Mission Statement: To encourage the City of Salem to embrace the idea that brick sidewalks are an integral and significant part of Salem’s historic aesthetic.
Co-Chairs: Colleen Brewster and Cynthia Johnson
The Brick Coalition was established in the summer of 2021 by Historic Salem Inc., originally co- chaired by Colleen Brewster and Louis Sirianni. In 2024, the coalition was renamed the Brick Committee. The Brick Committee was formed, in part, due to the earlier successes of the McIntire Neighborhood Association (MNA), which fought for brick-only sidewalk repairs that respected the designation of the Local Historic District.
While the MNA has since disbanded, their efforts align with those of the Brick Committee, to create a long-term permanent change in the repair approach to historic sidewalks that protects these historic settings. There is an elegance to the streetscape when the buildings and sidewalks form a cohesive ensemble. This elegance diminishes when patches of contemporary and historic paving materials are left to deteriorate, become safety risks, and require costly replacement rather than repair. The Brick Committee is striving towards its goal of having well-maintained historical sidewalks for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Several of the Brick Committee’s accomplishments are chronicled below, while our recent endeavors can be found in HSI’s quarterly newsletter, under the aptly named headline “Sidewalk Talk”. Should you or anyone you know have an interest in learning more about our efforts or joining our committee, please contact us at [email protected].
Sidewalk Maintenance Ordinance (Spring 2022)
One of our early members was City Councillor Ty Hapworth. In 2022, we helped him craft an amendment to the sidewalk maintenance ordinance that introduced to the Salem City Council and it was referred to the Government Services subcommittee. The passing of this amendment would have designated brick or concrete as the preferred sidewalk material, accepted brick as the required sidewalk material downtown and in Local Historic Districts, encouraged the use of concrete for all other sidewalks, required existing brick to remain and be replaced in-kind, and made paving review within the purview of the Salem Historical
Commission (SHC). Letters of support were submitted by several local neighborhood associations and Historic Salem, Inc.; unfortunately, the amendment died in committee and was not adopted. The Brick Committee plans to introduce an ordinance amendment in the future that focuses on Local Historic District paving only.
McIntire District Paving Map (Summer of 2022)
The McIntire District was our initial focus because it is the largest historic district in Salem, MA. It also has the largest concentration of historic brick sidewalks and the most to lose in terms of historic paving. Our members divided the district into sections, conducted individual sidewalk surveys, and developed an on-line paving map of the district. This map allows the Brick Committee to pinpoint areas of concern, bring them to the city’s attention.
Minor and major repairs are needed throughout the district, ranging from replacing deteriorated asphalt patches with brick to leveling off sunken or upheaved areas, with the goal of returning material continuity to historic district sidewalks. Our intention, with an amended sidewalk maintenance ordinance, is for the city to salvage as much historic brick as possible and to blend new brick with the old, making this sustainable practice both practical and cost-effective. Utility repairs during the winter months would require temporary asphalt patches, until warmer weather allows for the restoration of a more appropriate brick sidewalk, while all new sidewalks would be entirely brick.
SHC Design Guidelines (Fall of 2022)
One goal of the Brick Committee was for paved surfaces visible from a public way to fall under the purview of the Salem Historical Commission. While our first attempt to revise Salem’s sidewalk maintenance ordinance with the City Council was not successful, we turned our attention toward how best to guide homeowners and developers to the best paving practices within an historic district. Over the course of a year, we researched sidewalk and paving materials, compiled a list of materials appropriate for an historic district in New England, worked with the Commission to clarify private vs. public paving, and provided standard sidewalk images for reference. In October 2022, the Commission approved adding our “Sidewalks & Paving” section to their newly revised Design Guidelines Notebook.
Brick Sidewalk Repair Petition (Summer 2024)
To encourage the Salem Department of Public Services (DPS) to make in-kind repairs to brick sidewalks within all Salem historic districts, the Brick Committee crafted a petition in the summer of 2023. The petition garnered 1,165 signatures and included comments favoring the repair and continued use of brick sidewalks vs. pouring new concrete sidewalks. The petition was presented to Mayor Pangallo and DPS Director Raymond Jodoin in the summer of 2024, where Mayor Pangallo cited cost as the biggest barrier, noted his commitment to making like-for-like repairs, was in support of the use of recycled bricks when in good condition, and agreed that asphalt patches and asphalt sidewalks were not preferred.
We commend Salem’s commitment to zeroing out seeclickfix.com sidewalk repairs, prioritizing based on severity and accessibility, and for the in-kind repairs currently in progress. Until the sidewalk maintenance ordinance is amended, the Brick Committee will continue to encourage the installation of brick sidewalks in Local Historic Districts, particularly when the result will be greater material continuity throughout the neighborhood. We will also continue to discourage the pockmark effect that in-kind sidewalk repairs and replacements can create, especially when opportunities arise for the city to make more meaningful repairs that relate to the neighboring paving material and respect the designation of the Local Historic District.
