[MassHistPres] Adaptive Reuse Consultant

[Susan Fletcher]

To start - I’m glad we are back on line and can communicate and thank you to everyone involved in getting the Planners and Historic list serves up and running again!

I am on the Board of Directors of The Bridge at  211 which is a small non-profit for a former Unitarian church located at 211 Bridge Street in Salem. In recent years the building has provided a venue for a variety of theatrical events as well as providing meeting/office space for other non profits.  At one point of time or another The Bridge At  211 has provided space for the Salem Food Pantry, Alcohol Anonymous meetings, Scottish Dancers, NAGLY, Salem Arts Association, as well as theatrical events, concerts and holiday events around Halloween (it is Salem you know!) and the December holidays.  

However as uses come and go we are increasingly running up against potential zoning use issues.  The Building Department has been very helpful and we continue to work with them as various groups come and go but we all agree that it is time that we invest in an adaptive reuse plan that will identify what is the best path for the building in the future. With a plan we can then identify what zoning relief we may or may not need.

I am looking for recommendations of possible consultants who could work with the Board to create such a plan.  In addition if any of you have any RFP’s that we can use as a model that would also be much appreciated.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

Susan Fletcher
Board of Directors for The Bridge at 211