Swampscott Forum To Talk Next Phase Of 'Revisioning Hawthorne'

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — With the oceanfront Hawthorne by the Sea property available for town use as early as this October, town officials are moving forward in the next phase of narrowing concepts and determining feasibility for that use before it can be presented to a vote of town meeting.

The Hawthorne restaurant will operate for one more season as a tenant of the town before it becomes available for municipal use on Oct. 31. The town completed the purchase of the $1.47-acre property for $7 million last fall.

While town officials negotiated the purchase with the intent that it remain largely, or completely, open space, the final say does go to a vote of town meeting members. This will be the second public forum to solicit ideas for the building structure and any additional ideas for use.

The first meeting was held at the Hawthorne in January. The upcoming forum will be held in the Swampscott High School cafeteria from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 26.

On St. Patrick's Day, the main building hosted a fundraiser for the town's annual Fourth of July fireworks and Independence Day events.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)