PROJECT OVERVIEW
Lead Organizations: North Shore Community Development Coalition (NSCDC) and North Shore Community Health
Program: Community health center, affordable senior housing, and neighborhood commercial space
Review Process: Salem Redevelopment Authority (SRA) and Design Review Board (DRB)
El Centro is a mixed-use redevelopment project located on the South River at the intersection of Lafayette, Derby, and Peabody Streets in The Point neighborhood.
The project is being developed through a partnership between the North Shore Community Development Coalition and North Shore Community Health.
Plans for the site include a 41,000-square-foot community health center providing family medicine, behavioral health, dental services, and urgent care. The project also includes 48 affordable senior housing units, ground-floor commercial space, and improvements to nearby public spaces and pedestrian connections.
The development is part of broader efforts to improve community services and neighborhood infrastructure in the South River area, including connections to the Harborwalk and enhancements to surrounding public spaces.
WHY IT MATTERS
The El Centro project represents a major investment in community health services and affordable housing within The Point neighborhood.
Located at the intersection of Lafayette, Derby, and Peabody Streets on the South River, the development brings new activity and public-facing uses to a highly visible gateway within one of Salem’s most historically significant neighborhoods.
Historic Salem, Inc. (HSI) has participated in the public review process for the project and has advocated for design approaches that acknowledge the architectural character of the Goldberg Building, which currently occupies the site. During the design review process, HSI encouraged the project team to retain key visual references to the building, including elements such as the distinctive basketweave brickwork pattern, the curved corner condition, and building massing setbacks intended to reduce the scale of the new construction along Lafayette Street.
HSI ultimately declined to sign the project’s Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) due to two unresolved concerns. First, we have reservations about the proposed sequencing of demolition and construction financing, advocating that all project financing be secured prior to demolition to reduce the risk that historic structures could be removed before a project is fully funded. Second, HSI’s request for a specific cornice treatment was not incorporated into the final design.
While the project has continued to move forward through the City’s review process, HSI remains engaged in monitoring the development as it advances toward demolition and construction, with particular attention to neighborhood impacts and the final execution of the design.
Have questions or want to stay informed? Community voices play an important role in shaping Salem’s future.
Here’s how you can help:
