Renovation and Restoration Project

In 2019, the City of Salem embarked on a journey to fully evaluate the current conditions and possible future uses of the City owned property located at 32 Derby Square known as Old Town Hall.  It hired The DREAM Collaborative architectural firm to conduct a full building conditions assessment both inside and out, as well as a market and economy evaluation to determine what the if any business models would be appropriate for the space and what the market in the area might need and support.  TI was determined through this work that the facility would be well suited as a Community Arts and Culture facility but would need substantial work to get there.  It was further determined that regardless of the future use of the space, major restoration work is needed throughout the space to ensure it does not fall into greater disrepair and can continue to serve as a community asset for years to come. Building on that work, the City engaged Mills Whitaker Architects in late 2021 to begin more detailed assessments of the building’s conditions and needs, develop designs for the restoration and renovation elements needed to improve the space, and provide cost estimates for those improvements with the goal of creating a fully functional Community Arts & Culture facility in the heart of downtown Salem. This Design Development phase closed out in October 2022. The next steps for this project are to conduct some preliminary testing for feasibility, then move into fundraising for the capital construction portion of the project, with the intention of having the newly renovated facility open to the public in time for the 400th Anniversary of Salem as a municipality in 2026.

Old Town Hall Mills Whitaker Architects Design Development Report, 2022

CultureHouse Salem Impact Report

DREAM Collaborative Building Assessment Report, 2020

DREAM Collaborative & Bailey Associates Market Assessment Report, 2020