SWANSEA — Town Administrator Mallory Aronstein would like to invite community members to attend upcoming informational sessions regarding the Town of Swansea’s proposed municipal offices project.
WHEN:
- Tuesday, Oct. 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 21 beginning at 11 a.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 21 second session beginning at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE:
- The Oct. 19 session will be held at the Joseph Case High School Auditorium, 70 School St.
- The Oct. 21 morning session will be held at the Council on Aging, 260 Ocean Grove Ave.
- The Oct. 21 nighttime session will be held at the Swansea Police Department’s Community Room, 1700 Grand Army of the Republic Highway
WHAT:
The informational sessions will provide community members with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with details of the Town’s proposed municipal offices project. Community members will also be able to ask questions about the project proposal during the sessions.
At the Oct. 19 session, department heads will also be in attendance and available to answer questions.
As part of the project, the Town of Swansea is proposing to relocate municipal offices to 262 Swansea Mall Drive, which was the winning proposal in response to an RFP issued in April 2021. After rating two proposals, SM Management LLC was selected as the best offeror. The proposal includes relocating the offices in the Town Hall, Town Hall Annex and the Council on Aging/Community Center to the 44,545 square-foot location at Swansea Mall Drive. The building is in the process of being renovated and rehabbed for modern, updated commercial activity. The proposal aligns with previously stated economic development plans. To read more about the proposed project, click here.
In 2019, the Town created a Redevelopment Authority in an effort to revitalize Swansea’s commercial shopping area after it came to light that the previous owners of the parcel sold deed restrictions to Walmart, a neighboring property. The restrictions prevented retail shops, grocery stores and other establishments from locating at the property, effectively halting the success of a once-vibrant mall. New owners purchased the building and have gotten to work renovating and upgrading the property. The owners also have been negotiating with Walmart for the removal of the deed restrictions. The RDA is working to further that momentum but is prepared to move forward via eminent domain so that economic activity can once again thrive in one of the main commercial corridors of the town.
“We hope that our residents use these informational sessions as a means to assist them in making an informed decision regarding the upcoming vote at our Special Town Meeting,” Town Administrator Aronstein said. “It is our goal that with these sessions residents will feel familiar with the proposal and have a greater understanding of the question presented before them on Nov. 1.”
The project will be voted on at the upcoming Special Town Meeting on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Case High School.
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