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Big plans are underway at the former Truitt Bros. Cannery in north downtown Salem.
The Statesman Journal first reported the project earlier this month.
Additional plans released Friday by developers detail the drastic changes planned for the 13 acres from Mill Creek to Shipping Street along Front Street, including 374 units of multi-family housing, an eight-stall food hall, wine tasting room and brewery, access to the Willamette River waterfront and a United League Soccer stadium.
Developer Trent Michels, who grew up in Salem, told the Statesman Journal the project is more than just a development, it’s a commitment to create something extraordinary for Salem.
Michels is the founder of FuND, the Oregon-based development company behind the project. A Sprague High School graduate, Michels left Oregon to attend West Point and served in the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer.
He worked for a couple of years for a different company in North Carolina with a track record of developing sustainable, mixed-use projects.
More:Future of historic cannery property on Front Street could forever change downtown Salem
Michels, along with his wife and two young children, met Friday with members of the community outside the oldest building on the cannery site — the 1914 ripening room overlooking the Willamette. Michels wants to preserve the building and turn it into a wine-tasting room.
He also highlighted recent talks with the United Soccer League to bring a stadium to the north end of the property. The stadium would have the capacity for thousands, host professional men’s and women’s teams, and also be utilized for concerts, festivals and local sports games more than 150 nights a year.
The United Soccer League is separate from Major League Soccer, which the Portland Timbers are part of. USL has several men’s and women’s leagues at different levels, as well as a youth league. The nearest championship league team, its highest level, is in Sacramento. It has a League One professional men’s team in Spokane. In the semi-professional League Two, Salem’s Capital FC Atletico currently plays at the Capital Futbol Club Cascade Soccer Complex on State Street in Salem.
“I believe in Salem,” Michels said. “Its best days are ahead of it. This is the perfect time to invest in the community.”
The century-old property was owned by various food processors until the Truitt Bros. Cannery began operating out of the site starting in 1973. Started by brothers Peter and David Truitt, it canned local pears, green beans and cherries. In peak season, it would employ 800 people.
When the site went up for sale with a $12 million price tag in 2021, Peter Truitt said he wanted a seller who would honor its history while investing in the community and revitalizing the area north of downtown.
They believe they’ve found that in Michels, who said he wants to create a walkable, sustainable community with public access to trails along the Willamette River and a preserved riparian space.
“There’s no reason that Salem should not be a pre-eminent city,” Michels said. “It is such a beautiful place. The population is amazing. The people are amazing.”
Council highlights challenges, promises of development
The recently announced project was a hot topic during Monday’s Salem City Council meeting.
City staff and two councilors had also met with the developers Friday to discuss the details of the project.
“This is a prime jewel of the city of Salem,” said councilor Virginia Stapleton, whose ward includes the cannery site at 1105 Front St. NE.
Its location near the Willamette River and Riverfront Park makes it the ideal spot for reinvestment in downtown, she added, calling the project “monumental.”
“The Cannery project is an amazing project that will bring amazing things to our community,” city manager Keith Stahley said.
But with those opportunities also come challenges, he added.
The site is sandwiched between a railroad and a road and the river and a greenway, city urban development director Kristin Retherford said.
“The development team continues to be targeting a 2024 start date for construction,” Retherford said. “There is a lot to navigate between now and then.”
She said the city is prepared to help the developers address and work through those challenges.
Councilor Vanessa Nordyke expressed concern about the environmental and traffic impact of the site and asked whether some of the apartments would be affordable housing. Retherford assured her that having some affordable housing has been part of the discussions.
Mayor Chris Hoy told the Statesman Journal the city will continue to explore options on how to support the redevelopment of the area.
This could include tax incentives for affordable housing, grants and collaboration during the approval process.
“This is going to be so transformational for north downtown,” Hoy said. “That green space along the river, how we are embracing the river; It’s going to be huge.”
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth
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