not only do I disagree with the delay I also do not think the Historical commission should have that power!!!!

It is time the Historical commission becomes history. Have a commission that wants Swampscott to grow to the future.

What's "historical" about this building besides it being ugly and in ruins?

Well, it is an historical building. And town meeting tried to stipulate that by demanding that parts of the building be preserved in any future developments. Those efforts failed, either no bids or sub-par bids. So town meeting removed these stipulations and now we have a viable bid and plan. Let's move on people, not everything is worth preserving, either emotionally or economically.

Town Meeting voted to allow demolition of this building, what right does the Historical Commission have to over ride Town Meeting? This commission should be dissolved they automatically say NO to anything progressive . How can one compare this building to Abbot Hall? As a Swampscott taxpayer I resent spending our money for lawyers to represent the Town against a frivolous law suit. The Greenwood Ave. neighbors want the property to stay as is, as a Town maintained off street parking lot.
Myron Stone, 15 Bay View ave, swampscott

The Hysterical Commission should come to the realization that we do not live in an especially historic town. Though "settled" in the 1630's, Swampscott was not much more than woods until the late 1800's. I know I'm stating the obvious here, but we do not have real historic districts like Salem, Marblehead, or Newburyport worth protecting. I don't know the actual numbers but I would guess the majority of our housing stock and public buildings date from the 1900-1950 period. I guess its good to have an HC to protect whatever real significant historic buildings we have (Town Hall, Fish House...anything else??), but they really could use a reality check.

If you really want to make Swampscott look good, lets put our energy into the basics: roads, sidewalks, new streetlights, trees and....wait for it...a totally re-habbed Phillips Park. Philips Park is one of our key community gathering areas + a window onto our town. We should have great pride in how that park looks and functions and unfortunately it looks like a Cold War era park in Kiev. Wipe the slate clean and design a totally new park, one that makes the most use of that land.

when we vote at town meeting then we should start building the historical group is becoming more a problem to the taxpayers get rid of the eyesore and give us a beautiful building mary curtis

Dones, if your renovation of Phillips Park includes astro turf and night lights forget about it! The neighbors do not want the traffic and activity late into the evening and neither would you if you lived here! The astro turf field exudes fumes and rubbery smell on a hot day as the sun reflects off of it, add a slight on-shore breeze and the neighbors are breathing toxic fumes! Call me a NIMBY and then tell me you would put up with it!

AB,

I'll call you an "ill informed" NIMBY.

CS

I believe that the movie set for Grownups 2 should be declared a historic monument. They should not be allowed to tear down a part of Swampscott history.

I think that the football field should be covered with cashmere.

aahh the Historical Commission; this is the same group that told my neighbor not to take down the 100 yr chestnut tree in his yard even though it was diseased...it fell down on it's own last winter and missed the house and the family in it by inches by the Grace of God no one was hurt. They are not qualified to make decisions...

i think the building should be torn down and condos/townhouses being built there and more revenue will go to swampscott. i graduated from swampscott high in 1975 from there. But we all have to move on ok Right now it is sitting th ere and no money for swampscott until everything gets built up there ok

The comments above reflect a lot of ignorance and are a misinterpretation of what the Historical Commission actually did. If you had attended the meeting you would have heard the plea by Jean Reardon asking if some vestige of the school could be saved and incorporated into the new development, whether it be one of the ornate entrances, the cupola, the stone wall in front of the property, or a section of the building. Why does development have to preclude recognition of the history of the school, when 6 generations of Swampscototians when through this building? Why is it necessary to wipe any evidence of what the school has meant off the face of the earth? The delay gives the developer a chance to consider these things, and not necessarily at the develper's expense. What Swampscott High graduate earning a living as a carpenter would not want to volunteer time to help restore the cupola if it could be re-erected on the new structure? What Swampscott High graduate earning a living as a mason would not want to help contribute to the preservation of the stone wall that borders the property, and on which a plaque could be placed indicating that the school was there, given by the generous benefactors who had a passion for the future of education in our town?

The Historical Commission's arguements were very thoughtful and reasoned, and the commission is an extremely well intentioned dedicated group of volunteers with no self-interest. They have a charge that is established buy town charter, and they are fulfilling that charge.

Citi123 - I have been very consistent in supporting the Historical Commission - first with Captain Jacks, then Greenwood, and in the future Machon. NO nearby community is tearing down their unused schools and allowing developers to rule the roost. They have all been adaptively reused. Why is Swampscott different? This place is going to look like Revere pretty soon! And you know nothing about me or my involvement, so do not make statements you can't back up. Im in this as a concerned citizen and really don't have any skin in the game.

Citi123 ... I Use Reese's Peanut Butter Cups whenever I play Soccer !

Oops.. . my bad, i meant sneakers (I should blame auto-correction probably)

to Jaymo Phillips: the homeowner took thier advise and refused to take the tree down. Do not tell me what went on in my neighborhood.

Jean, members of the HC at the time deemed his home to be historical, they visited the property and at thier advise he put a placque on the home, date built, at the same time they raved about the trees are extinct they were becoming. My point is do not over step bounds and be sure to know the facts before speaking...