FILE PHOTO
Machon Elementary School.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
SWAMPSCOTT — The Board of Selectmen selected a proposal by B’Nai B’Rith Housing/Covenant Commonwealth Corp. to build an affordable senior housing project at the shuttered Machon Elementary School.
The nonprofit that builds affordable homes for seniors in Greater Boston, proposed Senior Residences at the Machon in a 99-year ground lease for $500,000. It will include 38 one-bedroom units and three dozen parking spaces. B’Nai B’Rith will reuse the original 1920 building and demolish the 1963 addition. Other features include patio and lawn space for residents and access to Jackson Woods. A laundry facility, gym, library and multi-purpose common room would also be on-site.
Town Administrator Thomas Younger, who favored B’Nai B’Rith, said he was impressed that the project would feature a resident service coordinator, who would link residents in the building with various services. For instance, if a resident has medical issues, there would be services available to them on-site.
Younger said another project benefit would be the smoother traffic flow, which would be the result of parking on both sides of the building.
Matthew Strauss, a board member, agreed, saying that the quality of life of a senior citizen would be far better in a B’Nai B’Rith community.
“They’re going to need a certain number of services from within and I think B’Nai B’Rith provides that,” Strauss said.
The other proposal was from Stratford Capital Group & North Shore Development Coalition, a real estate team that focuses on distressed neighborhoods. Stratford and North Shore proposed a 99-year ground lease for $750,000. The project would have featured 36 one-bedroom units. The development would have been called Machon School Residences and would have reused the older building and demolished the addition, which would have been replaced with a two and a half to three story addition in its place. The site features would have included a drop-off driveway, 35 parking spaces, a lawn at the southeast portion of the property and community access to Jackson Woods at the northwest edge.
The board was not unanimous in its decision to make a recommendation for Town Meeting. John Callahan, a board member, was the lone dissenting vote. He has been an advocate for open space in town, something residents have argued should have been the reuse option for the Machon School. He questioned if the board was ever going to be serious about turning properties into open space. “I’m just worried that the Board of Selectmen is a little too comfortable with just looking into development instead of looking at these other ideas that might be good for our residents,” he said.
If the B’Nai B’Rith proposal passes at Town Meeting on May 16, officials are considering a way for Swampscott residents to have preference with living at Senior Residences at the Machon. Younger said the maximum for local preference is 70 percent of the units being occupied by residents.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley
