Swansea Town Selectman gives insight to future of Swansea Mall property

While the Swansea Mall property is close to having a new owner, details on what the property will look like are coming to light.

With the new expected owner’s finishing the overall process of buying the property, Swansea Town Selectman Christopher Carreiro is giving some details as to what will happen to the property. Carreiro expects a similar layout to the SouthCoast Marketplace in Fall River, only the development will be bigger.

The development will include restaurants, retail stores, and also residential property.

“The community voted to create a Redevelopment Authority without hesitation and without discussion. The creation of a Swansea Redevelopment Authority is the most robust and powerful tool a municipality can utilize to effectuate comprehensive and meaningful redevelopment, and such bold governmental action should send a clear and strong message to Walmart that Swansea is back in the driver’s seat.”

Carreiro stated that not only does it put Swansea in the driver seat, but it should be a boost to town morale and a boost to the town’s tax revenue.

At Monday’s town meeting, along with the Redevelopment Authority vote, there was a majority vote in favor of petitioning the General Court to increase the quota of liquor licenses by adding an additional six non-transferable All Alcohol – To Be Drunk on Premise licenses.

The town also voted in favor to raise, appropriate, or transfer the funds necessary to begin the process of establishing an Urban Renewal Plan, and to provide for related consulting services for the Redevelopment Authority.

The buyers of the Swansea Mall, along with their representatives, came by helicopter to meet with nearly all of the Swansea Town Department heads before Monday’s town meeting.

Carreiro stated that during their conversations with Department heads, they emphasized that purchasing and closing on the Swansea Mall was hinged on whether the Town created a Redevelopment Authority. Voting in favor of the new liquor licenses was also a factor.