Salem State University Holds 'Bold' Groundbreaking Ceremony

SALEM, MA — Salem State University took a significant symbolic step in its decade-long campus unification project with the SSU BOLD groundbreaking, which included Salem State alumna and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll.

A $1 million gift from alumna and Campaign Steering Committee co_Chair Mary "Midge" DeSimone and her husband, Tom DeSimone, help fund the project, which incorporates renovations to the existing Horace Man building on Loring Avenue, as well as the expansion of Meier Hall on Lafayette Street to bring new lab spaces building programs.

The project is set to be completed in Fall 2027 and will allow Salem State to relocate its South Campus programs to the North Campus, allowing the planned sale of the South Campus to move forward.

"Today is not just a groundbreaking — it is a turning point for our campus," SSU President John Keenan said. "We are here to celebrate not just one, but two monumental and transformational projects: our campus unification and modernization project SSU BOLD, and the pioneering North Campus decarbonization project, both of which represent our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and academic excellence."

The $1 million gift was announced at the groundbreaking last week.

"New labs, classrooms and community spaces will enable our students to carry out innovative research and participate in real-life simulations that aid in their career preparation," Mary DeSimone said. "This is our moment to unify the campus in ways that support the success of students, faculty, and staff."

SSU BOLD will revitalize the Horace Mann building, vacant since 2018, as the new home for the majority of the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services. Renovations will include the creation of nursing simulation suites, bedside skills and occupational therapy labs, student hubs, flexible classrooms, and more. Construction will also update the building with a newly created accessible campus-facing entrance.

The Meier Hall addition will bring seven new teaching labs and support spaces to Salem State. It will provide modernized lab space for several programs in the Meier Hall building, including biology, chemistry, and geological sciences.

"When we invest in public higher education, we're investing in the future of our state," Driscoll said. "These new lab spaces and classrooms at Salem State will help more students get the skills that are in demand in today's economy, and it'll help foster more of the innovation we’re known for here in Massachusetts — all while supporting our decarbonization goals too.

"I'm proud to support my alma mater as they begin this incredible modernization project for Salem State University, and I'm excited to be here to celebrate this groundbreaking."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza)