Inn's Demo Delay on Table Tuesday

On Tuesday the town will hear arguments for or against delaying demolition of the located on Humphrey Street.  

The property consists of three buildings, the oldest of which was built in 1835 and is the closest of the three to nearby .

The hearing starts at 7 pm in the Senior Center.

Commission members Susan Munafo and Melanie Peterson said the panel will listen to all arguments then vote on whether to delay the buildings’ demolition up to nine months.

That vote could come as soon as Tuesday, after the hearing, they said.

The Commission already determined, Sept. 13, that the Cap’n Jack’s buildings are historically significant.

Munafo and Peterson said in an interview that the Cap’n property is a landmark tied to Swampscott’s fishing and resort hotel history.

Spaces between the buildings are open to the ocean and the Inn is the last hotel in town, accommodating people since the first part of last century.

They said architect Frank Shirley told the Commission before its vote on the buildings’ significance that the older of them include elements from both Federal and Italianate building periods.

The Sept. 13 vote triggered Tuesday’s demo hearing, which will be the second the town has held since it enacted a demolition delay by-law in 2004, they said.

If they vote to delay demolition, the Commission has up to nine months to convince the owner and developer of an alternative to the plan to knock down the buildings, Munafo and Peterson said. 

The ultimate decision is the owner/developer’s call.

Developers Bruce Paradise and Barry Turkanis have town Zoning Board approval to construct a building with 15 condo units on the site.

The owner and developers were invited to Tuesday’s hearing, as were 55 abutters, Peterson said.

The public is welcome to attend and weigh in.

“We hope lots of people come,” Peterson said.

“Also, that they take a position on it, instead of just letting things happen,” Munafo said.

The is located at the back of .