SWAMPSCOTT – The Town of Swampscott will collect ideas from the public on how to develop the property at 149-169 Humphrey St., currently the location of the restaurant Hawthorne By-The-Sea.
On Dec. 9, the town purchased the Hawthorne property from Anthony’s Hawthorne, Inc. and Triton Atlantic, LLC for $7 million, after what Select Board member Peter Spellios described as a tough 18-month negotiation. According to the deed at the Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds, the property includes a restaurant and a parking lot totaling about 18,270 sq. ft.
Hawthorne By-The-Sea is still leasing from the town, according to the Assistant Town Administrator Peter Kane. “As part of the sale, they are able to operate for a year. We won’t do any construction on the property until they have vacated based on that lease agreement,” said Kane.
Back in 2015, the town identified the Hawthorne property as part of its 10-year “master plan.” Kane described its redevelopment as “a necessary piece in order to reinvigorate the historic downtown.”
“We purchased the property, and the town meeting voted for the improved access to the waterfront with open space. But the community is going to be taking part in visioning how we’re going to reuse that property, which is going to start with an event in January to get ideas from the community,” said Kane.
The event will take place in person on Jan. 28 at the waterfront Hawthorne By-the-Sea. Suggestions that have already been proposed include a new forest or park, but community members are welcome to submit additional ideas.
