Salem Redevelopment Authority Releases Request for Qualifications for Historic Court Buildings and Parking Lot

RFQ process will identify up to three development teams to submit full proposals
Salem, Massachusetts - Mayor Kim Driscoll and the Salem Redevelopment Authority (SRA) are pleased to announce the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the adaptive reuse of the historic County Commissioners (1841) and Superior Court (1861-1891) buildings at 32-34 Federal Street. The RFQ also includes a parking lot across the street from the court buildings at 252 Bridge Street. The buildings are architectural gems in a prominent location directly across the street from the MBTA’s commuter rail station and at the entrance to Salem’s vibrant downtown.

The buildings are available for reuse as a result of court operations having been consolidated in the J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center, which opened in 2011. Legislation adopted in 2018 allows for the transfer of the property to the SRA in order to select a firm to reuse them. The City of Salem transferred the parking lot to the SRA in February of this year to help facilitate the reuse of the court buildings.

“We are excited to begin the work of identifying a development partner for these important and beautiful buildings," said Mayor Driscoll. "I want to thank the many stakeholders who worked to ensure Salem remains the judicial center for the region and that these buildings will be able to take on a new life. I especially want to thank State Senator Joan Lovely and State Representative Paul Tucker for their advocacy, Governor Charlie Baker for his support throughout this process, the many City staff who have worked diligently on this effort, and the members of the Salem Redevelopment Authority for their expertise and dedication."

This is an opportunity for visionary development teams to creatively reimagine and transform the use of the buildings to serve the Salem community in new ways and complement economic development activities in Salem’s vibrant downtown. The SRA will review all responses and select up to three development teams to submit full proposals through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. The RFQ may be found on the City of Salem’s website at www.salem.com/bids. Responses are due by 11 a.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019.