The Preservation Society of Fall River opposes the requested variance and special permit to convert the historic property at 550-570 Rock Street into a 15-unit complex.
We believe that the current density proposed would be too detrimental to the neighborhood, which is part of National Register of Historic Places Highlands Historic District as well as Fall River’s only protected historic district – the Highlands 40C Local Historic District.
The Highlands 40C District was created 10 years ago thanks to dozens of Preservation Society volunteers who donated hundreds of hours of time to aid in its establishment and recognition by the State.
According to the State, the purpose of protected local historic districts is to “promote the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the public through the preservation and protection of the distinctive characteristics of buildings and places significant in the history of the Commonwealth or their architecture, and through the maintenance and improvement of settings for such buildings and places and the encouragement of design compatible therewith.”
The property at 550-570 Rock Street, which includes the c. 1863 Jefferson Borden House, is a significant component of the Highlands Historic District. The prominence of the parcel on the Rock Street-Prospect Street corner means any changes to the property would have an outsized impact on the neighborhood and public at-large.
Any variances or special permits should include stipulations and protections that ensure the scenic vista of the Highlands Historic District is preserved and the intent of the 40C district is respected. Under Massachusetts General Law dictating 40C districts, any exterior alterations require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Fall River Historical Commission. As the city’s government body overseeing the 40C local historic district in question, the Preservation Society believes it would be appropriate for the Zoning Board to request an opinion from the Historical Commission on the impact the current proposal would have on the district before any decisions are made.
The Preservation Society requests that the Zoning Board deny the variance and refer it to the Historical Commission, so that members and the public may have all pertinent information relevant for future reuse options before irreparable harm is done to the neighborhood and the protected historic district that so many worked hard to establish.