Among some concerns from neighbors and the Select Board, the Swampscott Center for Performing Arts’ liquor license was approved but the discussions around the entertainment licenses were again postponed to the next meeting.
“We’re going to bring them back in and talk with them,” said Chair Katie Phelan.
Town Meeting approved an RFP allowing a lease of up to 30 months from the date of the vote, extending through June 2028. At the town-wide meeting, Town Administrator Nick Connors said the additional time would help offset utility, insurance, and debt costs, while requiring no town capital spending.
The short-term lease will run alongside ongoing redevelopment planning. Connors announced during Wednesday’s Select Board meeting that he would anticipate the draft of the long-term RFP this summer. The Advisory Committee finalized its recommendation for a mixed-use and half-parkland concept. The plan envisions two rows of buildings totaling about 25,000 square feet if built at two stories, positioned perpendicular to the road with a 40-foot opening to preserve views into the courtyard and open space. The model includes roughly 28 parking spaces.
The extended timeline also gives the town more time to negotiate with the Archdiocese of Boston over a potential purchase of the adjacent St. John’s Church parking lot.
According to Select Board discussions, the proposal includes live music in the dining room, a kitchen, Mariah’s Cafe and Grab the Bagel in the former fish market space, and an exhibit highlighting Swampscott’s history.
Phelan said she has spoken with State Rep. Jennifer Armini to try to expedite the application process, as the Swampscott Center for Performing Arts plans to open on July 3.
“Once they have applied, she can reach out and see if she can help leverage relationships to make sure that it doesn’t end up at the bottom of any pile,” Phelan said.
There were still questions, however, around what type of entertainment the Swampscott Center for Performing Arts plans to host as well as how they would ensure the sound would not leak onto the streets and surrounding neighborhoods.
At the Select Board meeting last week, Johnny Ray said the building was designed to minimize noise from escaping the venue. He also shared that doors and windows will be closed if entertainment is present.
Neighbors suggested there are already issues with other restaurants abiding by the noise ordinances and that by “offering lively entertainment late and drinking late with a big parking lot, it will bring all that noise outside.”
Select Board Vice Chair Danielle Leonard also shared that the board received a complaint “just last weekend for Mission on the Bay” having excessive noise from a private party around 10 p.m.
“I really want to make sure we’re cognizant,” Leonard said. “We have to be very careful with our parameters for this particular person that’s applying for this license, and maybe we need to consider the hours a little bit more.”
The board agreed a schedule of some sorts of special musical ensembles, DJs, trivia nights and other events could provide a better picture of what the situation may look like.
Ray was not present for the Select Board meeting on Monday to answer questions.
The entertainment license will be discussed again at the June 17 Select Board meeting.
Last week, the Select Board approved the center’s common victualler license, which allows a business to prepare and serve food for on-site consumption, permits operations from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, according to Community and Economic Development Director Marzie Galazka.
The former Hawthorne-by-the-Sea restaurant operated until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, as well as 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source swampscotttides.org ’
