Forest River Residences

Project Details and Estimated Timeline

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts designated AvalonBay Communities and WinnDevelopment as the developers of the Forest River Residences project in September 2023 following a competitive bid process based on request for proposals developed in collaboration with Salem State University (SSU) and the City of Salem.

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The project has three goals:

1. To transform underutilized space on SSU’s South Campus into much-needed housing stock for all ages and income levels, including 55+ active adult apartments.

2. To enable SSU to greatly enhance the experience of SSU students and staff by consolidating the University’s campus footprint and re-investing in campus infrastructure.

3. To protect and enhance open space in Salem by expanding access to the adjacent Forest River Conservation Area for residents of the new community and the public.

Forest River Residences will feature approximately 475 new mixed-income apartment homes, created both by new construction and by the careful adaptive reuse of existing historic buildings on the SSU campus.

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More than 30 percent of the new apartments will be affordable to households with incomes ranging from 30 to 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). Twenty (20) percent will be affordable to households with earnings at or below 60 percent of AMI.

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In addition to new market rate and affordable apartments available to anyone, Forest River Residences will also offer more than 100 apartments for active adults ages 55 or older, creating an opportunity for seniors to stay in Salem after downsizing. The senior housing will primarily occupy SSU’s Harrington Building, which will undergo extensive interior renovations, and a smaller addition.

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Two-thirds of the 23-acre development parcel will be preserved as open space and offer enhanced trail connections to Forest River Conservation Area. Close to 20,000 square feet of community open space would anchor the development in the form of a new central green.