Salem's Shetland Park Redevelopment Planning In Progress

SALEM, MA — The next phase of the Shetland Park Community redevelopment project will kick off with a neighborhood meeting early next month to review the work done thus far and gain further resident input on the future of the site.

The meeting on Dec. 3 at the Salem Academy gymnasium at 16 Lynch Street is designed to include how Shetland Park can better serve residents, businesses and workers as developers look to balance the goals of the community, site owners and the site.

Community members in The Point and across Salem are being sought to help prioritize the uses, connections, open spaces, and overall strategy for redevelopment and "create a welcoming place for all."

Refreshments will be provided.

Shetland Park owners Prime Group are redeveloping the large commercial property on Congress Street once home to the Naumekeg Steam Cotton Company.

"Prime Group has always sought community involvement and support in the redevelopment of Shetland Park," Prime Group's CEO Robert Moser. "(I) anticipate that the process for the production of a Framework Plan will lead to the best way forward for this critical redevelopment in the city of Salem."

Prime Group has contributed $100,000 to fund this effort. Salem has retained Sasaki Associates to help with the planning process, which the city said is "centered around expansive and diverse community engagement."

"We've encouraged the property owner to be responsive to stakeholders' concerns and questions and thoughtful about how the role and impact this major site has in our larger community," Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "My hope is that the Framework that emerges from this process will be one that is workable for those who live near or work at Shetland, the owners of the property, and our community as a whole."

The Dec. 3 forum is one of the listening sessions that will be used, along with a previous online survey and smaller focus groups, to develop the "Framework" that is expected to be ready by early summer 2023.

More details about the Framework, how to participate in the listening session and online survey, and the working group can be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)