Commission approves LaForge House demolition for campus redevelopment
Salem Historical Commission votes to clear LaForge House for campus redevelopment project. Chair Vijay Joyce and the commission found the 1949 building at Salem State South Campus historically significant but not preferably preserved, allowing AvalonBay Communities to demolish it for 340 new
Historical Commission · Meeting of March 18, 2026
Salem Historical Commission votes to clear LaForge House for campus redevelopment project. Chair Vijay Joyce and the commission found the 1949 building at Salem State South Campus historically significant but not preferably preserved, allowing AvalonBay Communities to demolish it for 340 new apartment homes. The commission also approved a demolition-delay waiver for 35 Irving Street, a circa-1860 Italianate home, voting 6 to 1 to allow removal of the roof and rear ell while preserving the front facade, with Milo Martinez dissenting.
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Source: the Historical Commission meeting of March 18, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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