Salem Urban Entrance Corridors
Salem's Urban Entrance Corridors (Listed 2001)
Although many of the City's finest collections of historic buildings, traditional streetscapes and landscapes are located along the urban entrance corridors of Boston, Bridge and North Streets these resources have very few, if any, protections. Over the years these historic resources have been collectively blighted and compromised by many factors. These resources face continuing risks from ill-conceived development. Fortunately, the City and property owners are taking steps to maintain and improve the entrance corridors.
Historic Salem has participated in a number of efforts to protect and improve these entrance corridors. HSI sponsored walking tours of Boston, Bridge and North Streets in 2003 that focused attention on the historic and architectural significance of these entrance corridors and the ongoing threats to these historic resources. As with all of the Most Endangered Resources, Historic Salem participates in the design review and public comment processes for buildings located in these entrance corridors. Two new building projects reviewed in the last several years were the Salvation Army building on North Street and the CVS building on Essex Street.
Bridge Street and Bridge Street Neck
The Bridge Street Bypass road was completed between the Beverly Bridge and Howard Street in the fall of 2008. Next, the City plans to turn attention to a Neighborhood Master Plan for Bridge Street Neck. The Cecil Group was awarded the contract for the Study and has completed the initial assessment phase of the project. They will present their recommendations for the Bridge Street improvements by the end of summer 2009. Historic Salem is participating in the Working Group that is advisory to the City and planning consultants. Mass Highway is 75% complete with the design phase for the Bridge Street reconstruction, similar to the work completed on North Street in 2008.
In recent years, an extensive building survey of Bridge Street was conducted, which resulted in the designation of more than 400 contributing properties within a new National Register District. This designation, while emphasizing the historic importance of this neighborhood, provides no regulatory protection to properties within the District, with the exception of the former Children's Friend and Family Services building (48 Bridge Street)*.
A study completed in 2008 by the City's Department of Planning and Community Development and their consultant Rita Walsh of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) may result in the eventual protection of the elements of the Bridge Street neighborhood that give it unique character. This study reviewed how Neighborhood Preservation Districts (NPD’s) could be implemented in the City of Salem s using the Bridge Street Neighborhood, as well as the Point neighborhood, as case studies. The study, completed in the fall of 2008, included a map of potential Neighborhood Preservation Districts, as well as a draft ordinance regulating these districts, and sample design guidelines for the two case neighborhoods. This requires action by the City Council, under a protocol delineated in the draft ordinance, for adoption and implementation.
*In 2007, the Woodbridge House at 48 Bridge Street, the home of Children's Friend and Family Services for many years, was for sale. A proposal brought before the Zoning Board would have significantly altered its interior, which Children's Friend had faithfully maintained during its ownership of the house. Fortunately the house, believed to have been designed by Samuel McIntire, is protected by an easement held by Historic New England {Open in new window} (formerly the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities) that protects both its exterior and interior historic features. The house was subsequently sold to a different buyer who is working with Historic New England to ensure that the interior remains intact, although the final plans for the house are not known.
Boston and North Streets
Boston Street received attention in 2007 with new sidewalks and trees and in 2008 sidewalks, trees and historic lighting were installed on North Street from the City line to the bridge over the North River. HSI provided comment on the Mass Highway Department's plans for North Street improvements that resulted in the inclusion of historic lighting and tree protection in the project. In 2008, signals were also added at North and Federal Streets and at the bottom of the West ramp on Bridge Street to accommodate the new courthouse project. Concerns about the impact of those roadway changes are discussed under the Courthouse Project.
In 2007 the Samuel Pope House at 69 Boston Street was moved to the SAVED list as a result of the advocacy efforts of HSI, working with the Gallows Hill/Ward 4 Neighborhood Group.
In 2008 Historic Salem considered nominating the former Elks building on North Street as an Endangered Historic Resource. However, a plan to restore this historic building has been permitted, with input from Historic Salem. Construction began in the spring of 2009. When the project is finished, it will complete the renewal of the block on which it sits adjacent to HSI's headquarters at the Nathaniel Bowditch House.
Last updated: July 28th, 2009