also use the Clarke School for overflow space, officials said. That increased activity, Leonard noted, will help determine whether the building can sustain long-term operations.

“This exercise is a very valuable one,” Leonard said. “It will be very telling to see if it can sustain what’s currently happening there and whether or not that fits into what we want it to be long-term.”

The long-term plan, however, is far from settled. Officials debated whether the Clarke School should become a town department swing space, a community center, affordable housing or redeveloped by outside partners. Some raised concerns about feasibility.

“I imagine that to convert a school into a residential facility is going to be beyond our means,” School Committee Chair Amy OConnor said. 

OConnor emphasized that the School Department “doesn’t have the bandwidth, the expertise, to be landlords,” suggesting that turning the property over to the town may be necessary. 

“I think you vote to give it to the town. I think that’s how these prior buildings have come to us,” Leonard said, talking about properties like the former Hadley School which is in the works to become a boutique hotel.

In terms of housing, Swampscott Housing Authority Vice Chair Charlie Patsios has called for the building to be used as a mixed space, particularly with affordable housing units. This could also help the town qualify for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing status, making reimbursements for affordable housing units increase by roughly three and a half times.

Officials at the November 13 meeting also acknowledged the need for external partnerships if housing were pursued.

“I would argue that we would need help from the state,” OConnor said. 

Some warned, though, of lost opportunities if the building were rented out to outside groups rather than used for town needs.

“I’d much rather see Swampscott residents putting it to valuable use than having to go outside,” Leonard said.

While no official decision was made on at the November 13 meeting, officials did stress that this is just the beginning of the process.

“This is a very interesting experiment,” Leonard said. “This is just the beginning of the conversation, I’m sure we will get far more intrigue and hopefully more ideas to add to the list, but this is just what has come up thus far.”