The Community Life Center Feasibility Study Task Force heard more developed plans from Abacus Architecture and Planners, which highlighted four potential locations around Swampscott.

“We’ve looked at a number of different sites and focused on four that seemed appropriate,” said David Eisen, principal at Abacus Architects and Planners.

More than 700 Swampscott residents have completed a survey distributed by the task force in May to gauge interest in the project. The survey asked residents what amenities, features and programming they would like to see at the facility. The different options would be presented at a future public meeting.

Popular survey responses included classes and lectures, outdoor walking paths, a café or snack bar, yoga classes and concerts.

“It was a pretty big range of flexible spaces,” Eisen said. “We’ve tried to be realistic about what is needed…All of these sites are viable. None is more expensive than another.”

Eisen said the space would need “somewhere under 30,000 square feet,” with a space for a Senior Center.

The Middle School

“There is likely to be work that’s done there,” Eisen said. “It seems as is this is an appropriate space to consider a community life center”

For the middle school site, Eisen said the community life center could be located on the roof of the existing school, in the parking lot area, or on the playing fields behind the school.

“The point is light and bright and open,” Eisen said. “There’s a middle school, there’s a street, but there’s still space to use green space from the inside out and from the outside in.”

Hawthorne-by-the-Sea

Eisen presented a two-floor, multipurpose space with a gymnasium, kitchen and office. The second floor was shown as smaller than the first. There would be green space around the building, and Eisen said about 40 existing parking spots could be used on the side.

“It is right on Humphrey Street, a very prominent location,” Eisen said. “The building is relatively compacted…Unlike the current situation with the restaurant, it allows people to go right to the waterfront.” 

Blocksidge Field

The proposal has the community life center adjacent to the playing fields, near the parking lot. There would be a gymnasium, multi-purpose rooms, an office and a kitchen.

“We understand this is used. It’s not just an empty lot, but a community life center with its activities will complement what’s already there,” Eisen said.

The Former Clarke Elementary School

Eisen called this an interesting site with how it is below Norfolk Street. He noted that using old elementary school spaces is “non-economical,” as he believes the overall building would still need to be torn down.

“How can we make this fun and useable and affordable are the questions,” Eisen said.

The park would remain, and the space would have a multi-purpose room, restrooms and over 40 spaces of parking. The proposal has multiple floors, with a terrace.