Fall River's 5 most neglected historic properties are at risk of decay: Where they are

FALL RIVER — The Preservation Society of Fall River connected April 24 released its 2025 database of the city’s “Most Endangered” properties — including 1 historical gathering that’s virtually undergoing demolition aft being astir destroyed by fire.

The nonprofit radical marked the 20th day of its revival with a gathering unfastened to the nationalist held successful The Historic Abbey astatine 100 Rock St. — the erstwhile Central Congregational Church, itself a historical spot that the Preservation Society erstwhile helped prevention from the wrecking ball.

“Fall River is location to 1 of the astir divers varieties of historically important creation and architectural styles successful the United States,” said Preservation Society President Alex Silva, adding that the city's inventory of historical buildings has taken for granted successful the past and dilatory dwindled.

“The Most Endangered database was calved retired of an effort to summation the consciousness of these resources, to stimulate originative problem-solving and to assistance successful clarifying which properties should beryllium kept astatine the forefront of Fall River’s preservation efforts.”

'Not worthy risking anybody there': Fall River's dilapidated erstwhile Silvia School fire

Former Silvia School, damaged successful fire

The erstwhile schoolhouse connected Hartwell, built successful 1902, was successful usage for astir a period earlier being replaced and sold to developer David Hebert. But redeveloping the aged schoolhouse proved challenging. After Hebert’s plans ne'er materialized, the Preservation Society urged the metropolis to retake the gathering and enactment it connected the marketplace again.

However, conscionable earlier a viable bid process could begin, the long-vacant schoolhouse was deed by a devastating fire. Four juveniles person been arrested and charged with arson. One information of the schoolhouse analyzable is undergoing demolition.

“The remaining half, the multi-story ceramic information connected the left, volition beryllium spared for present arsenic the metropolis issues a caller petition for proposals to dispose of the property," Silva said.

He said earlier the fire, the Preservation Society had been moving with the metropolis to tweak an RFP to “maximize the chances of redevelopment — we were trying to alteration immoderate connection to marque affordable lodging much enticing to developers.”

'Get that gathering down': Time's up for Fall River's aged constabulary station

Central Police Station could person a day with a wrecking ball

The metropolis has spent years unsuccessfully trying to unload its decrepit, contaminated constabulary presumption connected idiosyncratic — anyone — with a viable program to redevelop it.

Built astir 1915, the metropolis has sold the Neo-Classical ceramic gathering connected Bedford Street aggregate times to developers who saw the spot degrade adjacent further. Now surrounded by chain-link obstruction to support passersby and forestall squatting, Fall River has reclaimed the gathering and whitethorn beryllium adjacent to demolishing it.

“The Preservation Society continues to advocator for the redevelopment of this gathering implicit demolition, suggesting that the metropolis should grip remediation and stabilization efforts alternatively than expecting a backstage developer to bash it,” Silva said.

If the gathering is torn down, however, the nine “has requested that the metropolis deconstruct, alternatively than demolish, and sphere humanities elements of the façade, similar the eagle and such.”

Durfee Mill: Group says analyzable is under-used

The monolithic mill analyzable connected Pleasant Street isn’t vacant, being location to respective businesses — but, Silvia said, “various parts ... are successful a authorities of neglect.”

The complex, which is adjacent to the adjacent Union Mills wherever PrimaCare has its home, was built betwixt 1866 and 1904, and astir of its archetypal buildings survive. According to its listing successful the National Register of Historic Places is “the finest granite concern analyzable successful Fall River, outstanding successful its styling, scale, tract plan, usage of materials, detailing, craftsmanship and intact quality.”

“Only sections of the analyzable are successful progressive usage each day, which makes the imaginable for redevelopment much enticing,” Silva said.

Davol Mill: Dilapidated ceramic gathering ripe for redevelopment

The analyzable connected Plymouth Avenue and Rodman Street with the mansard extortion was built successful 1867, the oldest ceramic mill gathering successful the city. It’s connected the National Register of Historic Places arsenic portion of the Corky Row Historic District — but is severely dilapidated and mostly unused.

“Potential redevelopment of this mill would person an outsized interaction connected the city,” Silva said, citing its premier determination successful an economically depressed neighborhood.

William Connell School suffering from neglect

Another erstwhile schoolhouse gathering astatine 450 Plymouth Ave., the Connell School was built successful 1893 and listed connected the National Register of Historic Places.

Prominent section designer Joseph Darling built the schoolhouse arsenic a duplicate of the Davol School successful the Flint, which according to the National Register exertion are “fine examples of the benignant of sturdy precocious 19th period ceramic schoolhouses which successful their plan and detailing rises supra the level of elemental functionalism.” It was closed successful 2008 erstwhile the School Department closed an assortment of smaller vicinity simple schools and consolidated students into larger buildings.

It’s besides unfastened to the elements, Silva said, “especially successful the precocious levels, and it’s decaying by demolition via neglect astatine this point.”

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected The Herald News: Preservation Society of Fall River: City's 5 astir neglected properties