SALEM City sees growth with lot

The site of a former gas station could be the location of a police car garage.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- The city administration continues to improve and expand the municipal government complex.
Late last week, crews demolished the former Kelly Gas Station that stood about a half-block from city hall.
The city bought the vacant station in 1997 for $100,000 with the idea of using the lot for parking.
Once demolition crews finish leveling the lot at South Ellsworth Avenue and Pershing Street, gravel will be placed in it.
The city paid Campf's Service Co. of Salem about $3,200 to raze the station and level the property.
Public parking: Sometime next year, the city probably will pave the lot and open it to parking for municipal employees and the public, Joe Julian, city service director, said.
Julian said a shortage of parking for city employees near city hall should be alleviated by the new lot.
The addition of public parking on the Kelly property gives the city about a half-dozen parking lots that ring the city's central business district. Parking is free.
In the future, Julian said he hopes to see part of the Kelly property used for a garage for police cars. Cruisers are parked near city hall.
Expansion project: The Kelly property improvements are part of a city hall expansion and improvement project that also has included the purchase of property south of the fire station on South Ellsworth Avenue.
The land was bought in July 2000 for $22,860, and a house on the property was razed.
Having the land available gives the city room to expand the fire station, although there are no plans to do so, Julian has said.
The station was built between 1996-97 and cost nearly $426,000.
Between 1996-98, the city spent about $500,000 to renovate city hall. The project included new city council chambers and remodeling of city offices.
leigh@vindy.com