Co-Chairs: Colleen Brewster and Cynthia Johnson
The Brick Coalition was established in the summer of 2021 by Historic Salem Inc., originally co- chaired by Colleen Brewster and Louis Sirianni. In 2024, the coalition was renamed the Brick Committee. The Brick Committee was formed, in part, due to the earlier successes of the McIntire Neighborhood Association (MNA), which fought for brick-only sidewalk repairs that respected the designation of the Local Historic District.
While the MNA has since disbanded, their efforts align with those of the Brick Committee, to create a long-term permanent change in the repair approach to historic sidewalks that protects these historic settings. There is an elegance to the streetscape when the buildings and sidewalks form a cohesive ensemble. This elegance diminishes when patches of contemporary and historic paving materials are left to deteriorate, become safety risks, and require costly replacement rather than repair. The Brick Committee is striving towards its goal of having well-maintained historical sidewalks for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Several of the Brick Committee’s accomplishments are chronicled below, while our recent endeavors can be found in HSI’s quarterly newsletter, under the aptly named headline “Sidewalk Talk”. Should you or anyone you know have an interest in learning more about our efforts or joining our committee, please contact us at [email protected].
Sidewalk Maintenance Ordinance (Spring 2022)
One of our early members was City Councillor Ty Hapworth. In 2022, we helped him craft an amendment to the sidewalk maintenance ordinance that introduced to the Salem City Council and it was referred to the Government Services subcommittee. The passing of this amendment would have designated brick or concrete as the preferred sidewalk material, accepted brick as the required sidewalk material downtown and in Local Historic Districts, encouraged the use of concrete for all other sidewalks, required existing brick to remain and be replaced in-kind, and made paving review within the purview of the Salem Historical
Commission (SHC). Letters of support were submitted by several local neighborhood associations and Historic Salem, Inc.; unfortunately, the amendment died in committee and was not adopted. The Brick Committee plans to introduce an ordinance amendment in the future that focuses on Local Historic District paving only.
McIntire District Paving Map (Summer of 2022)
The McIntire District was our initial focus because it is the largest historic district in Salem, MA. It also has the largest concentration of historic brick sidewalks and the most to lose in terms of historic paving. Our members divided the district into sections, conducted individual sidewalk surveys, and developed an on-line paving map of the district. This map allows the Brick Committee to pinpoint areas of concern, bring them to the city’s attention.
Minor and major repairs are needed throughout the district, ranging from replacing deteriorated asphalt patches with brick to leveling off sunken or upheaved areas, with the goal of returning material continuity to historic district sidewalks. Our intention, with an amended sidewalk maintenance ordinance, is for the city to salvage as much historic brick as possible and to blend new brick with the old, making this sustainable practice both practical and cost-effective. Utility repairs during the winter months would require temporary asphalt patches, until warmer weather allows for the restoration of a more appropriate brick sidewalk, while all new sidewalks would be entirely brick.
SHC Design Guidelines (Fall of 2022)
One goal of the Brick Committee was for paved surfaces visible from a public way to fall under the purview of the Salem Historical Commission. While our first attempt to revise Salem’s sidewalk maintenance ordinance with the City Council was not successful, we turned our attention toward how best to guide homeowners and developers to the best paving practices within an historic district. Over the course of a year, we researched sidewalk and paving materials, compiled a list of materials appropriate for an historic district in New England, worked with the Commission to clarify private vs. public paving, and provided standard sidewalk images for reference. In October 2022, the Commission approved adding our “Sidewalks & Paving” section to their newly revised Design Guidelines Notebook.
Brick Sidewalk Repair Petition (Summer 2024)
To encourage the Salem Department of Public Services (DPS) to make in-kind repairs to brick sidewalks within all Salem historic districts, the Brick Committee crafted a petition in the summer of 2023. The petition garnered 1,165 signatures and included comments favoring the repair and continued use of brick sidewalks vs. pouring new concrete sidewalks. The petition was presented to Mayor Pangallo and DPS Director Raymond Jodoin in the summer of 2024, where Mayor Pangallo cited cost as the biggest barrier, noted his commitment to making like-for-like repairs, was in support of the use of recycled bricks when in good condition, and agreed that asphalt patches and asphalt sidewalks were not preferred.
We commend Salem’s commitment to zeroing out seeclickfix.com sidewalk repairs, prioritizing based on severity and accessibility, and for the in-kind repairs currently in progress. Until the sidewalk maintenance ordinance is amended, the Brick Committee will continue to encourage the installation of brick sidewalks in Local Historic Districts, particularly when the result will be greater material continuity throughout the neighborhood. We will also continue to discourage the pockmark effect that in-kind sidewalk repairs and replacements can create, especially when opportunities arise for the city to make more meaningful repairs that relate to the neighboring paving material and respect the designation of the Local Historic District.
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