The Fall River Community Preservation Committee on Monday advanced eligibility for a broad slate of historic‑preservation, open‑space and recreation projects and approved a handful of emergency requests to address immediate building and infrastructure needs.

The committee heard more than two dozen applications — from window restorations at former mills to land‑protection purchases and playground improvements — and voted on eligibility for each. The meeting included extended discussion and roll calls on several large requests; a small number of items were tabled for further review.

Votes at a glance (eligibility/outcome, amount requested as listed in applications):
- 418 Quaker Street (window restoration) — Eligible under historic preservation; applicant presented lead time and historic status.
- Waterfront Cultural District (historic study) — Eligible under historic preservation; requested $25,000 (one abstention recorded).
- Bio Reserve / eastern Fall River historic property survey (Phase 2) — Eligible under historic preservation; $80,000 requested.
- Eagle Event Center (window restoration) — Eligible under historic preservation; request $143,205.
- Fall River Deaconess Home (exterior restoration; housing component) — Eligible under historic preservation and community housing; $100,000 requested.
- First Congregational Church (bell tower and exterior work) — Eligible under historic preservation; requested $308,500 (applicants said project is largely self‑funded to date).
- Shane Landing / 104 Anawan Street (windows) — Eligible under historic preservation; $350,000 requested.
- Battleship Cove / Maritime Museum (window preservation study) — Eligible under historic preservation; $300,000 requested (applicant asked to clarify scope in final application).
- Fall River Historical Society (exterior restoration) — Eligible under historic preservation; requested $582,735 (applicants reported matching funds for a $3.5M project).
- Friar’s Way / W‑15‑0073 (land protection, Bio Reserve) — Eligible under open space & recreation; $25,000 requested (deed covenant/Article 97 protection clarified).
- Samsung parcel (10‑acre acquisition adjacent to Adirondack Farm) — Eligible under open space & recreation; $820,000 requested (purchase price to be reappraised; applicants said they'll pursue partners for matching funds).
- Fort River Water Works Complex (shed conversion / preservation) — Eligible under historic preservation (previously eligible; applicant expects alternate funding for some work).
- Adirondack Farm Bio Reserve Discovery Center (bathrooms, repair station, bike repair, small buildings) — Eligible under open space & recreation; $850,000 requested.
- Abbott Court Sensory Playground (inclusive playground) — Eligible under open space & recreation; $400,000 requested (applicants described phasing and preliminary design work underway).
- Multiple parks resurfacing projects (Maplewood, Brooklyn, Highland, North Park, Ruggles, Lafayette) — Eligible under open space & recreation; combined request $300,000 for courts resurfacing.
- Kennedy Park pathway resurfacing (Olmsted park) — Eligible under open space / recreation / historic preservation (applicants advised to avoid altering Olmsted‑designed historic paths); $327,000 requested.
- St. John the Baptist (interior painting) — Deferred / tabled for further review of eligibility for interior work (committee discussed precedents and public access requirements).
- Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption (bell tower masonry) — Eligible under historic preservation; $125,000 requested for tower masonry repair (applicant noted prior phases and an overall $645,000 tower budget).
- City bells / bell tower relocation (relocate and reconstruct city hall bells) — Advanced for eligibility with a note that only preservation work for the bells themselves would fall under historic preservation; $500,000 requested (committee discussed appropriate CPA category: preservation funds cover bell restoration, tower/landscaping likely fall under open space/recreation if placed in a park).
- Columbia Street parklet (waterfront cultural district park improvements) — Eligible under open space / recreation (and considered under historic preservation pending documentation); $300,000 requested.
- Father Kelly Park (off‑street parking/amenity improvements) — Eligible under open space & recreation; $500,000 requested.
- Saint Anne’s Church (exterior preservation phase) — Eligible under historic preservation; $125,000 requested (applicants reported ongoing phased restoration work).
- Christa Rock / Church tower phase 3 — Eligible under historic preservation; final phase request around $350,000; applicants reported funds raised and prior emergency funding spent.
- Bristol County District Courthouse (window replacement, community center use) — Eligible under historic preservation; request amount listed in packet.
- Multiple smaller projects (porches, cupolas, small roofs, etc.) — Various eligibility approvals recorded.

Emergency funding and appropriation referrals: the committee approved several emergency funding requests or motions to forward approvals to the City Council appropriation process (see separate articles below for contested emergency items). For projects that received eligibility votes tonight, applicants were reminded that eligibility does not guarantee final funding; applicants must provide complete final applications, clarifications of scope, contractor quotes (three where possible), evidence of matching funds, and, when applicable, historical‑commission review and deed‑restriction language.

Why it matters: The Community Preservation Act allocations determine how Fall River directs local dollars to historically significant buildings, protected open space and recreational amenity projects. With many large requests this round — including land protection parcels and significant preservation work — the committee is balancing limited funds, matching opportunities, and technical project readiness.

Committee members asked applicants to tighten scopes and provide clearer cost breakdowns, historic‑commission determinations where exterior or interior historic work was at issue, and firm purchase prices or appraisal numbers for land acquisitions. Several items will return to the committee with revised final applications for award decisions or will be forwarded to City Council for appropriation votes.