When did Salem go through the rapid growth spurt?

Submitted by GraveyardMistress t3_11dplx6 in newhampshire

I used to live in NH, and still visit quite often. We hadn't been to the Salem area since a while before the pandemic, and decided to take a ride there last weekend. I was so disoriented when we pulled off the mall exit - when did all of that start? Last time I was there it was JUST a mall ... now it is mini malls and a Mass Gen satellite and apartment buildings and condos in the parking lot, as far as the eye can see.

Maybe it had been longer than I thought since I was in that area...

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_jaa46on wrote

28 has seen steady development over the last 10 years or so, but it really took off in the last 3 years once they razed the track and built out Tuscan Village.

It’s a fucking shitshow on weekends - moreso than ever.

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GraveyardMistress OP t1_jadz836 wrote

Yeah we made the mistake of going down on the weekend, not knowing what we were getting into. We originally went for the Container Store, as we don't have any in Maine, and figured it would be a nice ride. Won't be doing THAT again anytime soon.

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_jae2v9m wrote

On weekdays it’s fine. But on weekends Lawrence and Methuen MA empty out and take over Salem.

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KarlLexington t1_jaayuyb wrote

The closure of Rockingham Park opened up a vast swath of land in the center of town to new development.

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KrissaKray t1_jac63if wrote

Mostly just the last 2-3 years or so. I like Tuscan village a lot actually.

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ForklkftJones t1_jac8g7e wrote

It's nice to have a Container store.

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GraveyardMistress OP t1_jadyv15 wrote

>It's nice to have a Container store.

That is what we actually went down for, that and the ride itself. We got there about 15 min after they opened and couldn't get through the parking lot. It was insane!

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Justice-Girl-369 t1_jaacbr1 wrote

Been here since 2002. It's insane now. Becoming more of a city!

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ratbas t1_jac8iqw wrote

The closing of the track freed up a ton of space. It's all mostly just that one development. South of that it's the same strip mall infested continuation of Lawrence and Methuen it's always been.

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eyedoc00 t1_jacaf6y wrote

Tuscan is awesome, the Rockingham Mall is dying.

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thescreamapillar t1_jac9qoy wrote

Graduated from SHS in 2003—I thought 28 was insane THEN—especially on the border…I barely recognized it until I got to the old Depot!

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