History of the Fore River Shipyard

Less than 10 miles south of Boston, the Fore River Shipyard is an 111-acre site, 2/3 in Quincy and 1/3 in Braintree. Once one of the great shipyards in the United States, Fore River Shipyard was founded in the early 20th century by Thomas Watson, Alexander Graham Bell’s former assistant. At Fore River Shipyard’s peak during WWII, it employed 50,000 people and was a part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Arsenal of Democracy”. Fore River Shipyard produced the great ships that fought in all the major WWII naval battles.

After WWII, Fore River Shipyard entered into a decline; the last ship was built around 1982. In order to accommodate the construction of LNG tankers, beginning in the 1970s, the giant 1,200 ton "Goliath" crane was built specifically to place the aluminum spheres on the LNG's.

MWRA took over the property for harbor cleanup in the 1980s, and in the late 1990s Mass. Heavy Industries made a futile attempt to revive shipbuilding. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) then placed Fore River Shipyard up for auction and Dan Quirk was the highest bidder.

Mr. Quirk has since cleaned up and landscaped the property, and Fore River Shipyard currently serves as the Central Receiving Point for new cars for all Quirk dealerships. In addition, Mr. Quirk has spent almost $1 million on environmental remediation. Fore River Shipyard is now on the tax rolls in Quincy and Braintree, and the overhead craneway was removed to open views to the water.

After conducting a nationwide search and receiving proposals from ten of the best urban design firms in North America, Mr. Quirk chose RTKL, one of the top urban planning firms in the world (www.rtkl.com). RTKL is committed to community-based planning and “smart growth”.

The initial planning process will take a minimum of 6-8 months, and all potential uses will be considered, including marine-related, residential, retail, office, and entertainment.

The goal of the Fore River Shipyard Redevelopment Project is to create a mixed-use, working waterfront “village” that will attract not only Quincy and Braintree residents, but will appeal to the entire region. In addition, open space and public access will be important parts of the plan, along with memorializing the men and women who worked at the Shipyard throughout its long history.