What's that planned for the former Green Thumb florist building in downtown Salem?
Location: 236 Commercial St. NE
Description: The empty building previously occupied by Green Thumb Flower Box Florists on Commercial Street in downtown Salem is set to see renovations, new tenants and a completely new apartment building neighboring Electric Alley.
The site, known as the England-Wade historic building, dates back to 1887. It will undergo an adaptive reuse project similar to Fork Forty and the former Whitlock's building now known as the New New Wexford — two sites backed by Salem developer Charles Weathers.
Weathers is also helming the project on Commercial Street, dubbed "Retro Electro."
"What makes Retro Electro different is that we are doing a mix of historic rehab in the front and new construction in the alley," he said.
The original 1887 building ends almost in line with the rear of the former Salem Summit outdoor store next door. The storefront of the building was remodeled in the 1950s. A large corrugated metal building was later added on.
"We aim to demolish that metal monolith and erect a three-story apartment building in its place, providing 12 housing units as well as a rooftop party deck for residents," Weathers said.
This work will expose the original historic masonry structure of the building to the public and create a courtyard space between the two structures and alley access for the new business tenants.
"Tenants are already secured and include a combo laundromat-bar as well as another use that will remain a surprise for now," he said. "The existing, empty, second floor of that structure will be converted into four additional housing units, with historical finishes and a private deck."
The apartments will be a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.
The development would bring new life to an area in downtown that has seen two recent departures of popular businesses. Earlier this year, Salem Summit closed its doors after more than a decade in business. Also in the past year, Green Thumb Flower Box Florists relocated to 1750 Fairgrounds Road NE.
The building originally housed farm equipment, seeds and carriages, according to historic archives. In its 136 years of existence, the building was also the site of Fathertime Clocks, which repaired clocks and sold watches, clock barometers and globes; George E. Allen Co., which sold housewares, hardware and sporting goods; and Leeper's Office Equipment Co., which stocked modular furniture, word processors and drafting T-squares.
Weathers said having participated in new builds like the Atrium Apartments and historic remodels like Fork Forty made him excited about being able to do both approaches on one site.
Thus the name for the project — "Retro" as a nod to the building's history and "Electro" for the new building sharing Electric Alley and incorporating accent lighting effects into the design.
Weathers said his team has submitted for Historic Design Review and Site Plan Review already and hopes to be ready to begin work in the spring. Work is expected to take nine to 12 months once they have permits.
Is there something under construction you'd like to tell us about or find out more about? Contact reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: What's happening at the former Green Thumb building in Salem?
