SHELBURNE FALLS — Potter Molly Cantor will not build a new pottery studio and shop on the former Swan building lot she bought at 69-73 Bridge St.
Instead, she has offered that land to the town of Shelburne for possible use as a small park, picnic area or green space between the Gypsy Apple Restaurant and the Village Information Center.
In a letter to the Selectboard, Cantor offered to lease the land to the town if the town is willing to take on property maintenance, liability insurance and waive Cantor’s annual property tax for that land, which overlooks the Deerfield River.
Selectmen say they are interested and would like to invite Cantor to discuss it at a future meeting.
“It seems like it would be a nice thing,” Cantor said. “There could be picnics and music. There are a lot of possibilities.”
Between 1865 to 2001, the cavernous Swan Building anchored the eastern commercial end of Bridge Street. It served as headquarters for a hardware store, antiques shop, funeral home and weekly newspaper office. But the big building went vacant in 2001 and was demolished in 2006. Since then, a few proposals have been made to build a new retail and apartment building on this downtown property.
When Cantor bought the land a few years ago, she planned to build a retail gallery and pottery studio there. Instead, she has decided to keep her retail shop at 20 Bridge St., and to open a studio for pottery classes inside the former Lamson and Goodnow building complex on Conway Street. Cantor said the teaching studio will include a community working space for those who become studio members.
She is hoping to open the second studio in May.