The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has issued an Invitation to Bid for the redevelopment of roughly 20 acres of waterfront land along the Taunton River in Fall River. The release of the request opens the door for private developers to propose plans for one of New England’s larger contiguous waterfront redevelopment sites with direct proximity to commuter rail.
The site was assembled as part of the Route 79/Davol Street Corridor Improvements Project, which reconfigured key transportation infrastructure in the area. That work has created a new development footprint adjacent to the MBTA’s recently opened Fall River Depot commuter rail station, positioning the property for large-scale, transit-oriented uses.
State officials describe the offering as an opportunity to leverage decades of public planning and infrastructure investment. With the South Coast Rail project now connecting Fall River to the broader region, the waterfront parcel is being framed as a location where new housing and job-generating uses could be clustered around passenger rail service.
Governor Maura Healey said the state aims to translate long-term planning efforts into tangible private investment that can expand housing options, stimulate employment, and better connect the city with its riverfront. She noted that the combination of commuter rail access and waterfront frontage creates favorable conditions for a mix of residential and commercial uses that support long-term economic growth on the South Coast.
The Invitation to Bid is open to interested development teams who can respond with concepts that align with the site’s transit-oriented potential and waterfront setting. Proposals are expected to address how projects would activate the riverfront, integrate with surrounding infrastructure improvements, and support broader community and economic objectives.
Developers have until October 21, 2026, to submit proposals for consideration. The procurement timeline and selection criteria were not detailed in the announcement, but the state is signaling that it is prepared to work with the private sector to advance a large, multi-phase redevelopment opportunity tied directly to new regional rail connections.
