Swampscott development delayed for nine months

SWAMPSCOTT – Two hours of heated deliberations by opposing sides of the project called Fisherman?s Watch led to a unanimous vote by the Swampscott Historical Commission to delay the demolition of the former high school and middle school building on Greenwood Avenue for up to nine months.Commission Chair Susan Post Munafo said the purpose of the delay was to discuss possible preservation methods to keep at least some of the building intact. “This has been an iconic building,” she said. “It?s not just architecturally significant.”Developers argued that there was limited significance left to the building, and to preserve it would be at a cost much higher than their already approved proposal to demolish it for the purpose of building a 41-unit condominium. When pressed by Munafo for why the designs couldn?t include preservation, project architect Tom Groom said, “If someone gives me $20 million to preserve it, that would be viable. Your argument is with the town and the selectmen and not me. I didn?t buy this to be bullied.”Bill Dimento, project engineer, said he didn?t care what the residents of the Greenwood neighborhood thought. “You people know that building cannot be found again,” said Dimento. “You?re saying that you are here to protect something architecturally significant – is that thing really architecturally significant?”?Yes it is!” said Commissioner Sylvia Belkin, cutting Dimento off.Munafo at one point called the conversation between Dimento and the commissioners “antagonistic” and asked him several times to be respectful of others speaking in the room, specifically during the presentation of architect Ed Moll, who aimed to prove that 25 percent of the building could be saved. Bergeron said he felt “personally attacked” by Greenwood Neighborhood Association Attorney Kenneth Shutzer.Architect Jim Velleco of Grazado Velleco Architects argued for the developers when he said that because of the renovations and additions the building has undergone since it was first built in 1894, the historical significance was gone. “We?re left with what we?re left with,” said Velleco. “The Romanesque building is long gone. The architectural significance of trying to preserve the building is gone.”The room at the Swampscott Senior Center was filled with about 30 residents of the Greenwood Avenue neighborhood. The majority seemed to agree with neighborhood resident Jeff Sprague when he said, “There?s this question of legacy. I like to think of it as sort of the head of Swampscott – it?s symbolic to our town. We have this opportunity to leave a legacy. It?s not too late to do the right thing.”Commission member Jean Reardon said, “To me taking down the high school is taking down Abbott Hall, and Marblehead would never get rid of Abbott Hall.”Those for preservation also argued that parking and noise from the condos would be much more of a problem than that which was emitted from the schools.Others agreed with Greenwood Terrace resident Dan Cobbett, who called it an “eyesore” and a “potential health and safety menace.”?The building needs to be put down,” said Cobbett to commissioners. “You don?t have a plan. I?m tired of looking at that building.”In the end, commissioners, developers and residents for and against demolition seemed frustrated with the process of the project, which had already gone through several meetings and stages of approval. “The process is not working,” said Munafo. Belkin called it “terribly flawed.”?We in the neighborhood were not part of the process and we are most affected,” said Ellie Miller of Greenwood Avenue.Commission member Merry Glosband said she voted for the delay because though Groom?s proposal was already approved, there still needed to be a conversation about how to possibly preserve part of the building.At the end of the meeting, Belkin said she was optimistic about working with Groom and the developers. “I think Tom Groom seems as if he would be much more amenable to listening to what we have to say,” sh