SWAMPSCOTT — The old police station building at 86 Burrill St. will be the home of Anchor Food Pantry for at least the next 12 months, the Swampscott Select Board announced Thursday.
The organization entered a yearlong, rent-free temporary use agreement with the town, which put out a request for proposals (RFP) in August for the building, with submissions due in October.
“You’re calling it short-term. I’m calling 12 months long-term because we haven’t had that stability,” said Laura Spathanas, president of the food pantry, saying she was thankful to both the town and the Senior Center, which has housed the organization since it opened last year. “I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights thinking, where will we end up, and will we be able to continue?”
Because 86 Burrill St. is a town-owned building, the town may allow any community-based organization, such as Anchor, to occupy the space temporarily, as long as rent is not charged.
The space is currently occupied by Cataldo Ambulance, which will share the first floor of the building with Anchor for now. Because of this, the town was not able to accommodate Anchor’s joint proposal with thrift store Big Blue Bargains, which had intended to share the space with the food pantry.
“At this juncture, to move Cataldo to an unknown location in the midst of the pandemic was not in the best interest or certainly in the public safety interest of the town,” said Select Board member David Grishman.
Big Blue Bargains currently occupies a space at Swampscott Middle School, but Select Board members acknowledged that the location was unsatisfactory, with Board Chair Peter Spellios calling it “awful.”
“They’ll never realize their full potential, despite their really hard work and all they do there,” Spellios said.
Facilities Director Max Kasper is working with the thrift store to improve the space while the town helps Big Blue Bargains search for a new home. The thrift store is currently closed due to the pandemic, but is hoping to reopen soon.
In addition to Anchor, the Historical Commission, Historical Society and Swampscott Public Library will have access to the second floor of the former police station for ongoing archival work.
Swampscott allocated $190,000 for repairs to the Burrill Street building at the November 2020 special town meeting.
