Salem

[Encolpius]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

don't really know anything about it, but it sounds like good news for Salem.

Well I don't know anything about it either, except it appears the city has agreed to heavily subsidize the construction of a 'low-rise strip office building behind a parking lot', as one of the project's supporters has candidly described it. Okay, I get that we need to have moderate expectations when it comes to a place like downtown Salem. But it seems like an awful lot of sweetheart deals may have already been struck between the city and the developers involved with this and the associated Pringle Square development. And what's the story behind the last line in that article:

The rehabilitation center project is estimated to cost $11.6 million, of which the developers expect to pay $2.3 million.

Sweet! So they only have to pay $2.3 million, but on top of that they'll be getting $749,999 off? That's good news for 'Marquis Companies of Milwaukie'... but is this another example of the kind of 'urban renewal' that explains why there's never much cash available for affordable housing or schools?

[maccoinnich]

Test new chip, pop corn, nut products at Diamond Foods facility opened in Salem



Diamond Foods wants Oregonians input on new Kettle potato chip flavors, Pop Secret recipes and nut combinations.

The company unveiled a more than 7,000-square-foot facility in Salem that will be used for product testing. The kitchen and laboratory are attached to the existing Kettle potato chip factory. Gov. Kate Brown christened the building.

Diamond Foods also oversees Emerald Nuts and Diamond of California.

Diamond officials said they chose to expand on the Kettle facility for its first test center "due to Kettle Brand's strong history of innovation, as well as employee talent in the agricultural region of the Willamette Valley and its close proximity to the culinary scene in Portland."

...continues at the Oregonian.

[maccoinnich]

Holman Hotel plans for January opening, adding lodging option downtown



The building that stood at the northwest corner of Ferry and Commercial streets over a century ago was key to Salem’s growth, serving as the home of the state Legislature for over a decade as the Oregon Capitol was under construction.

Now, Matt Smith hopes the seven-story hotel now occupying the lot will play a similar role as Oregon’s capital seeks to attract larger events and continue the growth of downtown into a vibrant, residential neighborhood with nightlife and retail.

“We want to come in and be part of the revitalization of downtown,” said Smith, the general manager for the property.

The Holman Riverfront Park Hotel — a nod to the original Holman Building — is scheduled to open in January following about a year and a half of construction. The property had been the home of a car park since the early 1950s after the original Holman building was torn down.

The $42 million, 127-room property, part of the Hilton Tapestry Collection, is operated by Seattle-based Coast Hospitality Management and owned by Portland-based Sturgeon Development Partners. It will cater primarily to government and business travelers, Smith said, while also adding capacity for weekend events like the Ironman Triathlon that draw crowds to the city.

..continues at the Salem Reporter.

[maccoinnich]

Stylish Cocktail Lounge Pacific Standard Will Open a New Hotel Bar in Salem



Star bartenders Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Benjamin “Banjo” Amberg have a natural habitat, and it’s the hotel bar. The Clyde Common (formerly within the Ace Hotel) alums are expanding their bar Pacific Standard, whose original location opened in May 2022 inside Southeast Portland’s Kex Hotel.

The bar is slated to open in mid-February 2023 inside the brand new Holman Hotel, which is scheduled to open in January. Pacific Standard’s Salem bar will serve an expanded version of the Portland location’s menu; bringing together “sessionable” cocktails designed to be enjoyed at any time of day with West Coast-inflected classic bar food such as Walla Walla French onion dip and Puget Sound mussels served with grilled Portland City Bakery sourdough. The bartending duo’s food and drink menu is described as “inspired by the world’s great hotel bars throughout history” while including nods to their personal roots. Pacific Standard Salem will open at 195 Commercial Street SE.

...via Eater Portland.

[Derek]

It looks like Salem may be welcoming commercial air service soon:

Salem City Council could move one step closer to bringing commercial flights to McNary Field this summer.

Council is set to vote Monday on whether to authorize the city manager to execute air carrier operating and revenue guarantee agreements with an airline and a local matching funds agreement with Travel Salem.

The name of the air carrier is redacted in city documents as part of a nondisclosure clause, but the agreement specifies the airline serves the Los Angeles basin, San Francisco, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

(Continued below…)

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/sto...r/70089166007/

I’m going to guess the unspecified airline is Breeze Airways.

