PROJECT OVERVIEW
Harborlight Homes / Lifebridge Campus Expansion
Developers: Harborlight Homes in partnership with Lifebridge North Shore
Units: 70 shelter beds, ~50 studio apartments
Program: Supportive housing, shelter improvements, and expanded social services
Zoning & Review Process: Chapter 40R Smart Growth Overlay District
The Harborlight/Lifebridge project proposes the redevelopment of several properties on Margin, High, and Endicott Streets in downtown Salem.
The site includes the existing Lifebridge shelter campus and surrounding parcels, including the former St. Mary’s Italian Church.
The redevelopment plan is being advanced through a Chapter 40R Smart Growth Overlay District adopted by the Salem City Council. Under the current proposal, the project would replace the existing congregate shelter facility with non-congregate shelter beds, supportive housing units, and expanded service space intended to better support individuals experiencing homelessness.
Current plans include approximately 70 non-congregate shelter beds and more than 50 supportive studio apartments, along with new program space for Lifebridge services. The proposal also includes additions to the existing St. Mary’s Italian Church structure and new construction on adjacent parcels as part of the overall campus redevelopment.
WHY IT MATTERS
This project has been the subject of significant public discussion because of its location within a dense residential neighborhood and its inclusion of St. Mary’s Italian Church, a building closely associated with Salem’s early-20th-century Italian immigrant community.
Completed in 1925, the church served for decades as the religious and social center of that community.
Historic Salem, Inc. has participated in the public planning process and advocated for the preservation of the church building and thoughtful design revisions as the project has evolved. Early proposals generated strong neighborhood concerns related to scale, neighborhood impacts, and the future of the church structure. In response, the design has undergone several revisions, including plans to retain the church building and integrate it into the redevelopment rather than demolish it.
Because the project is being developed under Chapter 40R, proposals that meet the district’s design and zoning standards move through an expedited approval process. As a result, the quality of the design standards and the outcome of the site plan review process play an important role in shaping how the project fits within the surrounding neighborhood and Salem’s historic built environment.
Have questions or want to stay informed? Community voices play an important role in shaping Salem’s future.
Here’s how you can help:
