Reconciling The History And Innovation Of Salem

SALEM, MA – The history and coast drew Lee and JJ Dearborn from Cambridge to Salem. The husband and wife launched the Makers Guild last August, a couple years after living in Salem, with the intention of pooling their skills into one business.

Lee has a background in real estate development, architecture, and construction, and JJ uses her background data, history, and marketing for the business. At the Makers Guild, they restore properties' historic features, and upgrade them with smart home technology with energy-saving features, like smart thermostats and home monitoring tools.

"We really want to focus on the energy efficiency of the homes, making them very thermally tight," said Lee. "We also want to restore a lot of the original components – all of the exterior existing windows – but get them updated. "

So far they've worked on two properties in Boston and Cambridge, and plan to start developing a Buffum Street home in Salem this spring. It will be their first project on the North Shore.

Lee said when they walk their two dogs around the neighborhood they see dozens of homes they would love to get their hands on: Houses built in the 1900s that have been covered in vinyl siding. The history of Salem as one of the wealthiest ports in the states and the distinct architectural style that defines it is part of what made them fall in love with the area.

When they lived in Cambridge, the Dearborns would look to escape the city in the summertime. They would take the train to Manchester and other seaside communities, like Lee's family would do when he was growing up. He grew up in Acton, but would always end up in Gloucester or Rockport in the summer.

When rent prices started going up in Cambridge, they looked for a historic home, built before 1900, that could use some renovations. They started reading about the history of the McIntire District, named for architect Samuel McIntire. That part of Salem's history – the elegant homes of sea captains financed by the city's booming trade – is often forgotten in favor of the witch trials, but it's what fascinates the Dearborns.

The Makers Guild hopes to create a connection between the area's historic roots and the influx of tech and innovation. On their website, there's a saying that Lee said helps define their work: "Embracing the present, respecting the past."

Related: Innovative Companies Find Homes on The North Shore

Images via the Makers Guild