The Salem Civic Center,  built between 1970 and 1972, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its grand opening on Thursday, August 18, 2022. The complex, including Central Fire Station No. 1, Mirror Pond, Pringle Creek, the City Hall Parking Garage, City Hall (including the City Council Chambers) and the Plaza Fountain are contributing resources of the almost 13-acre site, which was added November 2, 2022, to the National Register of Historic Places. The Salem Public Library and Library Parking Garage, both recently renovated, are also on the site. 

 

 

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General

The four-block Salem Civic Center is located on a hillside south of Salem’s commercial downtown. It is bound by Trade Street on the North, Liberty Street on the East, Leslie Street on the south and Commercial Street on the west. Sidewalks, staircases, and ramps connect the resources to each other and the various landscaping features. Buildings offer examples of New Brutalist architecture. The overall landscaping scheme conveys the open and welcoming intent of the Salem Civic Center and is character-defining. Noted historian Elisabeth Walton Potter summed up the site, noting: the rational, terraced scheme was enhanced by park-like landscaping, which provided an effective foil for buildings of reinforced concrete.” 

Fire Station No. 1, Mirror Pond and Pringle Creek

The Central Fire Station sits at the northern-most end of the district, close to key transportation arterials. Its architecture features square columns and subtle horizontal lines running across the concrete around the building. Between the Fire Station and Civic Center, Mirror Pond and Pringle Creek, offer a tranquil green space between amid the hustle and bustle of the busy city beyond. Examples of public art can be found along the pathways, and wildlife often gathers to visit its sculpted friends. 
Mirror Pond’s series of square, concrete slaps contrast with the organic shape of the pond and it architecturally to the buildings on the site. 
Just south of the pond and creek, the roof of the parking structure is beautified with concrete planters filled with colorful flowers. They feature colorful native plants such as milkweed, yarrow, Oregon grape, lupine and others. They align with the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, a commitment to restoring monarch butterfly habitat. 

Civic Center

As the slope begins to rise south of Mirror Pond and the Parking Structure, the Civic Center aka City Hall, takes center stage. Offices of the building sit on breezeways surrounding a central atrium on the bottom level, where more concrete planter boxes carry the outdoors inside. The colorful plants, fountains and benches of the atrium offer a refreshing space where Salemites can relax. 
City Hall has been subject to relatively few exterior changes since its construction. It retains a high degree of historic integrity, especially regarding materials and design. Character-defining features of the City Hall exterior include concrete columns that create distinct bays, the window pattern and details, the visible elements of waffle slab construction in the ceiling, plexiglass roofing over the atrium. 

City Council Chambers

Salem’s City Council Chambers loom above the atrium on the second level and are distinct from the rest of the building, separated by concrete walkways. The Chambers sit on concrete columns and span the access road that connects Commercial and Liberty streets and offers vehicle access to the City Hall Parking Garage. It features two double-door entrances on the south side of the concrete building. Historically, Council Chambers featured two wood doors with bronze carvings. Interior walls have horizontal red oak wood siding and flooring, and four striated concrete columns. 

Peace Plaza

Originally intended as the main entrance to City Hall, the Plaza sits between City Hall and the Library, featuring the Crescent Probe sculpture by James Hansen. The space is open, and access is provided via multiple directions and methods.  The entire plaza is concrete and features 33 concrete triangles of varying sizes arranged in a circle. Some now support wood benches. In 1987, the Plaza was renamed and dedicated “Peace Plaza” to represent “tangible expressions of community concern about world peace and even better neighbor-to-neighbor relations in Salem. Under this new name and more guided purpose, Peace Plaza underwent a series of modifications. In 1988, the Peace Wall was added on the east side of the plaza. Flagpoles were installed to display flags from Salem’s Sister Cities. 

Library

The Public Library building was constructed in 1972 as one of the key components of the Salem Civic Center. At three stories, the primary entrance is on the south side of the building, facing the Library Parking Garage. Major renovations to the building were done in 1991 and 2021, substantially changing the design, materials, workmanship and feeling.

Mayor Vern Miller 

Then-Mayor Vern Miller was a strong advocate for the new Salem Civic Center throughout his time on the City Council and as Mayor. He's pictured below breaking ground on the Civic Center with an audience of dignitaries, and in November 1972 posing in front of Salem City Hall.

Listen to Mayor Miller's appeal to the community on the Civic Center.