City of Salem House Doctor Contract

As part of a house doctor contract with the City of Salem, Massachusetts, DREAM provided architectural assessment services for a number of civic buildings to address improvements and repairs that were needed. In addition to assessments, we also created a needs and prioritization list for capital improvements, deferred maintenance and repairs for the buildings that prioritized accessibility, resilience and preservation.

Our first project with the City studied Old Town Hall & Artists’ Row in the key downtown business and tourist area. Salem’s historic Old Town Hall was built in 1816 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located adjacent to the Hall is an area known as Artists Row – a group of six one-story pavilions that provides retail/maker spaces for local artists. We worked with the City to provide an understanding of the Old Town Hall & Artists’ Row specific needs in order of priority for safety, accessibility, and usability. DREAM also worked with the City to complete an assessment of five buildings built between 1881 and 1972 that house Fire Department functions and that are in need of repairs. We provided an initial assessment of the buildings and developed a list of needs, priorities, and a plan for capital improvements as well as ongoing maintenance.