The Select Board voted 3-2 to conditionally support applying for Community Preservation funding to acquire the St. John’s parking lot, though the board has yet to decide whether to pursue the purchase.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Select Board members debated whether to pursue funding for the St. John’s parking lot, which is adjacent to the former Hawthorne-by-the-Sea restaurant property. The property has been the subject of debate among town officials and residents since Town Meeting Members voted to acquire the Hawthorne-by-the-Sea property in 2022. The Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts is currently a short-term lease.

The vote on Wednesday authorized the board to conditionally pursue an application to the Community Preservation Committee ahead of the Friday, October 9 deadline. Moving forward with the application depends on whether the board ultimately supports acquiring the property, an issue discussed later Wednesday in executive session.

The Swampscott Tides contacted Select Board Chair Katie Phelan and Town Administrator Nick Connors for clarification and an update on the application process.

Select Board Vice Chair Danielle Leonard told the Swampscott Tides she believes the town is moving forward with the application.

“I feel like there are very many worthwhile projects that CPC could consider in the acquisition of St. John’s. Parking lot is not one of them in my opinion,” Leonard said. “I think we should be more focused on doing something with the actual Hawthorne site, including a park as part of that site. We do not need to spend millions of dollars to acquire more space that we do not have a plan for. We already know that part of the Hawthorne site should be green space.”

The Select Board has held multiple executive sessions to discuss the “purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property” for the parcel at 187 Humphrey Street. 

The Hawthorne Re-use Advisory Committee did explore what a two-parcel redevelopment plan could look like, noting that the “interesting thing is that the park you get from a double lot site is almost double what you’d get at a single lot site when it’s just half the site,” as Chair Brian Watson said.

During Wednesday’s Select Board meeting, Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher noted that the board has “had conversations since 2023 with the monsignor” about the property.

“We do have ideas on cost,” Fletcher said. “We do have ideas on what they’re looking for.”

The town’s GIS assessment portal lists the property at a $2.5 million total assessed land value. The town, however, has not shared what it expects to pay for the parcel.

Leonard called it “similar to a blank check of saying ‘yes, absolutely, we’re going for it.’” She argued that the board lacks sufficient information to commit to pursuing the purchase.

“I am not comfortable with that without knowing what we’re talking about in terms of actual space and number,” Leonard said. “The potential acquisition of this space does not happen in a vacuum. It happens with the parcel next to it that we still have no idea what we’re doing with.”

Fletcher, who called the application a “no-brainer,” suggested the acquisition could be financed year-to-year through the community preservation funding.

“I do think based on some of the parameters that have been discussed, we can easily purchase this property if we are authorized with that type of funding and it would not cost any additional funds for taxpayers,” Fletcher said.

Community preservation funding – and the approval to purchase the parcel – would both be determined by Town Meeting votes. The community preservation funding suggestions that go to the meeting are suggested by the Community Preservation Committee, not the Select Board.

The Select Board’s motion to conditionally approve a community preservation fund application was passed 3-2 with Leonard and Select Board Chair Katie Phelan voting against.

The board also voted to apply for community preservation funding for Town Hall renovations.

What’s Going On With The Property?

At a Special Town Meeting in June 2022, voters overwhelmingly approved acquiring several properties, including the Hawthorne parcel and the Archer Street project. The article authorized the Select Board to acquire 149–169 Humphrey Street by gift, purchase, or eminent domain for municipal use, passing 214–3.

A community brainstorming session in January 2023 identified public community space as the top priority, with strong support for open space and green areas. Multi-use space ranked second, while “iconic” concepts were dominated by open-space ideas.

A town survey presented at the April 3, 2024 Select Board meeting found that residents viewed a public park and open space as the most important use of the property. Waterfront access was considered important, while revenue generation was less important and off-street public parking “not important.”

A preliminary design for a glass-encased Swampscott Public Library was unveiled in April 2024. The initial estimated cost of the preliminary design was around $30 million, according to what former Select Board Member Peter Spellios said at the time.

The plan was met with strong opposition from residents, many of whom said at the time that they felt blindsided by the proposal, and the plan was considered a dead end after a public forum in May 2024.

The Select Board created the Hawthorne Re-Use Advisory Committee in February 2025 to develop guidelines and gather community feedback before making recommendations.

At two community meetings, residents emphasized creating “a place to go,” prioritizing pedestrians, and addressing the short lifespans of businesses on Humphrey Street. Other ideas included community spaces for food courts, cafés, artisans, and events.

The committee recently agreed to present Plan G1 to the Select Board. The plan features two rows of buildings, totaling around 25,000 square feet if two stories, set perpendicular to the road with a 40-foot opening to maintain views into the courtyard and open-space area. The model includes roughly 28 parking spaces.

A few weeks prior to the Hawthorne Re-Use Advisory Committee’s presentation, Town Administrator Nick Connors informed the Select Board on November 6 that he had learned of the Athanas family’s decision to vacate on October 23, discovering that some of their personal items were being auctioned that same weekend. The Athanases said the property was sold three years ago and that they are “ready to move on” as the town advances its plans.

This in turn led to the Town Meeting discussion. Article No. 10 authorized the Select Board to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) during the interim planning period.

“Article No. 10 gives us the time and flexibility to keep this landmark protected, active and productive while we finish that work together,” Connors said, adding that by keeping the Hawthorne restaurant open it allows for a “dual-track” approach through  short-term activation and long-term redevelopment. “It’s both fiscally responsible and community driven, ensuring that we generate value rather than costs while we continue forward with this plan.”

Select Board Chair Katie Phelan emphasized that the short-term solution is not a replacement for long-term planning but is meant to “run tandem.”

The Swampscott Center for Performing Arts was awarded the RFP, and the Select Board has now agreed to liquor, entertainment and victualler licenses for the center.

The Select Board has been discussing in meetings ideas for the long-term RFP. The board voted 3-2 to oppose residential development at the Hawthorne property, a move that could exclude housing from the site. 

Meanwhile, the town is also exploring the potential purchase of the adjacent St. John’s Church parking lot, which officials say could “unlock the full potential of the site” by enabling a balanced plan that includes green space, parking, and revenue-generating redevelopment.

Updated October 9 at 2:45 p.m. with information from Danielle Leonard.