PHOTO
North Street Historic Urban Entrance Corridor ?(Listed 2001, Status – Improving)
SUMMARY
The North Street Urban Entrance Corridor is one of three historic roadways leading into Salem. It was placed on the Most Endangered List in 2001 due to consistent threat of inappropriate development. It is currently considered Improving. Signs of improvement include the completion of the MassHighway streetscape improvements (2008) and the rehabilitation of buildings along this route. HSI hosted the 2010 Christmas in Salem Holiday House tour in the North Salem neighborhood.
FULL REPORT
History and Significance
North Street is the historic path of Route 114 from Peabody to Salem. Northfields, as North Salem was long called, was slow to populate. Even after the North Bridge was built in 1744 to connect the area to Salem’s center, the area across the North River remained devoted to farming and stock grazing. Finally, early in the 19th century, suburban villas began to be erected along North, Buffum, and Dearborn Streets. By the end of the century the North Salem had become a desirable place to dwell, and dense settlement filled the remaining open space.
Description and History of Threat
North Street is one of three Historic Urban Entrance Corridors, placed on the Most Endangered list in 2001, which is under consistent threat by inappropriate development. Although many of the City’s finest collections of historic buildings, traditional streetscapes and landscapes are located along these historic corridors they have few, if any regulatory protections. Over the years North Street has been collectively blighted and compromised by many factors and faces continuing risk from ill-conceived development.
Progress and/or Setbacks
North Street was featured in the HSI Sundays in September walking tours in 2003 and the area again featured in 2009. The 2010 Christmas in Salem Holiday House Tour was held in North Salem on Dearborn which intersects North Street and Buffum Street, which is parallel.??In 2008 new sidewalks, trees and historic lights and signals 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 Roadway Changes in the Design Review section of this site.??In 2008 Historic Salem considered nominating the former Elks building on North Street as an Endangered Historic Resource. However at the same time the developer William Wharff was proceeding with plans to renovate the lodge into condos. Historic Salem provided input and as a result Wharff chose to proceed with a plan that recreated a third floor that had been removed at some point in the past century. Historic Salem was pleased to award the building, completed in the spring of 2010, a preservation award for its positive impact on the streetscape of North Street.
How You Can Help
Contact info@historicsalem.org for information on becoming an HSI volunteer.
Last Updated: July 18, 2010