Daniel Schemer The Taunton Daily Gazette
TAUNTON — An outdoor retail shopping plaza assembled out of shipping containers?
That’s an idea the city of Taunton is determined to make a reality within a year as part of efforts to revitalize the waterfront area of the Weir Village.
Where would this retail plaza be located? The former Bacon Felt factory site at 395 West Water St.
Joseph Holdiman, lead developer for RCSI Property LLC, said Bacon Felt is “raw inspiration,” and this concept is an “opportunity for Taunton to reshape what people think about living here,” when he pitched this proposal to the City Council as a Whole on June 18.
City sells Bacon Felt factory for $1
Bacon Felt is a long vacant factory eyed for potential redevelopment as part of the city’s Marketable Properties Program.
Back in February, the city put out a request for proposals (RFP) for selling and developing the abandoned 3.83 acres comprising Bacon Felt.
The title for the property was given to the city through a Land Court decision in 2022 due to the property being foreclosed on because of unpaid property taxes. The criteria around the RFP wasn’t based on the highest bidder but instead the best approach for economic revitalization efforts in that area.
The winning bidder was RCSI Property LLC, which only spent $1 buying the property.
“The mayor made redeveloping Bacon Felt a priority, and our team is excited to welcome this project,” said Jay Pateakos, the executive director of Taunton’s Office of Economic & Community Development (OECD).
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A developer is proposing to build a shipping container shopping mall at the former Bacon Felt factory site at 395 West Water St. in Taunton with … Show more
What would this look like?
Twenty repurposed and retrofitted shipping containers containing assorted retail businesses would comprise the heart of the plaza.
Other features Holdiman discussed include: open-air space, a 200-seat amphitheater for live performances, public restrooms inside shipping containers, and even a barn-like building also made of shipping containers, designed to house a brewery or distillery.
Including parking, Holdiman said it should cover the whole acreage of the Bacon Felt site.
A view of the Taunton River and three rafters, looking south from the Weir Bridge. The Taunton River Festival returned to the Weir Village on … Show more
Why shipping containers?
Holdiman referred to this concept as “holistic urbanism.” Basically, it’s environmentally sustainable urban design that doesn’t cost much, leaves plenty of room for beautification through green space, doesn’t require too much construction and actual development and activates communal interest in the area.
Each shipping container averages about 200 square feet, with the average cost to build out, depending on the amount of doors, windows and other features to be installed, to be around $15,000. Meanwhile Holdiman told the Council the average build-out costs the first year for a brick-and-mortar store are around $50,000-$75,000.
These modified shipping containers can be built off site and moved to the location by truck once ready.
“It’s drag and drop,” said Holdiman.
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The Weir Village Riverfront Park on West Water Street by the Riverhouse restaurant is a scenic spot for a walk, seen here on June 14, … Show more
Daniel Schemer
Minimalist set-up
The minimalist concept of this plaza extends to providing plumbing and utilities for the site. Water, plumbing and other utilities will be on site, but not available for each individual store.
Holdiman said solar panels may be available for installation, but otherwise, store owners will be responsible for their interior light.
Ductless mini-splits will be provided, said Holdiman, to store owners for air conditioning and heat, but it is the responsibility of each owner to install them.
Public restrooms are also intended for those working in the plaza.
“The concept here has minimal effect on the area. It doesn’t require a lot of foundational work,” said OECD Assistant Director Jim Howland.
The Weir Village Riverfront Park on West Water Street is a scenic spot for a walk on a bright clear summer day on June 14, … Show more
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Holdiman described the plaza as “a destination” that will attract foot traffic to the Weir district, both from the rest of the city and elsewhere, due to its uniqueness, welcoming atmosphere, and accessibility via passing roads, nearby walking paths and the boat ramp connected to the Weir Village Riverfront Park across the street.
Holdiman intends for the plaza to be a business incubator for small and startup companies looking to get off the ground and grow their businesses. Nine companies have already committed to soft agreements, said Holdiman, to set up shop in the shipping container plaza.
“I’m looking for those willing to invest in the community and build the local economy,” he said.
Riverhouse restaurant, seen here on Feb. 14, 2022, opened in November 2020 and quickly established itself as a hotspot for Taunton-area-diners. If a developer is … Show more
How much would rent be?
Rent would be about $800 a month per business at the plaza. Holdiman told Council, by comparison, rent for a regular brick-and-mortar, depending on location in the Weir village and established traffic, would otherwise be between $1,200-$1,800 per month.
Where else is this being done?
Shipping container malls aren’t a new concept. Examples in the U.S. include: Krate the Grove, an outdoor park of 50-plus stores and restaurants housed in shipping containers in Wesley Chapel, a town in Central Florida; the Downtown Container Park, which houses restaurants, bars, shops, and a concert venue, in Las Vegas; the Boxspot shopping center in Cleveland, Ohio; and The Churchill urban development in Phoenix, Arizona.
Internationally, they can be found in New Zealand, South Korea, Argentina, the UK and Canada, to name a few countries.
Contaminated brownfield site
The Bacon Felt property is considered a contaminated brownfield site. Jay Pateakos from the OECD said this was a primary factor in the lack of proposals the city received for the site. Six developers toured the facility during the bidding period, but only RCSI Property bid due to the uncertainty of the contamination sitting underground.
“The cost for cleanup makes it financially unattractive and difficult to develop,” which is why the cost was only $1, he said.
Presently, the city is seeking several grants for brownfield site clean-up and demolition. Pateakos said, so far, only assessments have been done regarding the cleanup. No remedial action has taken place.
The mayor’s office and the OECD declined at this time to disclose estimates of cost for the demolition and cleanup of the Bacon Felt site.
“That information will be refined throughout the process,” said Pateakos.
Pateakos also said, in the coming months, the city will learn the outcome of several of its grant applications and whether or not discussions of “alternate measures” by the city have to occur over funding the demolition and cleanup.
Container mall meant to be temporary
While other shipping container plazas are permanent installations, Holdiman said he envisions the plaza at the Bacon Felt site to be temporary, a stepping stone meant to “activate the neighborhood now” and bring greater economic interest to the Weir Village.
“This is something the city needs, and the administration is looking forward to getting off the ground,” the city’s Chief Financial Officer Patrick Dello Russo told the City Council.
What’s permanent plan for site?
Eventually, the goal is brick-and-mortar buildings on the Bacon Felt site, whether commercial, residential or mixed-use.
Due to the flexible nature of shipping containers, the goal is to relocate all the businesses in the plaza to other parts of the city when the time comes, down the line.
Council support
Councilors who spoke expressed support and excitement over the proposal.
“The area is in much need of help. We appreciate your willingness to tackle this area,” said Councilor Phillip Duarte.
“I love the vision here. This is a really exciting proposal,” said Councilor Estele Borges.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. This will separate us from the rest of the region,” said Councilor John McCaul.
Councilor Barry Sanders said, “This is a very community-oriented space. That’s the kind of thing with the potential to bring in the kinds of businesses we’re looking for,” which he described as “folks who want to be involved in the community.”
Said Council President David Pottier: “That part of town has so much opportunity and need for vision because of these challenge areas. People say we lack opportunities. What we don’t have is a lack of old mills and factory buildings. This is a great opportunity.”
When is this happening?
The demolition and sufficient cleanup of the site are big factors in the timeline for this project.
Presently, RCSI Property and the city want to have the shipping container shopping plaza set up, ready and operational for summer 2025, next year.
