The City of Salem asked the Keefe Company to prepare action strategies for the city's historic waterfront and for its downtown retail and cultural core. The plans proposed a number of "catalyst projects" to strengthen the downtown and historic areas and improve the linkage between them.

The city has embarked on an aggressive implementation program for both of these plans.

One of the "catalyst projects" called for in the plan was the transformation of Derby Square, in front of Old Town Hall, into a farmer's market. The Salem Marketplace is now in operation, adding life to this end of downtown.

Another catalyst project in the downtown plan involved coordination with the world-famous Peabody Essex Museum, which is completed a $100 million expansion in 2003.Part of this work includes the creation of a link from the Museum through Armory Park and a new public garden to the historic waterfront and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. The creation of such a link was called for in the downtown plan.