Grant to help Swansea find new use for mall

SWANSEA – The town’s efforts to revitalize the Swansea Mall just got $20,000 stronger thanks to a grant awarded by the Southeastern Planning and Economic Development District.

According to a social media posting made by town Selectmen Christopher Carreiro Tuesday, the $20,000 grant will help assist in the establishment of the town’s redevelopment authority. Among the responsibilities of the proposed authority would be helping find a new use for the Swansea Mall, which announced last month that it will be closing by the end of March.

According to Carreiro, the grant will be supplemented by 40 hours of free technical assistance provided by the Southeastern Planning Economic Development District as part of its municipal assistance program.

Awarding of the grant came less than two weeks after Plantopia, one of three businesses trying to open a recreational marijuana dispensary in Swansea, said it would also be willing to donate money for the purpose of establishing the town’s redevelopment authority. According to a draft of Plantopia’s host community agreement with Swansea, the company would be willing to provide $15,000 to help with the initial costs of the authority and subsequent annual contributions of $7,500.

Carreiro previously told The Herald News that the money from Plantopia would specifically help cover the costs of the urban renewal plan for the mall’s property, which he said is estimated to cost roughly $200,000.

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