A special thanks goes to Alison Corwin, Soledad Gaztambide, Abby Lindsay and Jessica Miller - Tufts University graduate students in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning for holding two public meetings and interviewing the Salem community to gather ideas for an empty city-owned lot between Peabody Street and the South River. The park will connect Salem's Point Neighborhood and the city's proposed Harbor Walk, linking the downtown to the waterfront.

The Team completed an excellent concept plan for 15 Peabody Street.
The full report can be downloaded [PDF format(32MB)] or the report, Creating a New Place: A Concept Plan for 15 Peabody Street is available for reading at the SSCW office.

Students to Receive Award for Creating Concept for Park.
Salem Sound Coastwatch is pleased to announce that Tufts team has won a national award for their design of a new park at 15 Peabody Street in Salem.

Working with Salem Sound Coastwatch and the City of Salem, the students were given the challenging task of developing a plan for turning the vacant and neglected lot at 15 Peabody Street into an attractive waterfront space on the South River that reflects the needs of the residents of the nearby Point neighborhood.

“We were very excited about this project because it is an important component of the Salem Harbor Master Plan,” said Barbara Warren, Executive Director of Salem Sound Coastwatch, and Vice-chair of the Salem Harbor Implementation Committee.

“The bilingual team of students did a fantastic job of interviewing community leaders and holding open meetings to get input from members of the community into what they would like to see in this much needed open space. The students were then able to translate theses ideas into this award-winning concept,” she continued.

The students will be receiving the prestigious AICP Student Project Award which will be given by the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners at their upcoming conference in Las Vegas. The award recognizes the project that demonstrates the best application of the planning process.

The team's work helped the city obtain a $474,000 grant from the state, and $200,000 from the EPA, to rehabilitate the brownfield site on which the future park is planned.

Salem Sound Coastwatch will continue to work with the City of Salem and its residents to make this park a reality. Only with your help can this abandoned place become part of the community fabric. This park starts with A VISION and YOUR IDEAS and HELP will help lead to its completion.

AND MORE NEWS!! Tufts students win a national design award.