[maccoinnich]

How could they possibly get air service going so soon? It seems like there would be a lot of logistics to sort out for a terminal that hasn't seen scheduled service in a decade and a half?

[maccoinnich]

Pretty great opportunity:

Historic cannery to become housing, gathering place for Salem community

SALEM Ore. (KPTV) - Gaining 70,000 people over the last thirty years, Oregon’s capital has grown considerably.

The Truitt family owns a cannery that has been around for more than 100 years. The building sits on 13 acres, has seen more than 800 seasonal employees at times and has stood the test of time.

Jordan Truitt said he grew up in the building.

“I learned how to work in this building,” Truitt said. “My first job was at the age of 16 working on the green bean line. This building, this property, this industry, is woven into the fabric of Salem. Everybody that worked here was an extended part of our family.”

Although some things are still in use on the site, Truitt said it hasn’t canned a thing for the last three years.

...continues at KPTV.

[maccoinnich]

Avelo will begin flying from Salem to Las Vegas, Los Angeles in October



Avelo Airlines will begin flights to Las Vegas and Los Angeles this fall, returning commercial air service to Oregon’s capital after a years-long, multi-million dollar effort by the city, local businesses and tourism groups.

The first flight is planned for Oct. 5 to Las Vegas, with twice-weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays. Flights to Los Angeles, landing at Hollywood Burbank Airport, would initially be on Fridays and Mondays beginning Oct. 6, before shifting to Thursdays and Sundays Nov. 2.

Tickets for the budget airline will start at $39 one way, not including fees and costs for checked or carry-on bags.

The airline’s announcement came Thursday at an airport terminal packed with reporters, city employees, and tourism and business stakeholders.

The sentiment of the day was “It’s been a long time coming.”

Mayor Chris Hoy delivered his opening remarks flanked by nearly all of Salem’s city councilors.

“I wasn’t always sure we were going to get to this day, but here we are. And for many of us, it’s a big sigh of relief today,” Hoy said.

It’s been 15 years since Salem had commercial air service, with Delta who pulled out in late 2008 after a year and a half of flights.

...continues at the Salem Reporter.

[dizflip]

^ Utter policy failure. Salem is close enough to PDX to not warrant something like this.

[uncommon.name]

Originally Posted by dizflip

^ Utter policy failure. Salem is close enough to PDX to not warrant something like this.

What do you mean?

[maccoinnich]

Right now fares on Avelo are very cheap on both flights. If I lived on the south side of the Portland Metro area, and were planning a trip to either Las Vegas or Los Angeles, I would definitely look at flying out of Salem instead.

After 15 years, commercial flights return to Salem



For the first time in 15 years, passenger flights are once again taking off from the Salem Municipal Airport.

Ultra low-cost carrier Avelo is now offering service from McNary Field to Las Vegas and Burbank.

It’s the first airline to provide commercial flights since Delta stopped its service to Salem during the 2008 financial crisis, when fuel prices skyrocketed.

“Those were 50-passenger regional jets… and that model really is no longer viable anywhere,” Salem Mayor Chris Hoy said. “They can’t really put enough people on those to pay for the fuel.”

Travel Salem CEO and President Angie Villery said the city has been working for five and a half years to land another airline in Salem.

...continues at OPB.

[maccoinnich]

Low-cost airline adds Salem connection to California wine country



Low-cost airline Avelo plans to add a third route from Salem in May, connecting Oregon's wine country to California's Sonoma County.

The Houston-based airline will begin flights May 3 between Salem Municipal Airport (SLE) and Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport (STS), near Santa Rosa, California. Flights will be twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, according to a news release from Avelo.

"We have been very encouraged by the positive reception Avelo has received in the Willamette Valley and are excited to add this third popular destination from SLE," Avelo Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said in a news release. "With the addition of this exclusive nonstop service, getting to the Bay Area and California Wine Country is now more affordable and easier than ever for travelers in the Greater Portland region."

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[MarkDaMan]

I wonder when we'll get a PDX to Salem flight.

[maccoinnich]

Renderings by GBD of the Edlen & Co proposal for Block 50 in downtown Salem.