A Request for Proposal (RFP) has been issued to find a lessee for the former Hawthorne-by-the-Sea restaurant property.
The RFP was posted on the town’s website following Monday’s Town Meeting vote, which approved the Select Board’s plan to lease the property while broader redevelopment discussions continue. The Athanas family announced the restaurant’s closure last month. The short-term lease is intended to prevent the building from sitting vacant as long-range plans take shape.
“Thank you to all of the Town Meeting Members for having the faith in us to pass Article No. 10,” said Select Board Member Danielle Leonard at Wednesday’s meeting. “That was a real – I think – leap of faith for a lot of people, and I’m glad that they can understand we’re united in what we think is best.”
Town Meeting approved an RFP allowing for a lease of up to 30 months. At Monday’s town-wide meeting, Town Administrator Nick Connors said the additional time will help offset costs for utilities, insurance, and debt, adding that no town capital would be spent.
Not everyone supported the plan. Chair Brian Watson said the Hawthorne Re-use Advisory Committee opposed the proposal because it “is not financially responsible, nor is it financially realistic.”
Several attendees also urged the town to begin redevelopment immediately rather than delay further.
The Advisory Committee recently finalized its recommendation for a mixed-use and half-parkland concept. The plan envisions two rows of buildings totaling about 25,000 square feet if built at two stories, positioned perpendicular to the road with a 40-foot opening to preserve views into the courtyard and open space. The model includes roughly 28 parking spaces.
Connors, however, argued that even if Article No. 10 had failed, the town would not have been able to “immediately move to action” due to required processes.
In a letter to Town Meeting Members ahead of Monday’s vote, the Select Board, which unanimously supported the article, wrote that the extension would “limit carrying costs and protect a key community asset while long-term planning continues.”
The additional time also allows the town to continue negotiations with the Archdiocese of Boston about potentially purchasing the adjacent parking lot owned by St. John’s Church.
“We’ve noted what the comments have been, and we will be as collaborative as we can for the community,” Leonard said.
The RFP will close on Friday, January 16. Connors said at the December 3 Select Board meeting that a coordinated site visit will be scheduled “so everyone who is interested in responding can come at once.”
After the RFP closes, a public bid review will be conducted. Connors said finalists will present their plans “if that is appropriate based on the responses that we get.”
A review committee and town staff will prepare a recommendation later in January, with plans expected to go before the Select Board by early February.
