Where Salem’s Biggest Development Projects Stand Right Now
Halfway through 2026, Salem has several significant development projects in motion, each at a different stage of the pipeline, and together they offer a useful snapshot of where the city’s growth is headed.
Rivenwood Apartments
Deacon Development has already delivered one of downtown’s biggest housing additions: Rivenwood, a five-story, 157-unit apartment building that replaced the former Nordstrom store. Its opening brought a significant jump in available downtown housing, and it’s now a useful case study for what redevelopment of underused retail space can look like elsewhere in the core.
277 High Street NE
The same development pipeline includes plans to turn a downtown parking lot and adjoining empty pit at 277 High St. NE into a 105-unit, mixed-use apartment building. The city approved the site plan for the six-story project, positioning it as the next major infill project to watch downtown.
Donald-Aurora Interchange
Outside the city core, work on the Donald-Aurora Interchange at Exit 278 is part of a longer-running effort to improve highway access south of Salem, with full completion targeted around 2027.
McGilchrist Street
A four-year overhaul of McGilchrist Street is underway, widening the current narrow two-lane road into three lanes with sidewalks, a cycle track, a center turn lane, and improved railroad and creek crossings, a significant upgrade for a corridor that’s long lagged behind the rest of the city’s infrastructure.
Why this matters for the local market
Major infrastructure and housing investment tends to ripple outward into surrounding real estate, shaping everything from commute patterns to neighborhood desirability over time. Downtown infill projects like Rivenwood and 277 High Street in particular are worth watching for buyers and investors thinking about Salem’s core.
Whether you are buying, selling, or investing near downtown Salem, keeping an eye on projects like these can help you time your decisions well. If you have questions about how ongoing development could affect property values in your local market, reach out anytime!
