Cap'n Jack's Buildings To Come Down in April

The delay is over and demolition of the three Cap'n Jack's Inn buildings is expected some time in April.

Historical Commission members voted unanimously to lift the delay at their meeting Tuesday.

Little more than half of the nine months remained before the delay was going to run out Aug. 1.

Commission members said it was clear the owners were not going to agree to preserve any parts of the buildings so it was fruitless to hold out hopes of negotiating such an agreement.

Property co-owner Bruce Paradise said after the meeting that he expects the demolition will take place in April.

The developer has agreed to donate $5,000 toward establishment of a historical district study and he will respond to a town request for proposals to restore the train station.

The train station agreement would be between the town, the MBTA and the developers.

The MBTA must agree to a longterm agreement under which the developers would lease the property from the town for a dollar a year and have authority to sublease the property.

Historical Commission members said the train station agreement was a separate issue that came with no guarantees so they decided to drop the delay irrespective of the train station restoration.

Commission member Sylvia Belkin asked Paradise if he woud donate $15,000, instead of $5,000, to the historical district study.

The developer said no. He said he and his partner, as part of an earlier agreement related to the project, are already donating $50,000 to the town for improvements and paying $16,000 for installation of a crosswalk. 

He also expects to spend $300,000 to restore the station, if an agreement is reached with the town and MBTA. Commission members estimated he would earn back his investment in 12 years by renting the property to a business owner.

Commission member Susan Munafo said the demolition delay program has not worked in Swampscott. It has worked in towns and cities throughout the state and across the country but not in Swampscott.

People worked long and hard to get the by-law on the books but both times it was invoked by the commission it failed, she said.

The commission will pursue a historical district study with the hopes they can establish protections that will preserve other structures from demolition.

The demolition delay, backed by a town by-law, prevented the developers from tearing down the three Cap'n Jack buildings until Aug. 1, unless an agreement was struck between the developers and the commission. 

Paradise and Turkanis have bought the Cap'n Jack's Inn property for $3.5 million and want to get started on the project.

They have approval to build 15 luxury condo units on the site.