Salem State A Step Closer To Shedding South Campus

SALEM, MA — Salem State University is one step closer to its "One Campus " vision.

The school's goal of shedding its South campus and consolidating operations in its North and Central campuses came closer to fruition after Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law an act authorizing the state to sell the South campus land and return the proceeds to the school.

"Our North and Central campuses are our academic and residential hubs," Salem State University President John Keenan said. "They are home to the majority of our classes, the library, campus center, quads, 24-hour dining, and most of our meetings and activities. The divestment of South Campus unites all students, faculty, and staff both figuratively and literally by eliminating the physical distance between South Campus and our core campuses."

The sale will open the 23-acre property to redevelopment in Salem.

"Re-use of the Salem State University South Campus facility in a manner that is consistent with community goals presents a unique opportunity for our city and for the university,” Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "Passage of this legislation enables us to determine compatible future uses that best match up with the recently completed campus/neighborhood study."

The bill authorizing the sale of the campus was filed by State Sen. Joan Lovely and State Rep. Paul Tucker.

The school said a recent readiness study conducted on the university's need for upgraded science and health care laboratories, led to "SSU BOLD: A Campus Unification and Modernization Project."

SSU BOLD includes the sale of South Campus, renovation of the former Horace Mann School building for South Campus programming, including new nursing and occupational therapy laboratories; the construction of a Meier Hall Addition modernized life sciences wet labs and the re-purposing of underutilized space in the Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons.

It also includes additional parking spaces on North and Central campuses. The university said the sale of South Campus will eliminate more than $80 million in deferred maintenance costs in outdated buildings.

"I am so pleased that the legislature passed and the governor signed into law the bill that Rep. Tucker and I filed on behalf of Salem State University that will support its campus unification project," Lovely said. "I know that the next generation of Vikings will benefit from this initiative by taking advantage of the latest tech and lab offerings that will help these students and the Commonwealth as they go on to careers in health care and life sciences."

"This legislation is forward thinking on the part of Salem State University as they prepare for future needs while the city of Salem will benefit as smart and thoughtful re-use possibilities of the South Campus parcel are explored," Tucker added.

Salem State expects the process for the sale to be released sometime in 2021.