Swampscott declines proposals for former middle school property

SWAMPSCOTT – The town will not accept either of the proposals submitted for the former middle school on Greenwood Avenue and deferred taking a vote on whether to sell the former Temple Israel property.In July, the Town Building Oversight Committee recommended looking at both properties before making a decision on whether to accept proposals that were submitted for the parcels.Tuesday evening, Town Building Oversight Committee Chairman Martin Grasso told the selectmen the committee recommends not accepting the bid for the former middle school because both responses to the most recent Request for Proposals (RFP) were less than what was hoped for. The proposal submitted by Stratford Capital Group, which has offices in Peabody and Virginia, offered $400,000 for the former school and it planned to invest a total of $12 million in the project, which would consist of rental housing for seniors.The other response for the former middle school was from GBJ Construction of East Boston, which offered $800,000 for the property. Grasso said the committee believes the property would command a higher price if the preservation restrictions were removed.The selectmen voted not to accept either bid for the Greenwood property at this time and this spring Town Meeting could be asked to vote to remove the preservation aspect of the project.The Town Building Oversight Committee also recommended the selectmen accept the proposal from the Hawthorne Partnership for the former Temple Israel property. The other bid for that property was from GVW Inc. of East Boston. Grasso said both responses for the former temple site were for senior living complexes but the proposal from Hawthorne Partnership would generate more revenue for the town in the long run because the developers were willing to negotiate Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT). Grasso said the Hawthorne assisted living facility would be aesthetically pleasing and low impact on the neighborhood.Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said he supports the recommendation of the committee.”I don’t want to see us hold onto the properties much longer, ” Maylor said. “I would like to see them on the tax rolls.”Selectman Matthew Strauss said because the Town Building Study Committee report was added to the Board of Selectmen agenda at the last moment, he would prefer not to vote on the former temple property immediately. The selectmen agreed to defer voting on whether to see that parcel until a future meeting.