SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board met virtually on Tuesday and voted yes to purchase the property off Archer Street. The property is undeveloped land — one of the three parcels the Town of Swampscott planned to acquire seven months ago.
At the Town Meeting in June, Swampscott residents voted 214-3 to approve the acquisition of three land parcels for a total of $8.88 million. Two of the three parcels are wooded areas adjacent to Archer Street that add up to approximately 9.5 acres, while the third is the property at 149 Humphrey Street. The Select Board signed the deed for a 5-acre parcel on Archer Street, overlooking Clarke Park in Lynn.
In November, the Select Board approved and signed the deed for the northwestern part of the property adjacent to Archer Street. Tuesday’s decision was on the southeastern part of the land adjacent to Archer Street.
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.
Tuesday’s decision marked the completion of the three properties’ acquisition. The Select Board voted yes to authorize the $1.15 million compensation to P&K Funding Trust for the property transfer.
“Very excited to be here today to announce that we have reached an agreement with the owners, an amicable agreement,” said Chair of the Select Board Neal Duffy. “It will be technically a friendly taking.”
According to Duffy, the current owners also agree to waive their ability to contest the amount of purchase.
The town plans to use the three pieces of land for open space. Duffy said, “Hopefully, we’ll have some amazing open-space areas from the town to utilize in 2023 and beyond.”
There are only 19 acres of buildable land in Swampscott. The town’s Archer Street acquisitions mean it’s purchasing about half of all the developable land that remains in Swampscott, according to local nonprofit North Shore Realtors.
The Select Board said this was a good way to wrap up a busy year, and they are glad that to complete the acquisition trilogy before the end of the year.
