10.20.2026 Historical Commission

**Meeting summary** The Fall River Historical Commission met on October 20, 2026, to consider several historic preservation matters and requests for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding support. The Commission approved adding 403 Anawan Street, the former Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) building currently home to Bernardo's Boxing and Fitness, to the Fall River Register of Significant Structures, followed by approving a letter of support for the owners' CPA application to replace the building's roof. **Topics discussed** - Approve meeting minutes for September 15, 2026 — approved Approve meeting minutes for September 15, 2026 - Correspondence: 344 French Street Rehabilitation A letter of applicability was discussed for 344 French Street, where a builder agreed to preserve, scrape, and paint historical wood trim and fascia rather than covering it. - Correspondence: June Street Solar Panel Inquiry A property on June Street on the significant structures list was granted a non-applicability letter to install solar panels in accordance with Secretary of the Interior standards. - Register Designation and CPC Support for 403 Anawan Street The former CYO building was reviewed for its immigrant and athletic history dating back to 1895 and voted onto the Significant Structures list, followed by approval of a CPC support letter for roof replacement. - Add 403 Anawan Street (former CYO building) to the Fall River Register of Significant Structures — approved Add 403 Anawan Street (former CYO building) to the Fall River Register of Significant Structures - Kennedy Park Walkways Alterations and CPC Project Park Director Darren Medeiros proposed narrowing park paths from 13 feet to 12 feet, deepening the concrete pour to 6 inches for maintenance equipment, and replacing disconnected baseball field walkways with loam and seed. - Approve removal of disconnected concrete walkways at Kennedy Park baseball field and restoration to loam and grass — approved Approve removal of disconnected concrete walkways at Kennedy Park baseball field and restoration to loam and grass - Approve narrowing main east-west pathway in Kennedy Park from 13 feet to 12 feet with a 6-inch concrete pour — approved Approve narrowing main east-west pathway in Kennedy Park from 13 feet to 12 feet with a 6-inch concrete pour - First Congregational Church Tower Restoration Church representatives sought a letter of support for CPC funding to continue ongoing restoration of the prominent skyline church tower at 282 Rock Street. - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for tower restoration at First Congregational Church (282 Rock Street) — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for tower restoration at First Congregational Church (282 Rock Street) - Christ the Rock Church Tower Restoration Pastor Canavan sought Commission backing for a CPC grant to complete restoration on the final two corners of the church tower at 414 Rock Street. - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for final phase tower restoration at Christ the Rock Church (414 Rock Street) — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for final phase tower restoration at Christ the Rock Church (414 Rock Street) - Elevator Modernization at 101 Rock Street Family Service Association proposed modernizing the mechanical and electrical systems of Massachusetts' oldest operational elevator rather than spending over $1 million to demolish and replace it. - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for elevator modernization at 101 Rock Street without altering significant historic features — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for elevator modernization at 101 Rock Street without altering significant historic features - Bethel AME Church Structural Repairs Reverend Lipede outlined grant applications to CPC and the National Preservation Board to address roof replacement and foundation repointing at 146 Hanover Street. - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for structural repairs at Bethel AME Church (146 Hanover Street) subject to final CPC funding determination and Commission review — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for structural repairs at Bethel AME Church (146 Hanover Street) subject to final CPC funding determination and Commission review - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for roof replacement at 403 Anawan Street — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for roof replacement at 403 Anawan Street - Little Theatre Exterior Masonry Restoration The Commission considered Phase 2 masonry restoration at 340 Prospect Street, stipulating that all repointed mortar must strictly match the existing historical mortar color. - Issue a letter of support to the CPC for Phase 2 exterior masonry restoration at Little Theatre of Fall River (340 Prospect Street), conditional upon matching mortar color — approved Issue a letter of support to the CPC for Phase 2 exterior masonry restoration at Little Theatre of Fall River (340 Prospect Street), conditional upon matching mortar color - Table letter of support request for Bristol County Children's Museum due to applicant absence — tabled Table letter of support request for Bristol County Children's Museum due to applicant absence - Local Historic District 40C Expansion and Legal Review The Massachusetts Historical Commission requested ordinance language clarifications regarding the merger of the Local Historic District and Historical Commission, requiring City Council approval. - Bank Street Armory Rehabilitation City Operations Director Al Oliveira is coordinating the installation of three high-efficiency boilers to provide winter heat and clearing vegetation while bids for an architectural study are sought. - Central Fire S...