Old Salem Jail to be Housing / Restaurant

According to the Salem Gazette, the old Salem Jail, at the corner of Bridge and St. Peters Street in Salem, MN, will likely be transformed into 23 condo units (which may be first available as apartments), a restaurant and a small museum devoted to the jail’s history.

The old Salem jail property includes an 1813 Gothic-style jail, a 3-story jail keeper’s house that was built by renowned 19th-century New England architect Samuel McIntire, and a 3rd building constructed in the style of an 1800’s wooden carriage house that had to be torn down due to poor condition.

According to David Goldman, the founder of developer New Boston Ventures, the condo units are all uniquely beautiful, especially those within the old jailhouse which have windows that extend from ceiling to floor and cathedral ceilings up to 18 feet high.  Two of the jail cells will be preserved and used as an exhibition space complete with rusty keys, old bottles and prisoners’ beds. Additionally, granite taken from the floors of the cells will be used to pave the condominium’s walkways while cell doors will be utilized in the condo’s hallways as “ornamental reminders of what used to be there.”

Read the entire Salem Gazette article.