SALEM — Salem State University formally broke ground on its major capital project SSU BOLD Wednesday morning, aimed at unifying and modernizing the school’s footprint.
SSU BOLD was first announced in 2019. It incorporates renovations to the existing Horace Mann building on Loring Avenue, as well as the expansion of Meier Hall on Lafayette Street to bring new lab spaces to programs housed in the building. Once completed in the fall of 2027, the project will allow Salem State to relocate its South Campus-housed programs to North Campus, unifying its campuses and allowing the state’s planned sale of South Campus to move forward.
Additionally, the third component is a North Campus decarbonization project to establish a geothermal wellfield under the faculty parking lot on College Drive, behind Meier Hall. Once completed, the system of about 100 wells will support the heating and cooling of both the Meier Hall expansion and Horace Mann building, as well as improvements to the heating and cooling of the Berry Library. Connections between other buildings and the wells will be installed in preparation for future projects as well, which will bring four additional buildings on North Campus into this system.
“Today is not just a groundbreaking — it is a turning point for our campus. It is the moment when our inspiring vision for the future truly begins to take shape,” university President John Keenan told those gathered at the groundbreaking. “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 groundbreaking, performed at the campus-facing side of the Horace Mann building, also included an announcement of a $1 million contribution to the project from alumna and Campaign Steering Committee co-chair Mary DeSimone (Class of ‘76) and her husband Tom DeSimone.
“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.”
The dignitaries gathered Wednesday also included Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Salem’s former mayor and an SSU alum.
“When we invest in public higher education, we’re investing in the future of our state. 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,” said Driscoll (Class of ’89). “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.”