April 12, 2024

The city of Salem has started work on a new community center that will bring additional event space.

The building also will house City Hall, in addition to a 5,200-square-foot event space, an 1,100-square-foot event space and a kitchen.

A derecho in 2022 heavily damaged Salem’s armory, which had been used as a community center. The site now is used for parking, and the new center is being built nearby.

The Salem City Council  selected a committee of community members and city staff to help with the design, which was done by ISG.

“The committee worked with ISG to design a facility to meet the needs of the community, picked out the interior colors schemes and product used for cabinets and flooring throughout the facility,” according to information from the city.

Construction is expected to last about a year.