BY MARTHA MARRAZZA

In print | Published September 15, 2005

The borough of Swarthmore is looking to kick-start a revitalization effort, with possible moves including a new tenant for the space vacated by Michael’s Pharmacy and an inn with a bookstore and restaurant.

In accordance with the renewal efforts, the borough administration is entertaining offers from businesses, like Dunkin’ Donuts, who want to develop the building that formerly housed Michael’s Pharmacy. “It’s tough because Dunkin’ Donuts is a chain store, and people don’t want chain stores in small towns,” Swarthmore borough Manager Jane Billings said, “but they agreed to comply with our sign ordinance, and they want to be attractive to students.”

“Upgrades need to be done in the electrical and plumbing system of Michael’s. Of all the bids, Dunkin’ Donuts is the only company that has enough money to redo the building,” she said.

When the borough administration met in 1999 to discuss the revitalization of the downtown area, members also considered constructing an inn adjacent to the train station and Palmer. The inn would be located on the field across the street from PPR.

This proposal is now resurfacing, with plans for the inn containing an attached bookstore, a restaurant and service geared towards residents of the town of Swarthmore as well as visitors to the college.

Important issues needed to be resolved before the college and borough could further detail plans for an inn, Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Stuart Hain said. “Before we could even start thinking about building, there were some important issues that needed to be resolved,” he said. "First, in order for an inn or restaurant to profit it needed to be able to serve alcohol. The town is dry, but they put a referendum up to the voters, which was passed, allowing for one liquor license for an inn on Swarthmore’s campus.

“Secondly, the land was zoned as institutional, so we couldn’t build an inn on it because that’s a commercial property,” Hain said. “There was an ordinance passed, and it took from 2000 to this past summer to craft it and have it go through the legislative process. It passed this summer.”

Hain and Billings agreed that although the way has been cleared for the inn project, the college and borough are still in the process of exploring the feasibility of the plan. Vice President of Finance Sue Welsh said that there is no formal commitment to build an inn at this point in time.

Construction is already underway to replace many of the sidewalks in and around Swarthmore. Street lights and bike racks are also slated to be built or refurbished. In addition to the repairs in progress, borough administrators, along with representatives from the college, are considering future measures to stimulate growth such as building an inn on college property.

Billings said the recent efforts at revamping the town reflect a state-wide movement. “There’s work in Pennsylvania to revitalize the boroughs in hopes that people will shop there,” she said. “The project that we’re working on is a physical overhaul of the downtown area. We got a federal grant years ago to do work and we just have never used it.”

The new co-op, which opened less than a year ago, marked the first step in the town’s revitalization campaign. “The old co-op building is now owned by the borough, but we’re tearing it down in the next four to six weeks. In its place we’ll probably build a roadway there so there is a better connection in the downtown area,” Billings said. “We want to open up that block and create a type of public meeting space, possibly with greenery. We just want to facilitate the town as a meeting spot.”

In light of Swarthmore’s changing landscape, students may frequent the town more often. “I go there to buy stuff, and I’m in the Ville a lot because I work at the fire station, but I only go there if it’s necessary,” Bryan Kang ‘06 said. "Whatever they are doing to improve the town, I’m all for it."

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