In 2010, The Salem Partnership in collaboration with the City of Salem and the Peabody Essex Museum began working on an initiative to update the pedestrian mall.
The mall was developed during the mid 1970s. After close to 40 years, most would agree that it is in need of a facelift and redesign. Physical issues include: cobblestones are uncomfortable for walking; some landscaping is in poor health and/or obscures storefronts and architecture; the sidewalk is pinched along Museum Place Mall; benches don’t relate well to context; there are maintenance issues with the two fountains; there is a safety issue with East India Square fountain; and there is limited sunlight. Furthermore, East India Square does not feel “owned” by anyone and does not have regularly scheduled programming; the mall is cluttered with a hodgepodge of stands, vendors, and ticket sellers; delivery and service vehicles drive throughout the day; and the lack of vehicular access impacts traffic circulation and congestion downtown. The partners agreed that the time is right to be proactive and tackle this thorny issue by determining a direction and design criteria for the redesign of this key component of Salem’s downtown.
Utile Design and facilitator Larry Langford were hired to conduct four public forums. The forums which were held between January and April 2011 gave businesses, property owners, and residents who are interested in the future of the mall to come together for a discussion of idea. The four forums took participants through the following process:
- What is good about the pedestrian mall that you want to keep and what would you like to change
- Your vision for the future
- Discussion of alternative design scenarios
- Selection of a preferred scenario
The next step is to obtain funding to move on to the design phase as well as develop policies and procedures for public art in Salem. The partners are presently working toward that goal.